One of the most common named lesser grades is the Century, available in several models. Note the plate cuts in this ad for a Model 10:

Now look at the plate cuts in this example of a Model 12 Century:

Essentially the same parts lineup with a different train plate.

It's fronted by a matching heavy Arabic dial in a seriously meaty case. Note the copper pendant nut and the copper reflector in the bezel.

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Another variant of a two-tone Grade 182, and in my opinion, the absolute summit of the dazzling patterns Seth Thomas imparted to it's Model 5 family:

This example comes from IHC185's own Leonard Abbott.

It's fronted by a gorgeous fancy dial with blued spade-and-poker hands.

An ad for a Grade 47, which was a 7-jewel pendant-set gilt Model 5:

Gilt Model 5s are somewhat rare in all grades.

This example of a Grade 58 is an 11-jewel lever-set gilt Model 5. What makes this one interesting is the outboard regulator, and the fact that the 4 additional jewels (all visible on the train plate) were press-fit. Note the low serial number, which was very early in the Model 5 family, and the matching gilt dust band.

My thanks to my friend Mike LaForest for this example, who sent it to me out of the goodness of his heart. It simply arrived one night, unannounced.

It fronts a very special dial - a rare signed red/black Roman dial with a locomotive and tender:

A train on the front, therefore a train on the back:

Eric, I must have been inebriated to send you that watch! Surely its not the same one I sent you, you rascal! Its not as fanciful as your BEAUTIFUL 2-tone movements, but I must say that you 'own' this entire thread regarding Seth Thomas and have done more than anyone to popularize this sometimes forgotten watch. Good show, man!

I almost forgot.... we must have read the same book about setting the hands at 10:10 before taking a picture. Hahahaha!

I just got this one and I can't find the S/N markings on it.

I think they may be on the underside of the main plate. I just remember seeing that in one of the forums.


j

While the Model 1 - generally any open-face 18-size watch up to SN 10,000 - was mechanically different than all the other 18s open-faced movements, Models 3, 6, 8, 10, and 12 all had interchangeable parts, so it's difficult to know just what makes a watch a Model 3. I'm assuming SN blocks from 10,000 where the Model 1 left off up to 200,000 where the Model 5 began, with several thousand hunter Model 2s and key-wind Model 4s sprinkled in.

Introducing the Model 3:

Again note the lack of a dust ring and those lousy half-headed case screws.

This example of a Model 3 is interesting for two reasons: it has no dial-side center jewel for a total jewel-count of 16, and the "Adjusted for Temperature and Positions" on the upper plate next to the Gothic signature:

Fronting it is the fabled Gothic-signature Arabic dial with open morning-glory hands:

Hiding from the world in a Monitor case with a floral pattern:

The only mention of the 23-jewel variant of the Model 5 by name is found in Ehrhardt:

No Seth Thomas collection is complete without an example of the Grade 272. If there is a "unicorn" variant of the Model 5, it's the 23-jewel fishscale pattern.

The 272 apparently existed only in a 200-block serial number range from 238201 to 238400. I have no idea if all 200 were made in a single run, or fewer than that in smaller runs. According to Ed Ueberall's latest research only 18 examples have been reported, including this one:

It fronts the usual Arabic double-depressed dial with matching spade and poker hands:

Housed in a smooth-back Keystone case: