Let's talk price of pocket watches back in the good ole railroad days.

I've read railroad pocket watches went for $1, $2. $3. and so forth. I'm sure plenty of you have many stories, links and even ads you can post as well as provide regarding the price of railroad watches in many times past!

Let's hear what you have to say regarding those prices!

Stephanie O'Neil
NAWCC Member 143979

Maybe someone can parallel prices of railroad pocket watches - back in the days vs. today's prices and show what was relative back then.

Stephanie O'Neil
NAWCC Member 143979

Stephanie,

I found a bunch of adds on Waynes Elgin website. You can spend hours going through them.

Enjoy!
http://elginwatches.org/scans/sales_catalogs/m_index.html

Aaron

When comparing 'then and now' prices for watches you have to consider the inflation rate for the time period, or think about the average weekly wage then compared to that of today, or the price of the watch as a percentage of the prevailing wage. Railroad grade watches were never inexpensive.

I have an 1897 Sear and Roebuck reproduction catalog that lists 21 and 23 jewel railroad watches from Elgin, Hampden, and Waltham, and all in the 21 to 24 dollar price range, less case. Pretty hefty fees back before the turn of the 20th century! Regards. Mark

NAWCC Member 157508
NAWCC-IHC Member 163

Kent Singer and I wrote a couple of columns on the mail order watch business contained in the August and October 2000 Bulletins. There are a bunch of ads reproduced that showed the prices for a number of railroad approved watches in the 1880 to the 1950 period.
Just to give one example, in December 1926, the Royal Diamond & Watch Co. offered the 16 size 21 jewel Illinois Bunn Special for $55.00 to $65.00, the Hamilton 992 at $55.00 to $65.00, depending on the case and the 21 jewel B. W. Raymond at $55.00. A deposit of $2.00 delivered the watch to your door and you then paid the balance in 12 equal monthly installments. Even during the Depression, these watches, while lower in price than those sold earlier, were never cheap.

Ed Ueberall
NAWCC 49688
IHC Member 34
The Escapement

When you find a watch ad that is dated and with a selling price, use this link to calculate the price of a watch with today's dollar.

CPI Calculator

Watches were pretty expensive even in the GOOD OLD DAYS!!

Phil Dellinger
NAWCC# 157070
IHC Life Member (L12)

Very neat calculator Phil!!

Tom Seymour
NAWCC #41293
IHC #104
IHC Exec.V.P.

Using the calculator that Phil provided, that would make the prices shown in my earlier post from $573.62 to $677.91 in 2003 dollars.

Ed Ueberall
NAWCC 49688
IHC Member 34
The Escapement

Aaron,

Thanks for the link on ads. Really neat!

John A.,
Thanks

Mark C,
Your 1897 Sears & Roebuck repro catalog sounds interesting. And yes, that was a hefty price for pocket watches back then.

Ed,
Thanks for your input and info. $55. to $65. for Bunn Specials back in 1926! Wow!! And delivery fee of $2 to deliver a watch to your door. Ah, the good ole days!!

Phil D,
Great link to CPI Calculations - wish it would show earlier than 1913. Thanks again!

Stephanie O'Neil
NAWCC Member 143979

Stephanie,

Here is a link to the earliest price calculator that I could find. This should about cover all the bases.

INFLATION CALCULATOR STARTING IN 1800

Phil Dellinger
NAWCC# 157070
IHC Life Member (L12)

Phil,

Thanks for the link to price calculators, 1800-2002. Yep, that covers it! Thanks again.

Stephanie O'Neil
NAWCC Member 143979