The Art Nouveau styling of these timepieces is impressive, even down to the stylized James Ward Packard monograms stamped on the case backs.

Christie’s upcoming Sale of Important Watches, featuring exceedingly rare watches from the collection of automobile pioneer James Ward Packard—including two very fine and unusual watches, custom-designed by Packer himself and executed by the world’s foremost watch manufacturers, Patek Philippe and Vacheron Constantin.

The auction, slated for June 15 at Christie’s Rockefeller Plaza location, will include 416 lots of fine, unusual and intricate modern and antique wrist and pocket watches representing all of the finest and most well-known watch houses. It is clearly a sale not to be missed by any serious watch aficionado or investor.

Packard was an accomplished engineer, innovator and businessman who founded two very successful companies, the Packard Electric Co. and the Packard Motor Car Co., which produced the premier luxury car of the early 1900s. He was among the first watch collectors to design and work directly with Patek and VC. The automotive entrepreneur was directly involved in the design of the case and mechanical functions of these two very fine watches.

“In watch collecting circles, this is a true fairy tale collection. J.W. Packard is the original icon who inspired generations of collectors that followed him,” said Sam Hines, head of Christie’s watch department. “As a mechanical engineer by training, he had a deep knowledge and passion for the craft of watch making that made him uniquely qualified to work directly the best Swiss manufacturers and create completely unique, one-of-a-kind watches that do not exist anywhere else in the world.”

“Beyond this,” Hines added, Packard “had a refined sense of style that was heavily inspired by the design motifs of the day, and it is a true delight to see Packard’s personal taste reflected in the elegant Art Nouveau styling of these fine timepieces, even down to the stylized monograms configured on the case back covers. These re-discovered watches are most likely the last of an extensive collection of watches. They come directly from the estate of JWP’s descendants, and there will most certainly be extensive interest from collectors from around the world.”

The James Ward Packard Vacheron Constantin
No.375551
Estimate: $250,000-$500,000

An exceptional, monumental and historically important Vacheron Constantin 20k-gold open-face, two-train trip 7 ½ minute repeating grande and petite sonnerie chronograph clockwatch, once belong to James Ward Packard.

This watch will include documented proof that J.W. Packard partnered with VC—the oldest watch manufacturer in Geneva—on the design. In 1918, the firm created this quite unique 20-karat-gold open-face chronograph clockwatch for Packard, according to his specific instructions, incorporating a customized combination of complications, including a trip minute repeating, petit and grand sonnerie, chronograph, and half-quarter repeating functions. High resolution repose-style floral designs decorate the case body in the Art Nouveau style, emblazoned with Packard’s monogram in blue enamel. This fine timepiece is in impeccable, nearly unused condition. The watch is accompanied with a detailed and neatly hand-drawn and labeled diagram, most likely in Packard’s own hand, detailing all the watches function settings.

This watch is most certainly the most significant VC to come to the marketplace in many years. Packard paid 3,320 Swiss francs for the watch in 1919, the year of delivery.

The James Ward Packard Patek Philippe
No. 174907
Estimate $200,000-$400,000

An extremely fine and unique Patek Philippe of 18k gold, open-face minute repeating keyless lever dress watch with up-and-down indicator, original box and certificate.

This second major discovery of the collection is a previously unrecorded and completely unique watch that Packard commissioned from Patek Philippe in 1919. Prior to this discovery, the records reflect the commissioning of 16 watches the firm produced specifically for Packard, each incorporating his own specifications. This is the only known minute-repeating watch by Patek Philippe to feature both power reserve and an unusual Murat-style case.

In nearly unused condition and still wrapped in its original wrapping paper the watch is stored in its original presentation box, with original certificate, spare crystal and mainsprings. Patek’s records indicate the watch was delivered on April 22nd of 1920. The majority of Packard’s watches were willed to the American Horological Institute upon his death in 1928, only two other Packard-owned Patek Philippe watches have ever appeared at auction. This is most certainly one of the most historically important Patek’s watches to come to market since the Antiquorum auction of Patek Philippe watches some years ago.

Other Packard Family Heirloom Watches

The first is a model ’59 Appleton, Tracy & Co. grade key wind key set an 18k gold hunter case that belonged to Packard’s father, Warren Packard. While not of the caliber of the P.P. or the V&C, it none the less a fine watch in its own right, and historically important.

An American Watch co. A silver and pink gold half hunter case keyless lever pocket watch, inscribed to Packard.

The last watch is a later 19th-century example, probably a gift to Warren Packard from James Packard and his brother William Doud Packard. The silver and pink gold half hunter, keyless lever pocket watch, with blue enameling, is estimated to bring $2,000-$3,000. Replete with a picture of a boy in a sailor suit, it is engraved with “Wm. Packard FROM THE BOYS – Mar. 1874.”

This author will travel to New York to preview these and all the other fine watches that Christie’s will be offering for sale to the highest bidder on June 15 and report in detail the results and prices realized at this historic sale. Stay tuned!

David Mycko is a WorthPoint Worthologist specializing in antique and vintage watches.

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This high-quality, 18k gold pocket, made by little-known watchmaker H.L. Matile in a small town in Switzerland, is a fine example of a “technical watch.” But its day may be numbered, simply because it contains about $4,300 worth of gold. More and more gold watches are getting sold for scrap, melted down and disappearing from the collectibles market forever.

The gold and silver markets have been doing a steady rise for the last year or more, bringing on the demise of literally thousands of gold and silver collectibles and antiques of all nature. But watches have been hit particularly hard. I just returned from a National Association of Watch & Clock Collectors‘ Regional Show in Daytona Beach, Fla., and witnessed a scene that would sicken any serious collector.

A gentleman I had never seen before at any of these shows was buying gold, silver and even gold-filled watch cases for scrap. He was rapidly up filling a showcase with his purchases for all to see. His obvious aim was to buy as many cases as he could and take them to a smelter to have them melted down into an ingot, assay it and sell it to one of the many gold buying organizations that deal in precious metals for a profit. With the price of gold on the date of this publication is $1,434, you can see why he was busy for three days as collectors and dealers alike lined up to sell their watches.

The process is quite simple, if not brutal. Many of the watches had already had their movements and crystals removed, but there is almost always a non-gold part that needs to be removed, via a pair of pliers or a hammer. Watches—a complex compilation of different metals and parts—are in some cases, of dubious karat. The process involves chopping and filing into the covers and applying aqua regia acid to ascertain the actual gold content. This is almost always a callous and brutal process, but it doesn’t really matter, because you’ve already made the decision to destroy and melted down the watch in the end. The only thing that really matters here is the almighty dollar—how much you can get for the gold or silver content.

Now, I have been a professional watch dealer for more than 35 years, and I have scrapped my share of watch cases, jewelry and silver objects, so I’m no saint and I really don’t mean to sound sanctimonious, but God Almighty, there’s got to be a limit! At this rate, there won’t be any watches left to trade, and that will be the demise of the watch collector’s hobby!

The dial of this watch is made of three pieces of high-quality porcelain enamel work of art, precision-fitted to each other perfectly, and the beautifully detailed second and minute track, topped off with Breguet-style blued-steel hands.

As a watchmaker and watch dealer, I have put together an extensive collection of watch movements and parts (sorry, not for sale!). Now, I’m talking about a huge pile of watch movements here, and that’s only the tip of the iceberg; there’re many more folks out there just like me. It is true, all these now-defunct watch companies like Waltham and Elgin made millions of watches, but there is an end. Mr. Jon Hansen, Esq., founder of NAWCC Chapter 149, has been exposing for years on the evil of dismembering watches for parts and profit. He is RIGHT! There has to be an end to this practice of destroying these mechanical works of art simply for an immediate profit.

I have pictured in this article a fine, high-quality but very heavy 18k gold pocket watch as an example. While it is a great watch, it is a “technical watch.” In other words, it is more of a complicated mechanical wonder than an artistic diamond-studded beautiful work of art. Its beauty is intrinsic and lies in its mechanical achievement and high quality. Its maker was a little-known watchmaker located in a small town in Switzerland devoted to the watchmaker’s art, Locle. His name was H.L.Matile, and he made very fine watches—his devotion and passion is evident in this very fine example bearing his name. Every part is quality and finished to near perfection. No expense was spared in the production of this watch: solid pink gold jewel settings; pink gold gears; beautiful and detailed damascene pattern on the bridges; mirror polish on the steel parts; beautiful ruby jewels. The chronograph mechanism is located under the dial and is a mechanical wonder! Even the steel parts under the dial are polished and finished perfectly. The dial is a high-quality porcelain enamel work of art comprised of three parts, precision-fitted to each other perfectly, and the beautifully detailed second and minute track, topped off with Breguet-style blued-steel hands.

The chronograph mechanism is located under the dial and is a mechanical wonder! Even the steel parts under the dial are polished and finished perfectly.

