Pocket Watch for CAS

[Buckshot Bear]

I have my Grandfathers gold pocket watch from 1899 but its too valuable and of too much sentimental value to wear for CAS.

 

Looking on eBay I found one made in the PRC for the princely sum of $9.99 delivered and bought it. It takes a small battery and has kept time perfectly now for 

11 days. It looks good and the embossing is very nice, really happy with it.

 

 

 

[Larsen E. Pettifogger, SASS #32933]

They work OK and sometimes survive the washing machine.  The dryer will, however, finish them off.

[The Blarney Kid]

The big drawback to a battery watch is if you only use it for shoots most of the battery life is wasted. I used to have a battery watch but retired it for a mechanical. I found several on Amazon for around $25 US, some even look similar to yours. 

[Buckshot Bear]

26 minutes ago, Larsen E. Pettifogger, SASS #32933 said:

They work OK and sometimes survive the washing machine.  The dryer will, however, finish them off.

 

The dryer is the coup de grâce

[Larsen E. Pettifogger, SASS #32933]

49 minutes ago, Buckshot Bear said:

 

The dryer is the coup de grâce

 

No, it is a Maytag.

[Buckshot Bear]

13 minutes ago, Larsen E. Pettifogger, SASS #32933 said:

 

No, it is a Maytag.

 

Bwahahahahahaha !!!!!!    very clever!

[Abilene, SASS # 27489]

That was a good deal and looks fine.  My electric Waltham was about $35 at Wally World.  I like it because it looks old timey.  Most of them don't.  Still working 20 years (and about 20 batteries) later!  The chain and FOB are actually much nicer than the watch.   I won them as a door prize.  That is what really shows, anyhow.  I rarely pull out the watch. 

[Buckshot Bear]

6 minutes ago, Abilene, SASS # 27489 said:

That was a good deal and looks fine.  My electric Waltham was about $35 at Wally World.  I like it because it looks old timey.  Most of them don't.  Still working 20 years (and about 20 batteries) later!  The chain and FOB are actually much nicer than the watch.   I won them as a door prize.  That is what really shows, anyhow.  I rarely pull out the watch. 

 

Abilene the chain on my came with it, but your chain is so nice. I'd like to upgrade the chain because as you said that's what you see.

 

Lovely wood on those grips mate!

[Buckshot Bear]

This my Grandfathers Gold Watch 

 

 

 

 

 

[Choctaw Jack]

On most battery powered watches you can pull the stem out, usually one click ,to save the battery.

But then you have to reset the time every time you use it.

Don't know if it's worth it.

Choctaw

[Abilene, SASS # 27489]

12 minutes ago, Choctaw Jack said:

On most battery powered watches you can pull the stem out, usually one click ,to save the battery.

But then you have to reset the time every time you use it.

Don't know if it's worth it.

Choctaw

I'll have to try that.  Actually, it's dead now.

[Buckshot Bear]

17 minutes ago, Choctaw Jack said:

On most battery powered watches you can pull the stem out, usually one click ,to save the battery.

But then you have to reset the time every time you use it.

Don't know if it's worth it.

Choctaw

 

Thanks for that tip.

[Woody Shootem, SASS # 24816]

13 hours ago, Larsen E. Pettifogger, SASS #32933 said:

They work OK and sometimes survive the washing machine.  The dryer will, however, finish them off.

I once put my 1880's Waltham through the washer and drier.  You're right, the drier is what did it in.  I took it to my local watchmaker (a cowboy shooter) and he was able to repair it.  I have since retired it and bought a larger replacement that is a bit more durable.  I'm normally a pretty careful person, but I seem to be pretty hard on pocket watches.

[Sedalia Dave]

Don't leave a dead battery in the watch or anything else for long periods of time. Dead batteries tend to leak.

[Marshal Chance Morgun]

I wear one occasionally for appearance. Doesn't matter if the time is right or if it is working. After all, what difference doesn't it make? It's either time to shoot, or time to go home.

[H. K. Uriah, SASS #74619]

I've used a battery pocket watch for Cowboy shooting for years.   Actually, I've had them for years before I started CAS.    They are inexpensive, and the batteries last for years.   Well worth using.

And then there's this, which was my grandfathers...

 

The chain on the left is the original one that came with the watch.  The one on the right and attached to the watch is one my father bought for it.  The display case is one he found for a few bucks someplace.   

 

It's a Hamilton Railroad watch, which were renowned for their great accuracy.  To set it, you actually have to take the crystal off to access a lever that allows it to be set.  Those cracks on the face make me reluctant to actually take the crystal off.   If I want to actually use it, I just set me alarm for 1 minute prior to what it is reading, and set it then.   I few years ago, I had it restored, and it again keeps perfect time.  I was told that that the face could be replaced, but, I kind of like looking at the same face my father and grandfather did, cracks and all. 

I have worn it to a fancy Cowboy dinner once or twice, but never to the range.

 

[watab kid]

i had my grandfathers railroad watch [dated to the 1890s] but years ago i gifted it to my godson , thought it too nice to carry for CAS as well , but id think serious on a $10 one like that , 

[Rye Miles #13621]

I got one a friend of bought me and since he's passed on. I only wear it when I wear a vest whether it's working or not. Super easy to change the battery. I think it's kinda cool!

 

 

[Ozark Huckleberry]

On 2/1/2022 at 12:27 AM, Abilene, SASS # 27489 said:

I'll have to try that.  Actually, it's dead now.

At least it will be right twice a day

[Woody Shootem, SASS # 24816]

18 hours ago, H. K. Uriah, SASS #74619 said:

I was told that that the face could be replaced, but, I kind of like looking at the same face my father and grandfather did, cracks and all. 

Is it the crystal or the face that is cracked?  If it's the crystal, I would replace it, if it was me.  If it's the face, I would let it be.  Just my two cents worth.  It's a lovely watch and a nice family memento -- glad you're preserving it for future generations to enjoy.  Thanks for sharing!

[H. K. Uriah, SASS #74619]

7 minutes ago, Woody Shootem, SASS # 24816 said:

Is it the crystal or the face that is cracked?  If it's the crystal, I would replace it, if it was me.  If it's the face, I would let it be.  Just my two cents worth.  It's a lovely watch and a nice family memento -- glad you're preserving it for future generations to enjoy.  Thanks for sharing!

 

The crystal is fine.   It's the face that is cracked.   Made of what appears to be some sort of ceramic.

[Woody Shootem, SASS # 24816]

20 minutes ago, H. K. Uriah, SASS #74619 said:

 

The crystal is fine.   It's the face that is cracked.   Made of what appears to be some sort of ceramic.

I think it's enamel-coated metal.  You are right -- best to let it be. 

[Roscoe Regulator]

Probably should plan on wearing it with a vest, because a pants watch pocket will likely be covered by a gun belt.

[Marauder SASS #13056]

I often used battery watches very similar to what you mention.  Fun and honoring the old times.

 

I saved the fancier mechanical for banquets.

[Larsen E. Pettifogger, SASS #32933]

OK, looks like it is time for a cheap pocket watch tutorial. 

 

First, the little pocket in your pants is the pocket watch killer.  Unless you want to get tangled with the chain while shooting your sub-12 second run you disconnect it and shove everything into the pocket.  Then when you get home you don't notice it and toss your pants in the hamper.  Sooner or later the hamper gets full so you dump everything into the washer and ultimately the dryer.  In order to hide the noise coming from the dryer you turn up the volume on the TV.  The rest is history.

 

 

 

Next if you want decent battery life don't be a cheap skate and buy a ten dollar ChiCom watch.  After studying the specs I bought a cheap French watch.  BUT, it has a swiss movement.  Available on Amazon.

 

 

 

 

I have changed watch batteries for years and sometimes it is a PITA getting the back off.  So at the same time I bought this watch I bought a cheap battery changing kit.  Imported directly from Slovenia they are cheap on Amazon.

 

 

So far I have never had to use the battery changing kit.  My French watch with the Swiss movement is over three years old and is still working on the original battery.

 

A sure fire way to avoid all these problems is to get one of these devices and strap it to your arm.  This one runs off the sun so it never needs a battery or a wind-up.

 

 

And for the period correct fanatics they are period correct and have been in use for centuries.

