Hi Folks,

I've begun a new thread here specifically so that interested parties can make their comments heard without hi-jacking Joe's thread,and to give the issue a more visible presence on the boards which I will keep bringing to the top. [CLICK FOR PREVIOUS TOPIC: Queen of the Bank Box]

How do members feel about giving European watches their own forum, so that present and future members and visitors have a specific 'zone' to home in on.

Just as there are individuals interested only in US manufactured watches, the same applies with regard to European watches, and IHC 185 is the best venue on the web today to service all those interests.

Perhaps if comments are posted here now, then what is minority membership will have a specific 'home' and grow accordingly!

Let's have your thoughts!

Best regards

John

I think this is a good idea. I have put up a couple of posts about European watches and they do tend to get lost amidst the more popular stuff. Perhaps if they had their own place to live they may get a better response albiet a slower one until a bit of a following builds up. I am happy for the ones I did to be moved to this thread to get things started.
Steve

I fully support the concept of having a European Watch Forum. I think it would be a great addition and help expand the depth of our horological knowledge from other geographic regions.

On a personal note, I've got a number of very nice European PW's (including repeaters ) that I'd love to know a lot more about.

I certainly support the formation of a separate European forum.

Hi All,

Just sticking my nose into this thread. I agree 100% with John in that we need a unique header category for European timepieces. I too have an interest in this area of watches and watchmakers. But like John says, the topic is quickly lost under the generic "Pocket Watch Discussions" header.

And to John's point... we are an International Chapter that perhaps is losing potential membership from our overseas friends. Lets open "our doors" a little more.

I copied my earlier post from the related topic (noted above) to this topic thread to express my desire to see a unique forum for European watches and pocket watches. Yes I said watches too!

From a watch viewpoint I favor Omega, Breitling, and vintage Longines. Important makers and fine timepieces that merit discussion. So perhaps the forum header should just be named "The European Pocket and Watch Forum". This would help "open our doors" a little more to bring in more modern collectors and perhaps membership to this fine horology site!

I also would give John W. a shot as moderator if he's inclined to do so.

Thanks, Joe

Thanks everyone for your support to date regarding the possible creation of this new forum.

No idea if it will ever get the 'thumbs up', so keep those comments coming guys (no Gal's yet though!) if you wish to see this come to fruition!

'Use it or Lose it' as the saying goes!

Many thanks too, Glynn & Joe for your recommendations proposing me as a moderator, although I'm the first to admit I may be neither qualified or popular enough to take on the role even if I were offered it!
Time will tell on that score, but in short, Yes,I am willing to take on the role if this change ever gets off the ground.
However, if anyone else is preferred in the role, I don't mind at all, and whoever it is can be assured of my support!

Joe, you're almost a 'one man crusade' pointing out that certain watch threads would be better served in their own forum - I Like your style!

Dave, many thanks for your support here, it's great to see a moderator taking a positive interest here, any chance we can have comments from other moderators please, see how you view this?

Thank you all - and keep those comments coming!.

Best regards

John

I will add the first pictures to this thread. Here is the insides of the watch with the Hungarian coat of arms on the front. Tis a bit dirty but was not sure how to clean a Niello case so left it alone. All the history is still there so to speak. Face looks a bit fragile as well.

The dust cover with the only makers details I can find. Nothing at all on the movement.

The movement itself. I like the little bit of decoration they put on the 3 bars. The wheels look like brass that has been silvered or painted. Not sure why. Escape wheel is solid.
I think with these kind of watches the case was more important than the movement.

Here is an open-face watch that is almost identical to yours, except that is reversed for open-facing. THe dial of this watch, however, is likely very different from yours.

Dial view

Hi Stephan and Ethan. We really appreciate the pictures of your fine examples. I think on this topic however we are trying to get a "heartbeat" as to how many Chapter 185 members would like a separate forum for EU timepieces.

Come on 185 members and voice your opinion!!! Do you want a unique forum for European watches? Many of you have viewed this topic!! But only a few have made any comment. All you have to do is click on "Reply to Post" at the end of this topic. Type in your thoughts pro or con and click "Post Now".

Thanks, Joe

Yes, I think a European pocket watch forum would be helpful.