The crowning achievement to this fine watch is the case, although Matile probably didn’t make it, (few watchmakers made their own cases or dials), but there was no expense spared here. In total, it has a very-high gold content of nearly 3 ounces of 18K-gold! That translates to almost $4,300 of scrap gold in today’s market! The value of the raw material will most certainly ring a death knell to this very fine watch. Watch collectors will only pay so much for a simple gold chronograph pocket watch, and $4,300 is nearly three times what the collector market will bear, especially with a little known maker like Matile.

I was fortunate to be in the right place at the right time and purchased this fine watch before a scrap dealer could put his pliers and hammer to work. But I am a dealer, and my investment can only sit for so long. I will try my very best to place this watch with a watch collector or investor, but I have bills to pay and limited capital to work with. How long can I tie my money up in a watch that simply won’t sell for more that it’s gold content? To add insult to injury, this fine watch has provenance: it was presented to its first lucky owner in 1882 from his father, then passed on to his son in 1910. This very fine family heirloom has been in the family for three or possibly four generations, and was a treasured for decades until just recently, when it was sold for scrap metal to pay the bills. What a shame, and a sad, sad, sad state of affairs.

David Mycko is a WorthPoint Worthologist specializing in antique and vintage watches.

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The back of a watch made for the original Chinese market. These watches usually featured enamel colorful designs of flowers and other sights of nature.

The Chinese have their own taste in things, from dress to food and just about everything in between. This includes watches and jewelry, and since I don’t know too much about jewelry, I better write about watches. Fortunately, I know a little about Chinese watches.

Nowadays, the Chinese make everything, including watches. But there aren’t any antique Chinese-made watches.

At the turn of the 19th century, the Chinese became aware of the rest of the world had to offer. One of the things the West discovered about China is that they didn’t have watches. Oh, there were watches, but they came in the pockets of foreigners; silly little contraptions constantly being fiddled with by their owners. They were a Western contrivance, and wealthy Chinese didn’t see the need in them.

Eventually, though, a fad took hold and many Chinese decided that they had to have watches. And not these plain, ordinary contraptions Westerners were carrying around in their pockets, but special watches, suited to the Oriental style. They had to do certain things, have just the right appearance, and there had to be two, in case one got broken—there were no watchmakers or repairmen capable of repairing such a delicate instrument until much later in the mid 1800s. Besides, the little woman might also want one, too.

I can find no information on when the first watches turned up in China, and since there were no watch manufacturers in China, there are no records. The first Chinese watches were imported from Switzerland, and here again, no one can tell me when the first Chinese watch came about (could it be that no one cares?). Anyway, the exact dates are almost inconsequential. My best guess is the late 1700s to early 1800s, but more like 1820-1830.

Now, on to the watches! They were some of the most fabulous watches ever produced for any one country. They were singularly unique—made of precious metals, both gold and silver, featured certain unique complications, and sported enamel—lots of enamel—with plenty of colors.

The face of an original Chinese market watch, with every minute marked in the chapter ring.

These watches are highly sought after today, especially by the Chinese. Watches produced for the original Chinese market featured:

• Bright, vibrant colors, like wildflowers in a field. And flowers turned out to be the most favored design on Chinese watches. Occasionally, a portrait of a Chinese noble or madam would grace a watch, but flowers were the order of the day, and finding anything else will be extremely rare.

• The watches need to be big and impressive, so size was very important. Small watches do exist, but are infinitely more scarce. They would boats a nice, big white porcelain dial with every minute marked in the chapter ring. Oddly, Roman Numerals were used, as opposed to Chinese numbers. Additionally, the watches must have had a seconds hand, and the biggest and best was a sweep seconds hand. This was the formula for the case and dial.

These watches were not only beautiful on the outside, but also beautiful to look at on the inside. Movements were almost always intricately engraved and embellished with functional jewels.

• As for the mechanism, the seconds hand had to jump, literally, from one second mark to the next. The invention of the Crab Duplex escapement was perfect! The Crab Duplex had a delay in the oscillation of the balance wheel, which gave pause to the seconds hand and giving it a “jump” in its rotation around the dial. Nearly all Chinese watches are Crab Duplexes, or English-style straight line levers, which also had a slight pause between ticks.

• Pocket watches of the day were not only beautiful on the outside, but also beautiful to look at on the inside. Movements were almost always intricately engraved, embellished with functional jewels, and quite often with precious metals like gold and silver. The Chinese wanted more. The LePine style plate layout suited the look, and nearly all Chinese watches have this very distinctive mechanism layout. The LePine style plate layout also made the Chinese watch thinner, as compared to “fat” European and English watches were considered ungainly, chunky contrivances. The Chinese wanted them slim and stylish. They also wanted them extravagantly and elaborately engraved and gilded, a nice, pretty gold color.

• The case had to have a button for a spring-activated back cover and a glazed-over bezel, to quickly and conveniently display the marvel under the back cover. Quite often the balance wheel had blued-steel winged bats mounted on the wheel itself. This was to ward off evil spirits.

Under the back cover, quite often, the balance wheel had blued-steel winged bats mounted on the wheel itself. This was to ward off evil spirits.

• Later, Chinese watches took on more sophisticated and outer worldly and technical aspects, but gold and enamel would remain a high choice for the Chinese. Makers for the Chinese market would be largely, if not exclusively, Swiss and the French. The watches are rarely signed by the makers, as this was almost typical for many Swiss makers anyway.

The size of the fragile dial makes it difficult to find a perfect example, and gold is always elusive and expensive, so Chinese watches were also produced in silver. Oddly enough, the silver watches are rarely enameled, but the movements are almost always elaborately engraved, making for a lovely surprise when the pendant button is activated, displaying all that engraving.

Top-flight examples like the watch pictured in this article will bring a handsome sum; anywhere from $5,000 to $35,000, and up. Plain, silver watches can be purchased on eBay for as little $200 to $300, or less.

No watch collection is complete without at least one example.

My sincere thanks and credits to Howard Gitman, The Movement King, the Swiss, and Janet Wencel, who makes me write.

David Mycko is a WorthPoint Worthologist specializing in antique and vintage watches.

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A Babe Ruth watch, 1940s era, mint in box with a baseball $500-$800-plus. Without the box, $200-$300.

Sports collectibles is a hugely popular item for collectors of today and yesterday, and there is no sign that their popularity is waning. Competitive sports probably date back to the day when a caveman tried to outdo the hunting abilities of his neighbor. He may have kept a few souvenirs from those hunts, like a saber-tooth tiger fang or an antler, but unlike the like the skin or the meat—which was consumed—those were his trophies; the first sports collectible, if you will. Hanging around his neck, it gave him bragging rights for as long as his neighbor couldn’t out do him.

Sports collectibles obviously fall into several different categories and sub-categories, both new and old. Since I know watches, this is where I will concentrate with this article and stay with two categories: commemorative issue; and presentation (and I’ll stick with vintage items).

Commemorative issue watches are commercially produced watches with a star athlete’s name and, quite often, his (or hers) picture emblazoned on the dial. They are usually cheaply made, low-end watches housed in base-metal cases. Packaged in colorful, stylish and eye catching advertising, the boxes that these watches came in are quite scarce, compared to the watches themselves, and in some instances are worth more than the watches themselves.

Golf ledged Sam Snead's 1930's gold-filled Gruen would bring $500-plus.

The engraved back of the Snead watch.

Presentation watches are much better quality watches, quite often housed in gold, silver or at least gold-filled, produced by companies such as Waltham, Hamilton or Girrard Peregaux. These will be engraved with the player’s name in presentation fashion, usually with a date, place or an event. Sometimes there will be several, all the same, presented to the whole team. However, the usual sports presentation watch was given to an individual commemorating his induction to the Hall of Fame or for a championship victory. These watches are unique and will usually be one of a kind. The fame of the player will obviously dictate the ultimate value, and intrinsic value of the watch itself will be of secondary consideration.

An Elgin white gold-filled watch, presented to members of the University of Miami team after winning the 1952 Gator Bowl. Miami beat Clemson, 14-0. Its value is in the $75-$150-plus range.

1960s Willie Mays watch, in mint condition and in the original box: $300-$500-plus; without the box, $75-$150,

1960s Football All Pro watch ($75-$125).

Barbara Ann Scott's 1950's Timex, in mint condition and in the original box. Its value is strictly a matter of speculation. What would someone pay for a watch commemorating a little known (by today's standards) ice skater?

A short trip down eBay’s sports collectibles categories will boggle the mind with myriad choices in every field of the sports world. But vintage watches are scarce in any of the categories of sports, and they do not come cheap. Presentation watches are very hard to find and almost always unique. Couple that fact with a famous name, and the price could go through the roof.

David Mycko is a WorthPoint Worthologist specializing in antique and vintage watches.