 

[Clint Steele]

There are many, many authentic old pocket watches on eBay from the mid- to late 1800s and early 1900s that work just fine.  I've purchased quite a few over the years.  Many can be had for as low as $50, on up.  As always, you usually get what you pay for, so if you are looking for a good quality working watch, expect to pay ~ $100.  "antique pocket watch" and "vintage pocket watch" are good search terms to use. 

[Chili Pepper Kid, SASS #60463]

I bought these two cheap watches from Walmart. Both are stem wind. The gold tone was the first one I bought in 2006 when I started SASS. The silver tone one I bought a few years later. I put together the watch chain on the silver one from chain & hardware bought at Michaels craft store. Both watches keep good time.

 

[Driftwood Johnson, SASS #38283]

Howdy

 

Regarding your grandfather's watch: Do you know what company made it?

 

It is a lovely old gold cased watch. The little shield on one side was where an owner could take the watch to a jeweler and have his initials engraved.

 

The case is lovely, but many, if not most watches made at that time had the movement (the actual watch) set into a case that may have been made by another company. In other words, the actual watch was the movement, and it was set inside a case made by another company. That style case was often referred to as a Hunter case. It has a spring loaded cover that protects the watch face from dust and dirt. Usually you pop it open to read the time by pressing the stem down.

 

If you feel adventurous, you should be able to pop open the rear cover, revealing the rear of the movement. The manufacturer, as well as other pertinent information will be engraved on the movement. Feel around on the edge of the back of the case, there is usually a slightly raised section along the edge that can be opened by pulling up on it with your thumbnail. This was standard on these old watches so a technician could get inside to adjust the watches timing, If you find the raised section and cannot open it with your thumb you can VERY CAREFULLY insert the edge of a sharp knife and very carefully pry open the back of the case. Be very careful not to scratch or mar the case.

[Driftwood Johnson, SASS #38283]

Howdy

 

Many, many years ago (long before I had heard of Cowboy Action Shooting) I thought it would be cool to carry a pocket watch, instead of wearing a wrist watch. A good friend, who is an expert on early clocks and watches was able to locate a nice old Waltham watch for me. I don't recall at this point where I got the key chain, but my friend gave me the key from his collection. The bar on the chain is to be inserted through a vest button hole.

 

 

 

 

 

 

I just had some fun looking up my old watch. As it says on the back of the movement, it is a Broadway grade watch, made by the American Waltham Watch Company in Waltham Massachusetts. This watch left the factory sometime between July and September 1879. The American Waltham Watch Company in Waltham was probably the best known manufacturer of watches in the 19th Century. They employed craftsmen who would sit at a bench all day long and make hundreds of a single part. The watches would be assembled from these parts by assemblers. The watch industry paralleled the firearm industry in many ways. Individual workers mass producing single parts to be assembled into a finished product by other workers. Interestingly enough, I found out that the particular run of watches that mine was part of was 2,000 watches, and the total production of this model was 278,850. That is just this particular model. Talk about mass production.

 

 

 

 

 

A few years ago I decided to buy a nice old pocket watch to carry in CAS. I found this Waltham through an online antique watch dealer. This watch was also made by the American Waltham Watch Company, still based in Waltham. This is a Hunter style case, the hinged lid protects the watch face from dirt and dust. It does not show up very well in these photos, but the case of this watch is gold plated. The other side of the case looks exactly the same, except there is a small diamond shaped shield where the fleurs-de-lis is where the owner could have his initials engraved. That is all hand cut engraving, laser engraving did not exist in 1900.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here is an old photo I took of the movement. A.W.W.Co stands for American Waltham Watch Company.

 

When I looked this one up, it was made in 1900, there were 3000 in the production run, and the total production of this model was 462,160  watches.

 

 

 

 

 

After carrying my nice antique Waltham at matches for a few years I decided that was probably not a very good idea. I don't recall where I found this watch. It was very inexpensive. I chose it because I liked the U.S. stamped on the cover.

 

 

 

 

 

I still wear this watch at matches. It is stem wound, no batteries for this cowboy. It actually does not keep very good time, it runs fast, but for the short time I wear it at a match it is accurate enough. Certainly not worth taking to the local watch smith to regulate, he would probably throw me out of his shop anyway.