Hi I have a B.W.C. Co. Gold watch I was told it was solid Gold and it has the Hallmark of a Lion. The movement has no name anywhere on the movement. Can someone help with the content of gold marking and movement. Thanks.
Posts: 5 | Location: Southern Ohio in the USA | Registered: March 27, 2010
From what I could see, the movement looks to be Swiss, a clearer image might help narrow it down further. Now we go to the "B. W. C. Co." case marking and English Hallmark which are puzzling. We know the Brooklyn Watch Case Company is what we relate to the "B. W. C. Co." as it was one of their trademarks. I can only imagine there may have been an English company with a similar name around the time your watch was cased.
Perhaps someone who knows more about European watches can shed more light on your very interesting example.
Lindell
Posts: 10553 | Location: Northeastern Ohio in the USA | Registered: November 19, 2002
The Brooklyn Watch Case Company commonly made low karat gold cases (commonly 9K or 10K) but to know definitively would require testing.
A quick "field test" would be to gently use your thumb and forefinger to flex either cover--if it bends slightly without much effort you could generally say that your case is solid gold. A gold filled case with an underlying base metal will greatly resist any sort of bending or flexing. Another way is to examine either the pendant for brassing or the case edges near the hinges or area near 6 o'clock where wear is most readily apparant (a 10X loupe is a good investment).
I checked all over it and took it apart no brassing anywhere and after movement moved there is a rouch cuedging that looks solid gold. It does bend on the lids. Thanks
Posts: 5 | Location: Southern Ohio in the USA | Registered: March 27, 2010
I searched the web "B.W.C.co. with lion mark" and found several discussions about these cases. Some of what is said is that they were made by the Brooklyn Watch Case Company before there were requirements in this country to have gold marks. They say they have been tested and are 14K solid gold. I read that Jones Horan auctions has auctioned watches in the past with this mark and stated they were 14K.
Now I don't know this as fact, just what I found.
Posts: 5107 | Location: New Mexico in the USA | Registered: January 27, 2007
