I have recently become interested in horology. I am specifically interested in pocket watches. I am 18 years old and have a budget constraint. I am very fascinated by pocket watches. I would appreciate any guidance and answers to the following questions.

What resources are there for a beginner? (preferably free/online)

What should my first step into the world of watches be?

What advise do you have for a beginner?


Thank you.

IHC185 is a very good starting place.

Yes sir. There are plenty of great forums on here. I spent the better part of today reading threw a few of them.

Thanks for responding.

anyone with tips can feel free to e-mail me.

m.rohanpc@gmail.com

Michael, welcome aboard. The best resource for you is to study Ebay. Look at lots of watches until you find the type that intrigues you, buying any and all would not be feasible on a reduced budget and would probably rule out solid gold watches at least for now. Once you find a particular type, which may be hunter cases or Railroads or whatever, you will have to study prices and compare conditions to get a sense of pricing. Ebay right now is THE Market for watches and it is free to look and study. Your first step would be to try and find books once you have figured out what you are interested in. Be patient on your purchases, with a particular eye for very good or better condition and originality. Condition will be a lot easier than the question of originality and both only come with time and passion. Before you purchase, ask about the watch here, as there are many that can give opinions and pricing and can save you a lot of grief. The price guide is a good book to start with as are the Ehrhardt series of books. In the beginning don't be embarassed to ask questions because more than likely there will be a lot of them. Geno

Thank you for your response much appreciated and duly noted.

Welcome Michael, First, while knowledge of watchmaking and Horology in general can be expanded without limit, you have already taken the first step if you have chosen to study pocket watches. However, as the "roots" of watch design are buried in earlier timekeeping devices, please leave your mind open as your knowledge of watch history unfolds.

Collecting watches take some money but learning about watches only takes som time. IHC has made available for purchase one of the best books describing the history and development of AMERICAN made Pocket watches;

"American Watchmaking . . . A technical History of the American Watch Industry 1850-1930"

That is a good start and is inexpensive and exclusively available from IHC185.