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The 1953 Timex Ben Hogan folding watch features a simple touch to a button on the side of the watch would activate a spring-loaded lid, exposing the dial—facing upward—making the reading of time quick and convenient. Worn clipped to the belt, it left the wrist unfettered to comfortably swing a golf club.

Ben Hogan is a very big name in golf, preceding such iconic players as Arnold Palmer and Jack Nickolas, and just as famous. Ben Hogan lent his name to all sorts of golf equipment, clothing, and accessories, but most especially golf clubs. One interesting item with the Hogan moniker is this watch, which was worn clipped to the belt, leaving the wrist unfettered to swing a club. Anne S. from Sacramento has such as watch, and requested a valuation for it through WothPoint’s “Ask A Worthologist” program. I received the request and this is what is was able to tell her:

A simple touch to a button on the side of the watch would activate a spring-loaded lid, exposing the dial—facing upward—making the reading of time quick and convenient. The lid snaps shut with an easy motion, leaving the view of alligator skin, perfectly matching the belt it is clipped to… very stylish!

The watch was made by Timex, which was and still is a very successful producer of cheap but functional and stylish sport watches, touted for their toughness. I can still hear those old TV commercials with Curt Gowdy espousing that Timex watches “take a licking and keep on ticking!”

The cases of these watches were inevitably made from low-cost material, like aluminum or stainless steel. This one is covered with faux alligator—possibly leather or even vinyl—to give the appearance of a more expensive watch. Golf watches have been produced since the 1930s by several different makers, the most proliferate being Movado, but some even sport the name Cartier and are made of Sterling silver and gold. Golf, until the 1950s was basically a rich man’s game. The Ben Hogan line of golf products was one of first to open the game to the working man. The mechanism of this watch will be a cheap but robust pin-lever movement with a 30-hour run time. The watch was sold along with a whole line of golfing accessories bearing the Hogan name, all very affordable and reasonably priced to appeal to a wide range of golfers. Stylish enough for the wealthy and cheap enough for the working sportsman, this watch is also a veritable boon to the collector of today.

The 1953 Timex Ben Hogan folding watch side view.

The belt clip, which allowed the wearer to know the time and keep the wrist unfettered.

The cover is faux alligator to give the appearance of a more expensive watch.

Most of the Hogan line—especially the clubs—have survived to be fairly common today, but the more fragile piece, like this watch, are a good bit more difficult to locate. Unfortunately, there’s not enough demand or quality for it to command a high price, but it’s a piece of Ben Hogan golf accessories that would make a whole lot of collectors happy.

This watch would have an insurance replacement value at $200-$300, mainly because of the difficulty in locating another with condition. Realistic value is $75 to $150, and without the Ben Hogan moniker, it would be had for $25. A Movado version would fetch in the $350-$500 range in silver, and quite a bit more in gold.

Author’s Note: Repairing a Timex golf watch—like for all Timex watches—is almost impossible short of an overhaul or complete replacement of the watch mechanism. Timex watches were never designed to be repaired and Timex used to supply watchmakers with a line of different watch mechanisms in a kit, complete and ready to replace the former broken mechanism. Quick, easy and cheap. The Timex watch was one of the original and most successful of the “use and toss” products of the “disposable Society.” Collecting Timex watches can be interesting and fun. Putting together an interesting collection can be challenging but very reasonable and easy on the pocket.

Remember, they take a licking and keep on ticking!

David Mycko is a WorthPoint Worthologist specializing in antique and vintage watches.

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This plain-looking watch was made by Patek Philippe & Co. for the American retailer Shreve Crump & Low at the turn of the 19th century. It is worth much more than the gold “scrap value.”

One item an appraiser runs into most often is that icon “Grandpa’s gold watch,” and depending how well-heeled Grandpa was, the more his watch is worth today.

Values for American pocket watches vary a great deal, depending on the vintage, the quality of the movement and—most importantly, these days—the metal content of the watch case. As most know the value for both gold and silver has gone through the roof (in 2005, an ounce of gold sold for about $450; today it’s more than $1,200 an ounce), meaning that any item that contains gold or silver that may not have appreciated in value as an antique or collectible item in recent years may still have appreciated simply due to its gold or silver content. For example, a broken late-century mass-produced 18-karat gold pocket watch by a maker such as Waltham that would have sold at auction in 2005 for $450, a comparable Waltham could sell today for $1,200, simply due to the tripling of the value of gold.

Where it gets confusing for the owners of these “gold watches” is the old rule that states: “All that glitters is not gold.” There are ways to determine if Grandpa’s watch is really gold or not. As a rule, all gold-cased pocket watches are marked to indicate the metal content. Markings such as “Gold Filled” indicate the case is thin layer of gold over a plain metal case. Genuine gold cases would have stamped markings such as “10K,” “14K” or “18K” to indicate 10-karat, 14-karat or 18-karat gold. If there are no such marks on your watch, it is likely gold-plated. But to be certain, you could always have the case tested by a jeweler.

While it is tempting to determine value for gold watches with broken movements by their gold “scrap value” content alone, it could be an expensive mistake. There are many late 19th-century watches whose value far exceeds that of the gold in their cases. The plain-looking watch pictured above was made by Patek Philippe & Co. for the American retailer Shreve Crump & Low at the turn of the 19th century. It sold earlier this year at auction for $13,000.

Mike Wilcox, of Wilcox & Hall Appraisers, is a Worthologist who specializes in Art Nouveau and the Arts and Craft movement.

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This medium quality English fusee pair case “contract watch” was made in Liverpool, England and shipped to Philadelphia, Pa., where it was finished by B&E Clark. It was later sold to Thomas E. Eisenbeis around 1835 and later carried by Henry Eisenbeis during his service in the Civil War.

This is a medium quality English fusee pair case “contract watch” carried by a Union soldier during the Civil War. As I have written earlier, there is a difference between a “Civil War watch” and a “Civil War Relic.” This watch is certainly the former, as it existed before 1861, the evidence that it is the latter is scant.

This watch started life with a long travel across “the pond” from Liverpool, England, to Philadelphia, Pa., was then retailed in Reading, Pa. and carried by its proud owner and his descendants for many decades thereafter. The original owner was Thomas E. Eisenbeis, a rather successful farmer with a modest farm in Leesport, Pa. just outside the city of Reading. He purchased the watch around 1835 from W.E. Meyer, a simple retail jeweler and watchmaker in Reading.

Eisenbeis gave his prized possession to his son Henry E., following the time-honored tradition of passing along prized possessions from father to son. Henry carried the watch for many years before himself passing it on his son, M.L. At this point in time, the watch had become an archaic relic and treasured family heirloom, safely tucked away in another family heirloom, a Federal period highboy dresser at the family farm in Leesport.

I was very fortunate to purchase this watch from the great-great-great-granddaughter of Henry Eisenbeis, along with a brief verbal history of the Eisenbeis family, including, in particular, the story of Henry, his watch, and most importantly, his Civil War adventure and participation in the Battle of Gettysburg.

Henry E. Eisenbeis was born in Leesport in Jan. of 1839 to hardy hard working Pennsylvania farmers Thomas and Maud Eisenbeis. He was the oldest of six children, three boys and three girls. Theirs was a large and successful farm and dairy.

Henry was approaching manhood and preparing to take a leadership role in the family enterprise when hostilities between the states broke out. He joined the Union Army, enrolled into the Ringgold Light Artillery, which was recruiting in Reading, and mustered on April 18, 1861, in Harrisburg, Pa.

The inner and outer cases of the watch are composed of Coin Silver (.900 fine) and bear incised silver marks similar to English hallmarks. Inside the outer case is a cloth pad to insulate the two cases from rubbing against each other.

The inside of the watch, marked “B&E Clark” and “Philadelphia.”

When their nation called, these men of Reading were among the first to respond. Following the capitulation of Fort Sumter and in response to President Lincoln’s first call to arms in April 1861, the men of the Ringgold Light Artillery, National Light Infantry, Washington Artillery, Logan Guard and Allen Infantry departed their Pennsylvania homes and families and marched into history as the First Defenders, for they were the first volunteer troops to reach Washington after the start of Civil War.

Despite this distinguished achievement and regardless of their place in American history, little is known and much less has been written about these men and the companies they comprised. With “First in Defense of the Union,” Civil War historian John David Hoptak fills this void in historiography and brings the story of the First Defenders vividly to life by relying heavily upon soldiers’ letters and diaries to tell of their enlistment into service, their harrowing march through Baltimore, their arrival in the nation’s capital, and their three-month term of service with the Federal forces.

Medical personnel and ambulances prior to the battle of Gettysburg. Henry Eisenbeis, who was wounded early in the war, was volunteering as a doctor’s assistant, and was at Gettysburg.