Sorry I mis understood the "use it or loose it" comment. Thanks Ethan for the pictures. Yes it does look similar.
So here is another point to consider.
When we talk about a "European Forum" does this include English watches. I have not noticed a spot to talk about these anywhere either.
If it does then I think there would be enough to seperate pocket watches and wrist watches.
Would it be worth going back through the existing pocket and wrist watch Forum and pulling out those items relevant to European watches and using that as seed material to get the new Forum off to a bit of a flying start. There could be stuff in there that interested parties or visitors may have missed because they did not notice it amongst all the other stuff.
Steve

Honestly, I'd prefer the pocket watch category not be segregated. It's not a big deal really, but it would be another column to keep track of, and I do a bad job keeping up as it is. I think I've only looked at the new European watch portion of the green board once or twice so far. I enjoy all these forums but the more it is subdivided, the more topics I end up missing. I'm certainly not opposed to change in any way. I read the Queen in the bank vault topic soon after it was posted.
-Cort

Hello Court, I see what you mean and I don't mind either way.
To diverge a bit what about this for an idea.
Could we have a section at the very top of the board called "new posts". This would contain a mirror of all new posts but they would only stay there fo 24 hours and then be deleted. Someone who wanted to do a quick check of what has happened overnight could quickly scann all the new stuff. You would still have to go to the appropriate spot to post or look at the older stuff. Just a thought and it is about a new Forum.
Steve

I like the idea of the European Forum, it would be less posts for me to look through. I use the lights on the left side to tell me which posts are new and that I haven't looked at yet. I don't think we need a 24 hour post.
Briab C.

All,

I think the European Pocket Watch forum is a good idea, and would be glad to see it. It seems that questions about these watches do get lost in the shuffle in the current format.

Regards,

Cary

The "Find or Search" function has a "New since your last visit" selection as well as a "Active Topics " selection. This should solve both Stephan and Cort's concerns regarding posts getting missed.

Works for ME!!

Joe

Thanks again everyone for your comments, please keep them coming!

Remember, if this possible change dies through lack of support, I doubt you will ever get the chance to try change it again!
Do nothing, nothing happens!

Cort, I see your point, but this isn't about casually browsing threads as they're posted or doing catch up if you've missed a few days.
American and European watches, although they operate on the same mechanical principles, are quite different animals and have quite a different following requiring different areas of expertise, all of which simply gets lost under the sheer weight of US related threads.
The issue is about segregating totally different horological needs of members for the membership as a whole.

All too often folks have started threads here and they've been lost in days never to be seen again.
You can only bring a thread back to the top if you know about the trick of replying to your own thread with a reminder, and therein lay the problem!
If the original poster didn't get a reply and saw their thread vanish onto the next page (the death knell in many cases!), they will think we don't care and walk!
How many have done that already?

Even I can't find my own threads without searching from my own profile, and if you've ever tried to find an old thread on a European watch by back tracking pages, you'll almost fall asleep wading through gargantuan numbers of Bunn, Illinois, Howard etc threads trying to find it.
Very often the search engine is no use either if you can't remember the name or topic header!
Trust me I've been there often, and it isn't funny if you've no interest in those watches, and many don't have, no matter How passionate You may be about them.

It's that diversity that makes IHC.185 the success it is, but in this area, it is fast becoming a victim of its own success by stifling interest in this area - if you don't see it,it doesn't exist!

Wholesale subdivisions are not being suggested, it's one single extra category, into which all relevent European related material can be moved and operated from to pull it out from under the weight and pace of US related material!
As interest in IHC 185 grows, the situation will only get worse!

The wristwatch forum succeeds because the European and American interest is slower paced, so the same 'burying effect' doesn't happen and both areas co-habit exceptionally well. There is also a greater European presence on that board, so the effect that EU threads suffer on the pocket watch board doesn't happen.

I would be totally oposed to further sub-divisions of any board ie: Fusee, Verge, Lever etc, that would be taking things to extremes and would result in every member shouting for their own brand forum too, totally unworkable!

As regards what would constitute being European - simply anything made in the UK, France Germany and Switzerland etc.

There will inevitably be some crossover, especially where Swiss and English watches have American or Canadian Retailer's named movements and dials, but that's good, because it will keep members talking to each other and probably more so than they do now, Why ........ because even their enquiries won't vanish under a sea of US related material within days.

John.

Very well said John!

Joe

As we all know we already have a number of Research Forums which are primarily focused towards American Made PWs.(i.e. Hamilton 992B, South Bend & Illinois Watch)

I for one would highly recommend and support another forum, possibly a research forum with a dedicated European focus which could include BOTH wristwatches and PWs.

As the Internet based chapter of the NAWCC I think our global membership will continue to expand. Having said this I think it's only appropriate we respect the growing needs of our international colleagues and consider providing them with special areas of interest. After all not every PW or wristwatch was made in the USA.