November 02, 2008, 14:54
Lindell V. RiddleHi Ernie,
You might want to check the movement very carefully.
My suspicion is this will turn out to be essentially a "post-Waltham" watch meaning a Waltham in name only. There were some otherwise inconsequential watches made in Switzerland as well as some very good ones after the major US companies were essentially gone but with their names on them.
Since there were no genuine 25-Jewel Waltham Railroad Grade American Pocket Watches I expect it would turn out to be disappointing. More than likely an adequate timekeeper and for a collector that wants to have every Waltham ever made it could be an interesting carry-watch.
Here is a topic where we discussed what I would call the most outrageous "Waltham" ever...
CLICK TO SEE: THE 100-JEWEL WALTHAM AUTOMATIC
While we are on the subject of high jewel-counts and since you and I collect South-Bends consider that when members of the Studebaker Family acquired Columbus Watch in 1902 you are aware some Columbus designs were reworked as South-Bend First Models. But even though Columbus had marketed 25-Jewel movements and therefore South-Bend easily could have but they decided not to. Half a decade would pass before their first 21-Jewel watch a 21-Jewel "The Studebaker" was introduced.
Smart buyers went for the lower priced 17-Jewel version and passed on paying extra for four cap jewels that did nothing to improve the timekeeping abilities of the watch. I could go on and on about how a 19-Jewel Bunn is identical to a 23-Jewel Bunn Special except for four unnecessary cap jewels but you get the point, big numbers in jewel-counting are silly.
That's this man's opinion, let's see what you and others say.
Lindell