The Ringgold Light Artillery of Reading was originally organized and equipped in 1850, under Capt. James McKnight, a veteran of the Mexican-American War. It was armed with four six-pound brass field pieces and caissons, with full equipments of artillerists, including sabers, and mustered some 200 men. It was composed of good material, was well drilled, and was the pride of the city of Reading. It had participated in several volunteer encampments; one at Easton of a week’s duration, where it was entertained by ex-Governor Reeder, and other leading citizens.

Henry Eisenbeis was seriously wounded early in the war and carried this legacy with him until his death in the form of a serious limp. He was shot in the lower part of his leg by a Rebel sharpshooter while defending a position outside of Washington D.C. His medical condition precluded any further military service, but he later volunteered to assist the Union troops as a doctor’s assistant and was on hand at the Battle of Gettysburg.

I was told of letters of accommodation, medals, uniforms and testimonials by local prominent citizens and politicians. All have since disappeared with the passage of time and neglect. This is a shame, but I was fortunate enough to have his story related to me by his last surviving relative before her passing. All this makes for an interesting article, but not nearly enough to make this watch an historic Civil War relic; there is simply not enough documented provenance. I have estimated the value of this watch at $1,500, but just recently sold it to a collector for half this amount.

The watch was cased and finished by B.E. Clark in Philadelphia and bears their name on the back plates of the movement. The inner and outer cases are composed of Coin Silver (.900 fine) and bear incised silver marks similar to English hallmarks. The dial is typical domed glass enamel with gold hands, the glass crystal protecting the dial shows much use and pocket scratches, as do the inner and outer cases, all original and “as found.” The medium-grade English fusee movement has a patent rack lever escarpment. It is in very good running condition.

Now for the interesting part: Inside the outer case are paper linings with a cloth pad to insulate the two cases from rubbing against each other. This was a common practice with pair case fusee watches of this period. This form of protection was also an opportunity for watchmakers to advertise their trade by inserting a “watch paper” with their name and date of repair upon it. The “watch papers” inside this watch are home made from the local newspaper and are a literal “time capsule.” One partial story tells of “some 3,000 Rebel Calvary have advanced as far as Sarcoxie, and that their foraging parties are following closely the retreat of Hunter’s division. The Unionists that had compromised themselves by affiliating with the army of Freemont, are now disserting their homesteads, and seeking refuge etc.”

Rarely do I encounter such personal provenance with an antique watch, and I’m not sure how much this lovely old lady remembered or embellished the story, but I sure did enjoy listening to it. I certainly enjoyed owning it and re-telling the story here, and I even made a modest profit on the sale of the watch.

This is what collecting antiques is all about; better than the investment money thing. Not everything has a value and a price.

My thanks and credit to Mrs. Margarite Brown, Richard Newman, John David Hoptak, B.E. Clark, Gen David Hunter, Gen John C. Fremont.

David Mycko is a WorthPoint Worthologist specializing in antique and vintage watches.

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A collection of clocks on sale at the National Watch & Clock Collectors Association's annual show in Grand Rapids, Mich.

This year the National Watch & Clock Collectors Association (NAWCC) had its annual event/show at the prestigious Devos Convention Center, adjacent to the Grand Amway Hotel in downtown in Grand Rapids, Mich. The “National” is the premiere event of the NAWCC and this year’s show—held in early June—was a real classy event, held at the four star host hotel, the Grand Amway.

The main event was pre-empted by Girrard Sensoli’s World Wide Traders show—a small show—but well-attended by watch enthusiasts from as far away as Japan, China, Europe, and just about every state in the Union. Trading was brisk at first, but quickly tapered off as the bargains were snapped up.

Business continued at a slow but continuous pace as dealers and collectors alike competed for the best of the remaining timepieces. Vintage wrist watches in the sport watch category continue to be the strong sellers, with accessories following a close second. Sales of pocket watches, with the exception of Patek Philippe or the unusual, continue to remain in the doldrums.

When the National opened with great fanfare, it saw a large turnout of both watch and clock enthusiasts, with attendance in the 3,000- to 4,000-person range—which would be small for a public event—but this is a closed show, open only to members of the NAWCC. An exhibit room featured an excellent display of rare Ohio Clocks and a fine array of watches and artifacts from the Chamberlain Collection. The following two days were filled with a day-long watch and clock mart (9 a.m. to 5 p.m.) and six seminars on everything from James Bond’s watches to stenciling clock cases. The mart is a large convention room lined with 900 tables loaded with vintage watches, clocks, various parts, pieces, and the tools associated with this peculiar hobby. This annual event is held in a different state as local chapters get their chance to host the National. But no matter where, collectors and dealers alike bring their best pieces and put their best foot forward for this, the top show of the year. Some of the finest, most unusual antique and vintage clocks and watches turn up at the National, along with the inevitable re-productions.

David Mycko is a WorthPoint Worthologist specializing in watches.

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A Ball Watch Co.-certified railraod watch made for the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers union.

While not made by Ball Watch Co., it is marked on the inside of officially certified railraod watches.

Webb C. Ball was born in Fredericktown, Ohio on Oct. 6, 1847 and became a jeweler & watchmaker. When Standard Time was first adopted in 1883, he was the first jeweler to use time signals, bringing accurate time to Cleveland, Ohio.

After the infamous railroad collision locomotives belonging to the Lake Shore and Michigan Southern railways at Kipton, Ohio, which allegedly occurred because an engineer’s watch had stopped, unnoticed, for about four minutes, then restarted, the railroad officials commissioned Webb C. Ball as their General Time Inspector in order to establish precision standards and a reliable timepiece inspection system for railroad watches.

Webb C. Ball

When these rules were established and inspections started, the results were shocking. Many railroad engineers, conductors, trainmen and officials were carrying cheap “dollar” watches—that came free with a suit—cheap alarm clocks and a myriad of low-end seven- and 15-jewel watches totally incapable of accurate timekeeping. “Standard” clocks in highly sensitive locations that hadn’t had maintenance in years or were cheap “kitchen clocks,” also incapable of reliant timekeeping.

The Ball Watch Company did not manufacture watches directly, but had watches manufactured to the specifications for use in railroad service. Webb Ball established strict guidelines for the manufacturing of sturdy, reliable precision timepieces that were resistant to magnetism and would keep accurate time in three positions (later five), isochronisms and power reserve, accompanied with record keeping of the reliability of the watch on each regular inspection. All Ball watches are distinctively laid out and all marked “Ball Watch Co.” on the movement, case and dial, no mater which watch company produced the watch. This “Ball Watch Co.” markings, therefore, makes it difficult to distinguish which watch company had actually made the watch. Tiny details, like the curve and sweep of a watch plate or the shape of the hairspring stud are the only telltales of the actual maker.

An advertisement for a "Ball Watch."

The Waltham Watch Company complied immediately with the requirements of Ball’s guidelines, later followed by Elgin Watch Company and most of the other American manufacturers. Later on, they were joined by some Swiss watch manufacturers, namely Vacheron & Constantine, Longines, and Omega. The Ball Watch Company branded and distributed watches made by Hamilton, Waltham, Illinois, Elgin, E. Howard, and Hampden. Watches marked “BALL & Co.” are much more difficult to find than those marked “BALL WATCH Co.” Ball watches are today some of the most collectible of the American railroad pocket watches. Ball also produced watches marked for various railroad unions, such as the B. of L.E.(Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers), the B. of L.F.(Firemen), the B. of R.T.(railroad Trainmen), and the O. of R.C.(Conductors). These watches were produced in very limited quantities and are highly prized by collectors today.

Interesting anecdote about the jewel count in “railroad watches”: Web C. Ball didn’t believe a good watch needed more than 17 jewels to be a high-grade timekeeper. In fact, all of Ball’s early “official standard” railroad watches only had 17 jewels. Later he added two more jewels to the mainspring barrel, bringing the jewel count to 19. This was option not a requirement, making all the holes jeweled. It was competition and customer requests that led Ball to produce watches with 21 and 23 jewels, but in limited quantities. Balls with 23 jewels are hard to find and highly collectible, therefore quite expensive, with 21′s following close behind in the collectible watch world.

Today’s criteria for the certification of each Officially Certified Chronometer (COSC) are still based upon Webb C. Ball’s standards.

At the end of his career, Webb C. Ball oversaw more than 125,000 miles of rail tracks in U.S., Mexico & Canada, having greatly contributed to the safety and security of all railroad systems.

Ball’s jewelry store in Cleveland became very successful and quite well-known, designing and retailing many different types of watches, all to Ball’s exacting standards. Ball’s demanding principles left a cornucopia of wonderful watches and the accessories for today’s collectors.

The original Web C. Ball Watch and Jewelry Company went out of business in the 1960s but was since re-born in Switzerland and is producing high quality durable “sport model” wrist watches.

