Howard Help

January 18, 2009, 12:14

Keith Klimkowicz

Howard Help

Hi

I just picked this little 12s watch up this morning. A 12s E Howard 17j Adj serial number 1081391. It is in a three hinged lid Howard case marked EXTRA Crescent star and a quarter moon. The word Crescent in is a banner. Would this case be gold filled?

I will post some pictures later, great movement my first 12s Howard.

January 18, 2009, 12:38

Robert Schussel

Keith
Unless it said 14kt it is gold filled.

I am not 100% sure but I think the extra means it was a higher quality gold filled case--for example 14kt vs possible 12kt or 10kt.

Also beware of 14kt J BOSS cases often used with Howards. J Boss invented the gold filled process and any case marked this way is always gold filled.

Bob

January 18, 2009, 18:35

Keith Klimkowicz

12s Howard Dial. Check out the seconds bit, the number are red?

January 18, 2009, 18:38

Keith Klimkowicz

12s Howard Case Back

January 18, 2009, 18:39

Keith Klimkowicz

12s Howard Movement

January 18, 2009, 18:42

Keith Klimkowicz

Sorry but picture is bad. Inside of the case

January 19, 2009, 13:14

Keith Klimkowicz

I am looking for any other information on this watch like; year, quan
Is that a jeweled barrel?
The dial with the red numbers in the seconds bit is that common?
Thanks

January 19, 2009, 14:37

Lindell V. Riddle

Keith,

The red five minute outer track is typical of these and many other watches but I do not specifically recall seeing the red seconds numerals before. It is something many of us would overlook, you may have something unusual there.

About your case, as Bob mentioned "Extra" meant a higher quality case, in this instance the gold would be heavier and therefore it would conceivably wear longer, it would be along the lines of a "Permanent" case in some of the other makes. Keystone owned both the Howard name and the Crescent Watch Case Company so a great many of the later Howards came in Crescent cases, I have several in my collection and have seen many others. Remember also that all these watches came factory cased. By the way, that very attractive bow on your watch is original to the case.

No, that is not a jeweled barrel.

According to page 263 of the "Complete Guide to Watches" your number 1081391 is estimated to be from approximately 1910 production. I do not believe there are factory records for the later Howards so for that reason we are left to "guesstimates" such as shown in the watch guide as to production years and the number produced of a given model.

Check page 266 of the watch guide for more information on your watch which is known as a Series 7, 1908 model.

Hope this is of help,

Lindell