I recently acquired a nice gimbaled Waltham 8 day deck watch Sn. # 18073970. The Waltham database refers to it as a Model 1910 “Chron”. Grade watch. The material used grade is “P” noting among other things: “They almost always have a gold center wheel. Usually they also have gold jewel settings. The balance wheel usually has gold balance screws, and often has two pair of gold mean-time screws..” The serial number range for this particular movement was 1,999.

It has the “red dot” power reserve model rather than the 8 day indicator.

If I understand the literature correctly many of these Waltham’s were later modified to conform to Navy specifications during WWI and WWII. Other Waltham production runs also conformed to Navy regs by eliminating the red dot and replacing it with the 8 day up-down indicator; which leads me to several questions:

1. Were all the red dot versions pre WWI or did other production runs also this scheme instead of the 8 day indicator?

2. Were many of the red dot versions actually modified with a new dial? And If so, are the remaining red dot versions –not necessarily more collectable—but potentially getting rarer than the 8 day power reserve versions?

3. Lastly, are these higher “P” materials grade versions of the deck watch in danger of disappearing because of the melt value of the gold used in the movements?

Any info or opinions appreciated.

Gold is a very soft metal unless is is alloyed with other metals. Even when alloyed down to 14K (58 percent gold) I am not sure that it would make a very good metal where wear would be a factor such as a gear wheel or even a screw that is needed to hold something tightly. Is there some Waltham literature that says what purity of gold was used in these parts, or perhaps they were rolled gold instead?

Good question and I have no idea :-)! I got my info from a website, wherein it states:

"These are usually 17-23 jewel watches adjusted to 5 or 6 positions. They almost always have a gold center wheel and the highest grades have an entirely gold train. Usually they also have gold jewel settings. The balance wheel usually has gold balance screws, and often has two pair of gold mean-time screws. A "P" [or Premium Grade] balance staff may have two oil grooves and has the finest pivots. The wheel pivots are the finest used on the model."

Does anyone know approximately how many of the Gimbaled 15 jewels models of these deck watches were produced with the red dot power indicator, as opposed to the 8 day indicator?