The colloquial phrase “on the ball” purportedly derives from Webb C. Ball’s watch standards and their reputation for accuracy.

Buy a Ball, time them all!

David Mycko is a WorthPoint Worthologist specializing in watches.

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Items such as a Tiffany’s ladies’ tape measure—which now retails for about $225—can be worth $48,875, or a $250 gold-plated cigarette lighter can bring in $23,000, while a $95 stereoscope can demand $9975.00. The catch is, of course, that they are only worth these amounts if owned by the late Jackie Onassis or Andy Warhol.

A Tiffany’s silver ladies tape measure sells for about $225. But the one owned by Jackie Onassis brought close to $50,000. The difference, or course, is the fact that she owned that particular item, making it much more valuable than any other of its kind.

Not even the usual reasons for value, such as rarity or famous maker can top prior ownership to famous or infamous. How much of a difference such a provenance can make to any item is a mystery, even the most knowledgeable appraisers in the world who work for noted auction houses such as Sotheby’s or Christie’s can only offer estimates based on what comparable items with less famous owners (you and me) have sold for in recent years.

In the case of the ”Jackie O Auction,” many items surpassed their estimates by a large margin; to the extent the total sales exceeded estimates by 750 percent. The Andy Warhol sale, stuffed with items such as figural cookie jars and Fiesta Ware, more than doubled its presale estimates at nearly $30 million dollars.

As fame is fleeting, it’s unlikely these everyday items will maintain the values they sold for at such high profile sales. One only has to look back at past celebrity sales and compare the prices knocked down by the auctioneer at the original sale with auctions years later of the same celebrities everyday knick-knacks. After a while, even the most famous media darlings are slowly forgotten and interest wanes in their former possessions. But it’s nice to know that the rich and famous often have similar tastes as the rest of us.

Mike Wilcox, of Wilcox & Hall Appraisers, is a Worthologist who specializes in Art Nouveau and the Arts and Craft movement.

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The crowd at the recent National Association of Watch and Clock Collectors (NAWCC) Watch & Clock Regional Show in Fort Mitchell, Ky., just outside of Cincinnati

The annual National Association of Watch and Clock Collectors (NAWCC) Watch & Clock Regional Show was recently held at the drawbridge Estate in Fort Mitchell, Ky. located just seven miles south of Cincinnati, Ohio. The little town of Fort Mitchell has hosted this show for every spring more than 30 years; a cornucopia of antique clocks and watches of every variety in the midst of blooming Dogwoods. This is not a particularly large show, but a very popular one with collectors of clocks and watches. Cincinnati has been in the forefront of historical horology for many decades, being the home of the Gruen Watch Co.

The buildings of this now defunct watch Gruen Watch Company, founded by Dietrich Gruen, still grace Cincinnati’s Time Hill, as the city has been a mecca for watch and clock collectors for many years. When it is time for this show, collectors come from as far away as the Orient, as invariably, wonderful watches and clocks turn up at this show year after year. The main show is pre-empted by a watch and jewelry show hosted by Girard Sensoli’s World Wide Traders and a “tail gate” event, where collectors and traders convene in the parking lot to buy, sell and trade their wares at 6 a.m.! The turnout this year was excellent; people came from miles around to peruse a plethora of clocks, watches, parts pieces, cases and the specialized tools needed for repair and servicing clock and watches.

A display of pocket watches available at the National Association of Watch and Clock Collectors (NAWCC) Watch & Clock Regional Show .

This show is noted for the quantity of parts, pieces, cases and the little bits needed by hobbyists to repair and complete his wounded horological treasures. Unfortunately, the foundering economy has affected even this established show. The turnout of European and Asian buyers was almost nil, where in the past they came loaded for bear, and went home with booty. Sales for high-end rare watches and clocks was strong, but good examples were thin. Gold watches of every nature brought good money, as the gold market continues to be strong. Railroad watch sales remain in the doldrums, as only top-flight watches or watches with condition found buyers. Rolex watches—as always—are popular and desirable, but are selling for much less, and strong buyers were absent. Low-end common watches—both pocket and wrist, if priced right—sold in quantity. Movements, cases and parts were very popular, and both dealer and collector alike were scooping up bargains.

Clocks were a very different story, as sales were sporadic and interest only fell along the line of the complicated and unusual; condition and rarity being the order of the day. Many fine and unusual clocks were displayed, but if they weren’t priced to sell, they went unsold. In actuality, the main show, sponsored by the National Watch & Clock Collectors’ Association, saw much less action and interest than the pre-show and tail-gate events, so it pays to come early, and the patient collector knows to stay ’til the end for that last-minute bargain or, possibly, the find of a lifetime.

Here is a short list of some of the best finds:

• A small and very rare Patek Philippe 1/4 Repeater in Gold;
• Ball Waltham Brotherhood with colored dial;
• An early 19th-century Eardly Norton 1/4 Repeater;
• A 26-jewel Benjamin Franklin;
• Patek Philippe split-second chronograph pocket watch;
• Lehigh Valley RR Waltham;
• A rare Ball Hamilton 998E marked Hamilton (unheard of) turned up for a very reasonable price.

Many dealers complained of the lack of sales and the prices realized, but the collectors I spoke to were happy. Interest was high and attendance was very good, for a “down economy.” I’d have to say this was a good show.

David Mycko is a Worthologist who specializes in watches.

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This Longines World War Two Pilot's Wristwatch, with a Wheem's aircraft navigational calculation bezel, is an early and quite rare Longines Aircraft Navigation watch.

This Longines’ World War Two Pilot’s Wristwatch, with a Wheem’s aircraft navigational calculation bezel, is an early and quite rare Longines Aircraft Navigation watch. This type of watch was pioneered and developed by Longines during the 1930′s, with consultation from Charles Lindbergh, the famous American aviator who was the first pilot to cross the Atlantic solo and non stop. It was discontinued for a more convenient and easier-to-read version, which is a lot more common.

This particular watch was worn by one of the pilots responsible for transporting military aircraft across the North Atlantic to Great Britain during the early years of World War II. Transporting aircraft across the North Atlantic by air was considered safer than transport by ship convoy because of the U-boat threat and the German’s stunning ability to sink cargo ships at sea.

Transporting aircraft on this route was a perilous undertaking, considering the extreme weather conditions and very difficult navigation problems. Dead-accurate time was of the utmost importance and the moveable outer bezel allowed for the “hour angle” to calculate speed and direction. These factors were critical to make pinpoint landings, especially since as a slight mistake over such a great distance could put the pilot hundreds of miles off course at the other end of the flight.

The pioneers of this difficult and perilous undertaking were the intrepid 45th Atlantic Transport Group R.A.F.. The first air-ferry service was set up in Canada, and plans were made for planes to fly from Saint-Hubert Airport, Montreal, to Gander in Newfoundland, where planes would refuel, ready for the trans-Atlantic crossing to Prestwick in Scotland. First to launch this new service was Capt. Don Bennett, later to known as “Pathfinder Bennett.”

Longines is a much underrated watch by collectors today, and I would classify it as a “sleeper collectible.” With few exceptions, a good Longines can be found for a small price when compared with Rolex or LeCoultre. This was a very innovative watch company that produced a high-quality product; easily as good as or better than the aforementioned companies. Longines began with a well-thought-out and highly engineered mechanism, and followed through with a finely manufactured product with a very reasonable price.

David Mycko is a Worthologist who specializes in watches.

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Traditionally the values have always been highest in these areas and often the other items are over looked. I’m talking about the stuff you find in the back of the chest of drawers, in the closets, on the tables, shelves and throughout the kitchen. Pocket knives, lighters, buttons, old postcards, kitchen gadgets, the old appliances, shop tools, linens, toys, books, record albums, medicine bottles, luggage, costume jewelry, clothing apparel, photo-albums, holiday decorations.

The list is unending because these items are not as important as the fine silver, china or the heirloom desk, but they were part of our everyday fabric of life. You might be surprised to find that all those miscellaneous items can have collectively quite a value.

Here are just a few examples of items that are often overlooked for value:

Pocket Knives:

This is a nice vintage double blade pocket knife marked "IMPERIAL PROV. RI U.S.A." on the 2.2" long blade, with a crown above the mark, the other blades are 1.25" long.

The gold washed exterior of this vintage pen knife is elaborately engraved with fanciful scroll and floral work. The smaller of its two blades is marked "Keene New York M.I. Germany."

 To see this to see this Imperial knifeon GoAntique.com, click here. To see this Keen knife, click here;

Some of the old collectible pocket knives were made by companies like Case, Keen, Buck and Kabar and should not be overlooked. These little knives may be stuck back in a drawer or in old storage box. These are just a few of the collectible makers of pocket knives, which can bring in a tidy little sum: a Keen knife with two blades, the longer of which at 3.5 inches, can bring $45.00; A vintage Buck #301 with three blades, $30; An old Case XX pocket knife with two blades (2.25″), $40.

