I have an interesting watch up on ebay right now. It is signed Marshall Field on the dial. But I believe the true identity of the watch can be found in the original crown, which has a cross hatch pattern on it. Can anyone tell me which watch manufacturer was known for using this identifying mark on their crowns? Thanks.

Can't answer your question but....

How about a link to your auction, Bruce?

Since I was born and raised in Chicago.... who knows.....?

I try not to use this particular board for commercial gain, but since you asked: here it is:

Marshall Field wristwatch

Thanks Bruce.

I collect pocket-watches but I will give some serious consideration to owning a wristwatch marked "Marshall Field!"

I hope that you will reconsider about selling or offering your items here in Chapter 185. No one, I think, would consider it "using" the Chapter for anything but the most honorable purposes.

We sincerely believe that it is a high honor and (sometimes) obligation to pass along horological items to serious collectors, who will cherish and preserve them the way that we do.

I've bought quite a few items here and, although I've had some "surprises," I can't say that I've ever been cheated or found a seller who did not stand behind his offerings. I think that does lend a very pleasent element to collecting.

Please consider the Chapter for sales and please continue to keep us updated on your auctions as well. I know that many of us love to get those kinds of "tips!"

Now... that I've gone entirely off-topic, you can go back to figuring out who made that watch and crown!!!

Bruce,
I've just copied a couple of your images and I've sent them to my 80 year old watch repairman so he can take a look at them tonight. I've also just spoken to him on the phone and he says he may possibly be able to identify the movement and the source. He also said he didn't think the cross hatching on the crown would be any help in identifying the maker.

I may have an update tomorrow.

Regards

It looks like the 11 1/2 line ETA 2452

Bruce,
I think Roger nailed it !! Here's a picture I found on the internet.
Also your watch (date version ) I think dates to around the 1960's it may
also contain an ETA 2472 movement.

Bruce,
my watch repairman has just sent me e-mail. He says the movement is an ETA 1256. So I guess we've now got three possibilities for the movement.

Thank you to all who posted. I got out my high powered loupe, and the numerals next to "ETA" on the plate underneath the balance were 2472. However, I don't find that caliber in my Bestfit 1965 reprint book, so either that movement was made after 1965, or this was part of a special numbering system for this particular run of movement. Anyway, I think Glycine is a good educated guess as to watch's origin, given they made a "Compressor" model as well.

Thank you, Roger, and all. BTW, I AM taking the summer off for the most part and I've been enjoying myself immensely. I basically hung a "Gone Fishing" sign on my website. But I am running a few eBay auctions as the mood strikes and as the pocketbook dictates! It's a little more expensive taking the summer off than I thought! My wife seems to think that with all this time off, we can eat out more and go on vacations!

2452, 2462,2472 were all basicly the same date wheel movement minor differences in the balance wheel are the difference. They came with and with-out the date wheel function

Rich: thank you for your expertise and your contribution to this thread. The clarification on the 2472 movement is helpful and illustrates how there is no substitute for experience given the often incomplete information we watch collectors are given in available reference material.

See here for the 2472

http://www.ranfft.de/cgi-bin/bidfun-db.cgi?10&&0&uswk&ETA_2474

Don

Donald: thank you for that link to that great website. I'm definitely going to bookmark that site for future reference.

Bruce

Hey Bruce,
Your original question was regarding those cross-hatch crowns. I don't know who made them but every one I've ever seen was connected to an early 60's electronic (battery + balance wheel)
watch. The crowns do end up orphaned sometimes and, since they are interchangeable and generic, they can end up anywhere.

I second your praise of Roland's site and consider it a dang interesting and useful resource!
-Cort