Fahys pocket watch case serial numbers

Some collectors have gathered information on some specific cases made for the factory casing of some specific watches, but to the best of my knowledge, none of this is published, nor does any of it apply to Fahys' cases. However, the appearance of the case on your grandfather's watch is completely consistent with the era during which the movement was made. There don't seem to be any other case screw marks on the rim of the inside of the case, thus the case doesn't appear to have held a different movement previously.

Checking the references listed in the Hampden Watch Co. Encyclopedia article and looking at your pictures , Hampden movement serial number can be seen to be an size, model 2, John C. This watch is arguably a railroad watch, one that would have been accepted into railroad time service on some railroads at the time it was built.

Unless you know that it has been cleaned and oiled within the last few years, you should have the watch serviced before running it very much.

It may be helpful for you to read the Encyclopedia article on Watch Service and its related links, especially the one to the message board thread on the subject. Having gathered and printed out information about a family watch, it is a wise idea to write out as much as you know about the family member to whom the watch originally belonged - or as far back as you can go, including and clearly identifying what you can guess.

Then, add the names and relationships of the family members who passed it down to the current holder. Make up a booklet with this and all of the watch information and try to keep it with the watch.

You might even include a CD or, better yet, a USB thumb drive with copies of the pictures or information, in addition to the printouts. Even though they may not be readable years from now, some more recent descendent may transfer the files to the then current format and media. This way, the watch has real family heritage instead of it just being an old family watch, the identity and relationship of the original owner having been lost in the distant past.

Please feel free to ask about anything that isn't clear to you. I see that Andy responded while I was typing. Good luck,. Thanks, Andy and Kent. Andy, no definite proof that the watch and case were always together, and no way to determine at this point.

It's possible to read back on physical evidence -- in , the family store was moderately prosperous. By the time my grandfather died in , the store had been doomed by the railroads the store was on a pivotal Ohio canal town, Canal Winchester, but the canals quickly faded when the rails came in. The wear and the clumsy soldered repair suggest an owner who still needed to tell time, but was short on funds.

My grandfather would have turned 21 in As for the care - yes, I'm searching out competent repair shops as I prepare to pass the watch along to my son. DGehman said:. Kent said:. The jewel, John C. Dueber grade movements weren't available in the market until the View attachment Last edited by a moderator: Jan 19, Oh, I forgot to mention this: You can see a catalog description of the John c. Although James Boss certainly didn't invent the process of making rolled gold plate, Keystone 'J.

Boss' watch cases were the first widely adopted and commercially successful gold-filled watch cases, and are still commonly found on vintage watches today. If your Keystone case is marked 'J. Boss' or 'Jas. Boss' then it is a gold-filled case. After Keystone achieved success with gold-filled cases, many other case manufacturers began producing gold-filled cases.

The 3 bars were soldered together under high pressure and high temperature in specially constructed ovens. The composite 3-layer bar was then rolled through high-pressure rolling mills until the desired thickness was reached. The gold layers could consist of karat, karat or karat gold. As such, gold-filled watches do not have any significant gold value. Gold-filled cases were often marked with a guarantee, another innovation credited to James Boss, which specified a number of years that the case was guaranteed to wear.

A case that's marked '14K Warranted 20 Years' meant that the gold-filled case was made with a layer of 14K gold, and was guaranteed that the gold-layer would not wear through to the brass for a period of 20 years. If your case is marked 'Warranted 20 Years' or '10 Year Guaranteed' or any other reference to a number of years or guarantee, then that is a sure indication that it is a gold-filled or gold-plated case.

Note that the year-guarantee was related to the thickness of the gold layer, not to the karat-quality of the gold used in the gold layers. In general, a longer guarantee implied a thicker layer of gold. Most gold-filled cases were made with 10K or 14K gold. The year-guarantee markings on cases continued until , when the practice was prohibited by law due to the failure of some manufacturers to stand behind the so-called guarantees.

If your watch case says'Guaranteed for x Years' you know that it was made prior to After , gold-filled cases were simply marked 'Gold-Filled' as seen below. Examples of Keystone gold-filled case marks. Left: Pre J. Boss case, scales indicate 10K gold. Center: Scales with crown indicate 14K gold.

Right: Post J. Boss case, scales with crown indicate 14K gold. Repairman estates and material house. Findings from 40 years travels around. Sales to China—Israel or. Address or no Acceptance of the Sale. To many items lost not delivered. Aug 29 Tags: bunn , case , fahy's , illinois , model , pocket , railroad , special , watch Add comment. This is one a 23 Jewel high end model 9. One of the Americana timepieces that kept the railroads on time.

This Illinois Bunn Special is 23 jewel and has 6 position adjustments and temperature corrected. The Fahys Montauk 10k gold filled case is clean. It measures The case is very nice especially for being years old.

Really no brassing on this Fahys case. Wonderful damaskeening and has gold jewel setting and screwed chatons. Has a fancy Reed regulator and of course is lever set. The serial 2,, dates this Illinois Bunn Special to Simple matching blued hands and a clean crystal. The screw off case back has some minor thread issues and can be difficult to open. I have many repeat and happy customers. I make no claim as to how accurate this watch is keeping time. I sell all my watches as-is and as found and as pictured.

If you are looking for a re-conditioned watch you are shopping in the wrong place. I do not sell fakes or knock-offs. Just like an old car they can be running one day and not the next.

I do no watch repair work myself and always sell as-is and as described and as pictured. I take great effort to offer a detailed and accurate description. If you receive your watch and it does not meet the description please let me know immediately.

I will try to address the issue. If I hear nothing from you I will assume the watch is fine. Mar 04 Tags: case , fahy's , grade , hamilton , jewel , permanent , pocket , watch Add comment. Lancaster PA 16s, 21 Ruby jewel and Sapphire pallet jewel nickel movement is adjusted to 5 positions. Serial number dates this pocket watch to Watch Case shows signs of extreme wear there are some deep scratches and marks on the edges.

Design on back cover is badly worn. There are several spider web looking hairline cracks in the double sunk dial near the 1 and 2, 8 and 9. I have replaced the seconds hand in the sub dial please refer to pictures.

This railroad grade pocket watch winds, sets and runs with no issues balance wheel has brisk motion. It is keeping accurate time. The 21 jewel nickel finished movement has been well maintained.

It has beautiful etched design on the plates it is like looking at a piece of art.