Not too many people smoke anymore, but the cigarette lighters are very collectible; especially when they are from a well known company or famous designer. Everyone knows Playboy and its classic black-and-white “Bunny” design. The Ronson pocket-style Bunny lighter from the 1950′s is priced from $14 to $18. Ronson makes a slim, classic-style pocket lighter that many companies have used to promote their products, from Coca Cola to power tools. These lighters can sell for $5 to $25.

Pocket Lighters: 

Zippo United Fruit Co SS Talamanca Ship Lighter. This lighter is in very good condition, with only minimal scratching. This item comes with it's original box, which is in good condition also. The box does have some wear, including very slight soiling and edge wear, and a tear in the paper.

A Vintage 1959 USS Independence (CVA 62) Town & Country Zippo Lighter. Zippo is Used with wear. Basically, common wear for a lightly used Zippo.

To see this Zippo/SS Talamanca lighter on GoAntique.com, click here; to see this USS Independence lighter, click here.

Zippo also made commercial lighters for advertisements and they, like the Ronson, have various collectible prices in today’s market. A simple but classic Zippo Army Lighter can sell for 32.50, and more if the lighter has military emblems or regimens on the outside design. We had at our not too long ago an original Zippo issued from the aircraft carrier USS Franklin D. Roosevelt. We sold it for $55 retail, and it went out so fast that it may have been worth a quite a bit more.

Costume Jewery:

Silvertone music theme cufflink set with a G clef and musical notes motif.

This vintage cuff link and tie pin set is made by Swank with June birthstone.

To see these musical cuff links on GoAntique.com, click here; to see this Swank/June birthstone set, click here.

One of the other areas of value is in the old jewelry box, after you clean out the good stuff—the diamond rings, gold and silver watches and so forth. What is left is the costume jewelry, cuff links and tie tacks. Basic assortments of costume jewelry made of different metal, glass or plastics can go for $65 to $125, depending on the age and styles. Sometimes even higher amounts for special pieces with designer names like Eisenberg, Weiss, Hobe and Miriam Haskel, just to name a few. A nice 2′-inch brooch by Weiss with imitation pearls sells for $15 to $20. A collection of rhinestone jewelry by Weiss and Kramer can sell for $60 and higher. A nice Hobe brooch, $17.50. A rhinestone ring, signed Hobe, for 27.50. A Eisenberg Ice brooch for $52.50. A Swank sliver with blue stones, cufflinks and tie bar could be valued from $5 to $7.50. On average, the cuff link sets can sell for $2 to $10, depending on the style and age.

These are just a few of the things that slip through the cracks. In most houses, if we go into the kitchen or the garage, we would find a small fortune. We tend to keep the old coffee pots, gadgets and small appliances. There are rows of price guides in bookstores today to help place current values of just about everything ever made for the consumer markets, from decades and decades back. Before you haul all those boxes off to the trash, do a little research. You may find that you have enough value there to take that Caribbean cruise.

Robert Timmons is a general Worthologist.

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Lincoln purchased this English Fusee Lever, key wind, circa1850, housed in an engraved 18K hunter case in Springfield, Ill., and was one of the few possessions he brought with him to Washington.

Jonathan Dillon, working for a watchmaker, was repairing Lincoln’s watch when word reached Washington about the beginning of the Civil War. Dillon inscribed on an interior plate “April 13 - 1861,” and “Fort Sumpter (sic) was attacked by the rebels on the above date.” Another part reads, “Thank God we have a government.”

I came across this article today, which was posted by the Associated Press yesterday. Since it is about Abraham Lincoln’s watch, I was drawn to this story immediately.

It tells the story of a man, Jonathan Dillon, who was working in a watch shop in Washington and was repairing President Lincoln’s watch when word of the South’s attack on Fort Sumter reached the capital. Dillon, the only Union supporter in the shop, picked up a sharp tool and inscribed a series of notes supporting the president. To read the story, click here.

In just about every photograph of Abraham Lincoln, his watch chain is visible. And in artists’ renderings of the 16th president, the chain also appears, as in the statues of Lincoln in Cleveland, Ohio, and in the Lincoln Memorial (below).

The watch is a typical English Fusee Lever, key wind, circa1850, housed in a beautifully engraved 18K Hunter Case. Sold by an Illinois jeweler, the watch had to be imported from England because at the time, the American watch industry was in its infancy. Relatively few American watches were available until 1857, after the founding of the Waltham Watch Co.

This is a high-quality English Lever Fusee manufactured in Liverpool, England, is full jeweled (15-16 jewels), with all the technological achievements available at the time. Watches of this caliber were equipped with a bi-metallic chronometer balance wheel, fully compensated, and adjusted for temperature and positions. The number of jewels, type of balance wheel, number of adjustments, and the composition of the metal used in the watch casement were all custom ordered by the jeweler.

Lincoln’s son Robert mentioned having his father’s watches as late as 1910, and passed at least two along to his children. One watch was given to a museum in Kentucky. The other was donated by Lincoln’s great-great-grandson, along with other Lincoln belongings, to the Smithsonian Institution in 1958.

A gold-cased beauty, it was stamped as coming from the George Chatterton jewelers in Springfield, Ill., where Lincoln was known to shop. Watches of this nature are classified as “contract watches,” with American names engraved upon their plates and dials. They were in fact manufactured in Europe or the United Kingdom. Lincoln’s watch was indeed a very expensive item for the day, being housed in a robust, 18 karat closed face, or hunting case, beautifully engraved with scrolls, leaves and flowers on an engine turned background.

The watch is key wound, as the technical achievement of stem winding was still in the future. The watch is also equipped with its original period gold vest chain, a “Hen’s Tooth” pocket watch vest chain is usually the first part of a watch ensemble to become worn, broken and discarded, along with the key, which apparently has gone missing. Somewhere out there is a watch key that has the intimate touch of Abraham Lincoln (for everyday he wound this watch) lying in a box of junk, just waiting to be discovered!

The cursive etching under the dial on this watch is quite unusual, especially in its personal nature. Watchmakers during this period typically would insert a small piece of round paper inside the back cover advertising his business and penciled in the date of repair, much like the decal inserted on your windshield after an oil change. These are called “Watch Papers” and are highly collectible. This was done by the watchmaker as documented proof of his workmanship, and was later was replaced by a small cursive etching on the inside cover of the watch.

I have personally dismantled literally hundreds of watches, and have NEVER seen anything like this etching; it is quite unique! It is not the place of a watchmaker, in the process of repairing a watch, to engrave a personal message on or in the watch. Imagine your auto mechanic scratching a message on the underside of the hood! You would be horrified to discover this desecration! I’m not so sure ‘ole Abe would have appreciated it either! But, in this particular instance, we have to thank Jonathan Dillon for this very unprofessional indiscretion; it has made an interesting and historic relic all the more interesting and historic!

David Mycko is a Worthologist who specializes in watches.

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Early single hand ring watch, circa 1615.

Queen Elizabeth I is said to have worn one. One of the first people known to have worn a watch on the wrist was the noted French mathematician and philosopher Blaise Pascal (1623-1662). He attached his pocket watch to his wrist with cord. Queen Marie Antoinette also was known to have started a style of “wrist watch” by wrapping the gold chain of her lavaliere watch around her wrist instead of around her neck. She subsequently commissioned a diamond-encrusted “bracelet watch.” This new style went out along with her head.

Early gentleman’s pocket timepiece Windmills London, circa 1665.

A close-up view of the dial on the Windmill single hour hand and alarm hand.

Gem-encrusted wrist watches worn by royalty made more frequent appearances in the mid 1800s, but only women wore them. They were very expensive, custom made contrivances requiring miniscule high-tech mechanisms. While their timekeeping was marginal at best, it was considered inconsequential, as “women of leisure don’t need accurate timepieces.”

A pair of jewel-encrusted Key Wind bracelet for Empress Josephine, circa 1806.

The concept of the wristwatch gained acceptance despite the “feminine” association due to the military’s need for an accurate, durable, easily viewed timepiece as warfare became more mechanized. The ability to read time with a quick glance was critical in battle. A lost, broken or fragile pocket watch could prove disastrous to the military timetable. By World War I, the U.S. Army began to request “strap watches” of the preeminent makers. The term “strap watch” was an alternate term intended to distinguish these watches from the effeminate “wristwatch.” Strap watches became especially crucial to aerial combat operations, as timing in navigation and landing is critical. Demand for “strap watches” in warfare grew, and more rugged timepieces were introduced. Hans Wilsdorf established the Rolex watch, based upon this very need. He also went on to produce highly accurate women’s wrist watches.

LeCoultre 1917 military issue.

