This watch has been in my wife's family over 100 years. Don't know much about it and I thought someone could help shed light on it.

All comments are welcome and solicited.

Regards,
Jerry

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Nice looking watch & case, it is 14K correct?

Are you sure on the age, that looks like an Elnviar (sp) hairspring & I don't see any cuts in the balance wheel.

Tom

Thanks Tom,

I had not intended to tell this story because of the length, so I'll give you the short version...

About a year ago my sweet 94 yr. young mom-in-law handed me an item in a pouch and asked if I wanted it. I opened it and to my surprise this watch was inside.

I asked her where the watch came from and her answer was that she had kept the watch in her jewelery box for as long as she could remember and had no idea where it came from.(she is 1st. generation Italian)her mom & dad came to America in 1892.

The monogram on the front does not match up with anyone in the family which is a puzzlement.
I do know that the trademark shown on the watch and case was used by Cyrus Thommen around 1880 and was replaced by Alph around 1893 & 1897 and that Sola, Sola G.T. & Solamaster was Brand/Model names that were used during this time period.

To answer your question,yes it is 14K gold....and I checked again and there are no cuts in the balance wheel that I could find, and I have no idea of the ramifications of that bit of info.

Thanks for the interest though and if you have any info I will apprecitate it.

Regards,
Jerry

Jerry

It is a nice watch case & story, something worth hanging on to!

As to the balance this link will take you to a newer post where I had asked about an Elgin hairspring but if you search the site you will find out alot about them.

https://ihc185.infopop.cc/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/1086047761/m/2461021923

Tom

Hello Tom,

I had seen and read the dialogue between you and Dave before regarding the Elvinar hairspring. If this watch does in fact have the Elvinar hairspring then that will go a long way in dating the watch.

That being said, I don't understand the trademark on the watch being Sola GT in the ovals. Something is not adding up here, and of course we are assuming that the hairspring is Elvinar.

Maybe someone else will jump in here and shed a little more light.

Come on, someone bring the spot light....

Regards,
Jerry

The hairspring stud looks like it was adapted from a different watch, and I would have no doubt that this has been "converted" by a very skilled watchmaker to the Elinvar/uncut wheel in it's mid-life sometime, so that has nothing to do with it's original date of "birth".

There is something very special about this watch, and I hope you can use it. It has "charm", and that is very useful sometiimes.

I thought the same thing David about the hairspring stud not looking right but I was not sure enough to say, I think it is a fine looking watch.

Tom

Thanks to both, Tom and David.

When you mention the word 'hairspring stud' are you refering to the screw that is located below (in the groove)to the right of the regulator?
If so, I of course noticed it but had no idea what it is or was....

Maybe I'll learn something eventually.

Thanks for the info.

Regards,
Jerry

Jerry

The hairspring stud is the triangle shaped wedge that fits into a same shaped holde in the balance cock, it is what holds the hairspring to the cock.. What David & I noticed is there is some spaces around the stud & the hole. If you notice in the below photo is yours & then one on another watch, they are usually a very tight fit.

Tom

I see(says the blind man)what you are talking about and that just adds to the confusion.

Man I have no idea where or how Nanny(Mom-in-law)may have come to possess this watch and she doesn't either.

I will keep digging until I find the answer though.

Regards,
Jerry

This is Chris's thoughts through private conversation....
Quote:
IT looks a typical later Swiss pocket watch 14K case average functional grade watch (not fake or swiss junk) but a good usable grade watch the stuff about the hairspring I think is a bit misleading, try taking a balance complete form any watch and putting it into another type, near impossible with problems of size timing, pivots, roller table setup not to mention all the height setting within a few hundredths , the stud may have been changed for some reason and equally maybe original, do some hunting on 185 when non compensated balances or Elinvar type balances /hairsprings and take a few years off as they where always ahead so my guess would be 20-30s hope that helps.
UnQuote:

This is not consistent with the dates Sola / GT trademarks on the movement and on both front & rear covers were used.

See what I mean....

Regards,
Jerry

Jerry

Far be it from me to argue with Chris, I was just wondering about the age you had placed on the watch when compared to the balance. Regardless I think it is a nice looking watch & case.

Tom

Yeah, I know what you mean....but this is no argument, by any means just trying to lay out facts as we know them.

I know that your main premise was concerning the age and you may be more correct than you realize. This may very well be a watch case that does not contain the watch it was born with, but then there is the trademark on the movement again....

Boy,WHEW! like Dan Rather said in 2004,"I think I'm getting a headache".

Best to you,
Jerry

The style of the case (Louis XV) points to the 1910s, however it was used until the early 1930s. The company that made this watch is of course Revue Thommen of Waldenburg, Switzerland. This model was introduced in the 1910s, this could be a later, more precise and better grade. Let's put it to 1920-1925 having a enamel dial a metal dial would point to a slightly later date.

Hello Chris,

Like Tom said earlier,"far be it from me to argue with Chris," I reiterate that....but....
The documents below is what I have based my age estimate on. I'm probably wrong somewhere in my assesment, but take a look....

Regards,
Jerry

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