Just purchased this off ebay it say it is a Seth Thomas Trainmans Special 23j but i can not find any thing on it to be honest. Any one else have any more info please. Serial is 1037913. Francis

Movement

Hey Francis, look on page 390 of the Price Guide To Watches,and you will find your watch. It is listed as having 17 to 23 fake jewels,and is listed as having a value of $100-$275 depending on condition.

Thanks Cecil for that info. Why on earth would they use fake jewels? I dont have the book so do you know whom is the maker? Is it Seth Thomas? as in seth thomas private labels it says Trainmen's special-chicago 17jewel adjusted(locomotive)fake rr.so is it a knock off

Francis your watch is listed and pictured in the Guide book under the Seth Thomas category. It states the watch actually has 7 working jewels and is not adjusted.

Ok thanks is the book by Cooksey Shugart, Richard E. Gilbert, and Tom Engle 2010 has green cover?

Hey Francis, Yes that is the book that I found your watch in. If you are going to buy a copy,might I recommend buying it right here on the forum. Get a good price on the book,and it comes with a nice plastic cover to protect it.

As for the "fake" jewels in your watch,I'm not sure why they did that,but they were not the only company to do it. New York Standard also made a "fake" 23 jewel watch,and oddly enough it also had "23 fake jewels",and "Chicago" on the movement,and I have seen several Swiss makers with similar watches. Maybe it was old time "bling",to impress your friends. After all a 23 jewel watch was quite impressive back then.

Cecil and Vincent thank you, that is what I really LOVE about this site, is the helpfulness and knowledge. It is awesome like one big happy family. Plus joining is cheap. Where else can you get all this on the net??? Plus u make some really good friends in here, I am still waiting to be able to help some one out with sending them parts they need, but alas I dont seem to have anything any one requires as yet. Will look into buying the book asap.

The 1908 Sears catalog lists these for sale as a "trading watch", made for peddlers, horsetraders etc.
Harold

Harold thank you for that clipping, so good to know and see some thing like that is still around that is so awesome. Bling from the 1900's wow, I guess that human nature has not changed and people like to feel important and the owning of a high quality 23 jewel pocket watch was also a status symbol. Some times I think i was born some 110 yrs too early.