Wristwatches still did not see widespread public use until the 1920s, or even 1930s. Before that, men still tended to regard the wristwatch as inherently feminine. After World War I, that perception slowly began to change. But it was a long process.

— Frederic J. Freidberg, “The Illinois Watch”

The “wrist watch” lent itself much more readily to the current styles of the day than the pocket watch, being more prominently visible and malleable in form. The watch companies of the day were quick to “jump on the bandwagon” of this new style watch, and several companies distinguished themselves with their unique creations. The Illinois Watch Co. was in the vanguard of this movement, but too late to save itself from bankruptcy; it was subsequently bought out by the Hamilton Watch Co.

Gentleman’s 1940s Hamilton in 14K gold.

Hamilton was quick to pick up the gauntlet and produced hundreds of differently styled wristwatches, all with high-grade mechanisms. The Gruen Watch Co. was close behind, also producing many different styles and models at the cutting edge of style and technology. Dietrich Gruen, a German nationalized citizen, founder of the Gruen Watch co. and the Columbus Watch Co. invented a new and different style of wristwatch mechanism called the “Curvex.” This innovative wristwatch movement lent itself to a more ergodynamic wrist watch case and was immensely popular. Elgin and Waltham also produced good wristwatches, but were nowhere near as successful as Gruen and Hamilton.

But soon the American watch companies were subsequently “run over” by the Swiss watch revolution. Longines, Omega, LeCoultre, Bulova and plethora of sundry watch companies commandeered and dominated the wristwatch market, until the Japanese watch revolution, which was led by Seiko.

The “top end” of the wristwatch market was and is dominated by Patek Philippe, Vacheron & Constantin, Audemars Piguet, and finally Rolex, the king of the Sport Model Wrist Watch. Tiffany and Cartier are the top of the “bling” heap, but do not actually produce watches; they contract with actual watch manufacturers to make watches for them according to their design.

American watch companies have long since disappeared and exist today in name only, incorporated into Swiss Firms. Today, the major Swiss watch firms are all incorporated under a government-controlled umbrella corporation called Swiss Watch Specialties, Inc. This newly formed organization was a result of the Japanese watch revolution of the 1960s-’70s. Nearly all of the old established and previously successful Swiss watch companies floundered under the Japanese competition, and were all on the brink of failure until the Swiss government got involved. The advent of the Swatch finally turned the tide and put the Swiss watch industry back on an even playing field. But, that’s another story.

By the mid 1930s men’s “strap watches” became “wristwatches” without the feminine association, although they were still believed to be a passing fad; much less respectable than the traditional and “manly” pocket watch. Heavy use of the men’s wristwatch during World War II finally earned it a ubiquitous ranking in American culture. In 1914, when a wristwatch was shown at an exhibit in Switzerland, it was called “just a passing fancy.” Today, this “passing fancy” is the number-one jewelry item in the world. About 80 million watches are made around the world each year.

David Mycko is a Worthologist who specializes in watches.

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Ellen Malcolm, founder of Emily’s List called it “a proud moment in our nation’s history.”

Great Britain’s Prime Minister Gordon Brown deemed it “inspirational.”

There were reports of millions of joyful people dancing in the streets from Bogotá to Naples to Shanghai to Chicago.

Bushmen in the Kalahari Desert slaughtered cows in honor of the occasion.

The Sun (UK) found one weeping German celebrant who said, “In my lifetime, the world’s people have never felt closer.”

Former South African President Nelson Mandela called the event “monumental.”

It “Unleashes a Flood of Hope Worldwide,” proclaimed a New York Times headline.

Obama’s historic inauguration

This is just a tip of the reaction to Barack Obama’s election as 44th president of the United States. On January 20, this man whose mother was a white woman from Kansas and father a black Kenyan will be sworn into office on the steps of the United States Capitol.

It estimated that anywhere from two to five million people will jam Washington, D.C., to witness history being made as the first African-American takes the presidential oath of office.

And without question, the inauguration will produce a raft of collectibles. The question for collectors is how to tell the difference between items that will only have sentimental or commemorative value and those that will be true historical keepsakes.

Luckily, there is a way to tell the difference.

New York Post day after election

The first rule of collectibles is if there are many of them, their value is reduced. When Barack Obama defeated John McCain, scores of newspapers trumpeted historic headlines, some are still being reprinted and sold as commemoratives. Because there are so many of them, their value will be limited. This will be also true for the scores of inaugural newspaper editions.

Conversely, if there are few items, their collectible value will be higher. Lead-crystal vases featuring an engraved inaugural seal from the best glassmakers in the world, for example, will continue as a long-term investment as a historical and highly prized collectible. The sticker price will reflect that, as well.

If you want a head start on long-term collectibles, buy things with the official seal of the 56th Presidential Inauguration Committee. (Some presidents have served more than one term and therefore, have had more than one inauguration.) These are items officially recognized by the only committee chosen by President-elect Barack Obama to oversee and pay for official inaugural events, such as the inaugural balls. Over time, these items, from specially designed pins by renowned artist Ann Hand to glassware, jewelry, posters and all manner of memorabilia, will be the items most collected, and they all will carry the official seal of the committee in their design.

Glass paperweight

Then there is the Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies comprised of members from the House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate who are responsible for the swearing-in ceremonies and the congressional luncheon. The official programs for these events, particularly the swearing-in, will have a clear long-term collectible value. In fact, it is safe to say that the programs for this transformational inaugural will be especially valuable over time.

Inaugural mug

There are other official inaugural items that will be highly sought after by collectors, such as the official inaugural badge. Since 1933, the two dozen or so official police units operating within the District of Columbia have issued specially created police badges for use during the inaugural period. The early ones are very rare, while the more recent ones continue to be highly valued. Press credentials, military items, signage, anything out of the ordinary such as the cardboard No Parking signs attached throughout the city are highly collectible long after the event, too.

“In my store, Political Americana, we are fortunate to have all kinds of inaugural souvenirs from a simple button, badge, lapel pin, tote bag, T-shirt and coffee mug to the official inaugural medal and glassware,” says Jim Warlick, owner of Political Americana and WorthPoint Worthologist for political items. “Our full-scale Oval Office will also provide you with the opportunity to have your picture taken behind a replica of the Oval Office desk the new president will use.”

Obama inaugural T-shirt

Mary Brenneman, WorthPoint content director, sees significance in collectibles beyond their collecting value. “I find it fascinating that collectibles can serve as harbingers.”

She points out that Warlick predicted back in the spring of 2008 that Obama would win the election because his collectibles were outselling Hillary Clinton’s and John McCain’s combined.

So be you Democrat or Republican, Libertarian or Independent, now’s the time to look to the future and search out Obama inauguration collectibles.

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These companies took the competition one step further and started producing what they called “Prestige Watches.” This was such a specialized watch with very limited market demand, and relatively few were produced. They became the priceless possessions of a few.

These watches are highly sought after today, are hard to find, and bring a pretty penny when they do surface. I have listed in my Items column the watches separately, as each watch should be looked at individually and closely inspected to be appreciated.

In my opinion, the top watch is the Waltham Premier Maximus, with the Edward Howard a close second. But each one of these watches is a marvel of the “Machine Age,” and it’s hard to say which one is better than the other. They were, and still are, the “priceless possessions of a few.”

WorthPoint: Get the Most from Your Antiques and Collectibles

The early watch manufacturers didn’t do things consistently or exactly in series. The Boston Watch Company—the granddaddy of all American watch companies—is particularly annoying in this respect. Nearly every watchmaker in the United States was either European- or English-trained. Dennison was incorporating Eli Whitney’s mass production assembly line to the watch industry, which was going to make English and European watch production system obsolete. History records that in 1854, the Boston Watch Co. moved from Roxbury to a new factory in Waltham, Mass., and from that new factory, produced a run of 4,000 watches signed “Dennison Howard and Davis.” That’s what history seems to say at first glance, anyway..

In fact, the production history of DH&D is more complicated than it first looks. The Boston Watch Company failed in 1857 and was bought out and recapitalized as Appleton Tracy & Co. AT & Co. finished a fair number (perhaps 2,500) of DH&D watches that were in various states of assembly at the Boston Watch Co. when it failed. The wheel trains on these watches are the same as that on their descendants, the model 1857s. The third wheel pinion is below the wheel and the fourth wheel pinion is above the wheel. This can be called the “Waltham train.” Howard, backed by a businessman named Rice, competed with R.A. Robbins and Appleton at the bankruptcy auction to acquire the Boston Watch Co. Howard and Rice lost to R.A. Robbins, but managed to pull a few thousand unfinished movements out of the sale in lieu of Rice’s lost investment capital. Howard finished these old Boston Watch Co. movements and marketed them under the name Howard and Rice. Howard later severed his relationship with Rice and started his own watch company, which was later to become the finest American watch production company, E. Howard Watch Co. But that’s another story.

Another historical complication is that when Boston Watch Co. moved to Waltham, it took along a number of movements that were in process at the old factory in Roxbury. The train arrangement on the first several hundred DH&D movements is different from later DH&D’s and Model ’57’s. The third wheel pinion is below the wheel and the fourth wheel pinion is also below the wheel. Ron Price, the author of the current monograph on the origins and development of the Model ’57, refers to this as the Roxbury train, and points out that this unusual wheel arrangement is consistent with E.A. Marsh’s statement in his history of the watch company that the first “few hundred movements had been started in the Roxbury plant.”

The watch pictured with this article is a prime example of an early Boston Watch Co. Dennison Howard and Davis #1190 with Roxbury train. The movement is in overall excellent condition, with bright gilding, except around the winding arbor, which, consistent with early production, has no guard cup for the key wind arbor.

The watch is housed in an original, Eagle “Hallmarked” Case, #1151. Early cases for Boston Watch Co. watches were often marked with this eagle stamp, used by many American silversmiths to show the origins of a piece, and with an anchor used by Rhode Island silversmiths as W. Hauptman notes (NAWCC ‘Bulletin #106), “presumably from the Rhode Island seal ‘Anchor and Hope.’” The light engine turning is worn, but this remains a solid case.

In summary, the watch is a very early example of an important watch, in overall good condition. Hauptman, in the article referenced above, says: “A Dennison, Howard & Davis model, in my opinion, is the foundation of any collection of American watches …”

Before setting up his watch-and-clock repair business in Miami in 1976, Mycko had paid the bills fixing cars and Coke machines. “I have this overall fascination with gears, pinions, main springs and power supplies,” he said. “I’ve always wanted to see how mechanical things work . . . I am a gear freak.”

Gears to watches

The watch, however, has been a lifelong passion. The first one Mycko worked on as a boy was his father’s Gruen wristwatch, which he took apart and put back together. And it still worked.

As collectibles, the watch has two faces—the technological and the artistic. “Rolex is technically oriented,” Mycko said. “Rolex’s goal has been to produce a high-quality watch that is ‘chronometer accurate’ and can withstand all temperatures at high altitude or under deep ocean pressure.”

The handmade 18th- and 19th-century pocket watches—with enameling and fancy engraved gold cases—are the art. “They are like snowflakes, no two are alike,” Mycko said. “No gear is interchangeable with another watch. When I have to repair one of these, I have to make the parts myself.”

There are many approaches and kinds of watches to collect, Mycko advised. There are the 19th-century decorative antique pocket watches—multicolored gold and finely engraved, which can run from hundreds of dollars to tens of thousands.

There are 20th-century “railroad watches.” These were an exceptional product of the Industrial Age and now fetch $100 to $10,000. “Railroad watches are appreciated and collected from the inside out,” Mycko explained. The precision and technical beauty went into their internal parts, and then they were housed “in high-quality, durable and functional but low-cost metal cases.”

A burgeoning market sprang up in wristwatches soon after the fall of gold in 1980. “This is an example of how the market swings,” Mycko said. “When I got into the business, it was all pocket watches, no one bothered with wristwatches.” Now there’s a broad array of interests. One interesting, but confounding area is the “comic-character watch.”

The idea of a Mickey Mouse watch was hatched in 1932 when a buyer for Montgomery Ward suggested to Disney’s merchandising mastermind, Kay Kamen, that a watch with Mickey on its face could be a big hit. Kamen then commissioned preliminary sketches from Disney artists and brought them to the Ingersoll-Waterbury Co.

In 1933, the first watches went into production, and their success was unprecedented. In one day, 11,000 were sold at Macy’s.

By June 1935, more than 2.5 million Mickey Mouse wristwatches had been sold. Several other watch companies jumped on the comic-watch bandwagon, and soon nearly every popular comic character was on a pocket watch or wristwatch. In 1989, Mycko co-authored “Vintage American and European Character Wristwatch Price Guide 1989” with Roy Ehrhardt, the leading watch-book author of the time.

Mickey Mouse #1 still rules

But the advent of the color copier has made it too easy to counterfeit character watches. “That really killed the market,” Mycko said. Although people are still in the hunt for a “#1 Mickey Mouse,” which can still bring $300-$500.

Character watches remain a fluky market, Mycko said, because certain watches can cross over to other collectibles markets. “A Popeye collector is going to want that Popeye wristwatch and will pay $1,500, which makes no sense to a watch collector,” he said.

All those 1930s-, ’40s-, ’50s-style Benrus, Bulova and Hamilton watches are now highly collectible for their retro styling and innovations that made them popular when new. Even Seiko and Timex (remember the “It takes a licking and keeps on ticking” ads?) form another market with prices ranging from $50 to $1,000. There is “something for everyone,” Mycko said.

At the top of the market are the expensive watches Patek Philippe, Vacheron Constantin and Audemars Piguet, followed closely by Cartier and Tiffany. These watches were expensive when new, and in many cases, their values have soared.

Production-made watches like Rolex, Longines, Omega and LeCoultre that catered to a lesser-priced market are highly collectible today. But, with few exceptions, these lesser watch companies along with the styles of watches produced have had their day and have lost their cachet as the collectible-watch market changes. Consider an Omega watch made in the 1920s, with a curved back and Art Deco numbers. For a while, those watches commanded prices of $2,000 to $5,000. Now, Mycko said, they are “hard to sell at $1,500.”

The market, however, is filled with surprises. A self-winding enamel dial wristwatch from the ’60s by Swiss watchmaker Patek Philippe used to run $2,500 to $3,500. The very same watch now commands $25,000 to $35,000. A Rolex Cosmograph that Mycko said he had trouble selling for $600 to $800, now sells for up to $55,000.

“There is a lot going on at this upper end,” Mycko said. These are the big investment bets and also the ego buys. “What you wear on your wrist tells a lot about your station in life. It’s like driving around in a Ferrari. The world knows you have arrived. And, it most definitely is a macho thing.”

“I call it organized insanity,” Mycko said. “They may be collectibles, investments or the stuff of dreams.”

WorthPoint—Get the Most from Your Antiques & Collectibles

The Hamilton Watch Company came into existence in 1892. The name Hamilton was selected to honor Andrew Hamilton, original owner of the site of Lancaster. Hamilton was granted the land by William Penn’s heirs and is credited with founding the city of Lancaster with his son James.

Companies preceding the Hamilton Watch Co. on the factory site were: the Adams and Perry Company, founded in 1874; the Lancaster Watch Co., founded un 1877 as a result of an infusion of capital and the reorganization of Adams and Perry; and the Keystone Watch Co., the result of yet another reorganization.

The Hamilton Watch Co. was founded by merging Keystone with the Illinois-based Aurora Watch Co. The factory opened in the summer of 1892 after machinery from Aurora was moved to Lancaster. By 1893 the plant was enlarged with the addition of a new “East Wing”. Charles D. Rood and Henry J. Cain represented the Aurora interests and joined the company at this time.

Starting with the first Hamilton watch movement, designed by Henry J. Cain in 1892, the company had manufactured 143 distinct and separate grades of watch movements by 1967. The first Hamilton watch was a large railroad model manufactured to meet the specifications of the Time Inspection Rules established by the railroad. By the turn of the century Hamilton’s product was widely known as the “The Railroad Timekeeper of America.”

Prior to 1909 Hamilton sold uncased watch movements exclusively. After 1909 the company converted to a completely cased line and expanded to include dress watches for men and women. The million dollar mark in sales was reached in 1911; the pre-Depression peak occurred in 1929 with sales of $5,769,000. The 1932 Depression sales figure of $1,558,000 contrasts sharply with the mid-60s sales of $55,000,000.

During WWI American soldiers found the small wristwatch a much greater convenience than pocket timepieces. This trend caused a shift in American watch production, with a new emphasis on marketing wristwatch models for both men and women.

Hamilton purchased the Illinois Watch Co. in 1928. Goodwill and trademarks of the E. Howard Watch Co. were acquired by Hamilton in 1931. Hamilton produced small quantities of watches under this brand name.

The chronometer is a portable timepiece of extreme accuracy used for navigation at sea. Before WWII such instruments were only made abroad. With the onset of WWII, the Navy needed chronometers in great quantities, and the Hamilton chronometer was delivered to the Navy in February 1942. During the next year, Hamilton production increased to 500 chronometers per month—an amazing achievement and a triumph of American enterprise.

In January 1957, Hamilton introduced the world’s first electric wristwatch an industry breakthrough. Powered by a tiny 1-1/2 volt battery guaranteed to run the watch for more than a year, the new watch completely eliminated the need for a mainspring.

The Hamilton Watch Co. has the distinction of being the one American watch company to survive world competition well into the 20th century. The efforts an talents of Hamilton management and employees combined to create products of very high quality that are appreciated today by collectors all over the world.