This guide aims to identify, in general, not limited to, the most common models of pocket watches.

I put pictures of many watches, and a comment for each, giving information on the material, the approximate production period, the characteristics, style, ... This will, I hope to inform those who are in possession of watches and want to learn more.

All photos were made by me, the watches are photographed or it's part of my collection.

You will find below, many popular watches, watches and some interesting aside for the time to a social category relatively easy (watches verge watches with complications, calendar, alarm ...). However, these are still without much trouble these days, which is why I talk about in this guide devoted to current hits. All watches shown here have a value less than 1000 euros.

Popular watches are those that are found in abundance in the empty attic, for example. This is actually watches "everyman." Cheap, they were strong enough, and most are still operating today. These watches are usually of limited interest watch, but their sentimental value can be very large (in the case of watches from our ancestors, for example). That's why I decided to write this guide: these watches, including a huge number of copies was produced, are part of the watch, and it would be a shame to ignore them. I'm not saying that we must collect, but simply that we should not ignore that they existed.

Different types of boxes were used. First, we must distinguish the box "soap" box type Lépine. Soap boxes have a lid open on both sides: it is necessary to open the one that hides the face (usually by pressing on the crown) to read the time. Boxes such as "Lépine" are the most common. The dial is simply protected by a glass, which makes reading the time.

Several materials were used. There are steel boxes (either polished or burnished), silver (sometimes embellished with beautiful carvings), nickel silver (an alloy imitating silver), and sometimes gold.

In general, it is interesting to make the distinction between watches that date back to using a key, and those with back crown. This makes it possible to get a rough idea of ​​the time of the watch.
The key to watch are the oldest. They appeared in the seventeenth century.
Winding watches have emerged gradually in the middle of the nineteenth, but their use became widespread in the early twentieth. So there was, for decades, cohabitation between the two types of assembly.

Accuracy was better or worse, depending on the type of exhaust used. It is this criterion which is the basis for most of the following classifications.



1. Watches cylinder








The watches feature a cylinder escapement are the most common. This is an exhaust inexpensive to manufacture, but has the disadvantage of causing many frictions. Its accuracy is generally average: it is not uncommon to have a drift over a minute in 24 hours (of course, exceptions are always possible).

Some examples of watches cylinder:


Watch in silver, about 1890-1900. Dial decorated with multicolored foliage. Box also decorated with plant motifs. These elements allow us to date the watch of the Art Nouveau period (1880-1914).











Watch with silver key, to 1880-1890. Horse engraved on the back.












Silver watch manufactured by Tribaudeau in Besançon, around 1890-1900.












Petite Ladies Watch (the "show-collar") with a diameter of 30 mm, silver. As often, there is a plant decoration on the box. To 1890-1900.










Shows key silver, 1900.










Watch in vermeil (silver partially covered with rose gold), about 1900-1910. Guilloche background.












Watch gold collar, around 1890-1900, Lefebvre signed in Charleroi. And engraved guilloche background.












Watch collar inlaid silver (an alloy of silver, lead and sulfur), with its original string. To 1890-1900.














Silver watch, circa 1900-1910. Decor riding on the back. Movement quality is very basic, with little jewels.










Shows brass key, circa 1880. Case and dial richly decorated.












Watch in vermeil, 1900. Equestrian scene beautifully carved in the back.








Shows brass, around 1860-1880. Polychrome dial. This is a transitional model between the key and watch crown.










Small silver watch key, with a lady and surboîte watermarked. About 1870-1880.






















Shows so-called "widow" manufactured by Charles Oudin, a pupil of Breguet, No. 52 Royal Palace. Wooden box. 1850. Charles Oudin enriched through its production of watches widow, who became popular in the mid-nineteenth century.


















2. Watches exhaust ankles







The escapement was invented by Roskopf ankles in the nineteenth century. This is a robust and inexpensive escape. This invention made mass significantly pocket watches, which is why we find so much today. Ticking powerful, much like the mechanical alarm clocks, is characteristic. Precision level, again, do not expect something exceptional.

The boxes are often made of metal. Sometimes, the bottom has a print (usually a train, but other more or less original designs have also existed).
Some collectors are interested only Roskopf watches, because of the wide variety of decors.
There are also models with dials decorated.
However, there are several qualities of movement within the Roskopf watches.


GRE Roskopf watch, which means "Gender Roskopf." This is actually a fake period. The words "gender" was probably a trick to have no trouble. Dial and background decorated with a locomotive. Movement as extremely basic, no jewels. Box made of chromed brass. To 1910-1930.
















Roskopf shows steel to 1910-1930. Smooth bottom, with just the signature in the center. Movement better than the last.














Shows FE Roskopf (Fritz Edouard Roskopf) steel for the Belgian market. The bottom is engraved with the nine provinces of the time. 1910.










Some models (mostly Louis Roskopf) were even accompanied by paper certificates.






Shows atypical steel Roskopf movement. The hands move in an anti-clockwise! To 1910-1920.








3. The lever escapement watches







More expensive watches that described above, however, they were available for most scholarships. Although revised and adjusted, they can be quite accurate. In the twentieth century, the escapement is necessary because of its many qualities and eventually dethrone the cylinder. This is the most common exhaust currently still in wristwatches.


Shows soap silver, circa 1880. Movement neat.












Moeris shows silver to 1920-1930. Black dial, some figures are covered with radium. For the English market.












Shows limited money, for the English market. To 1910-1920.








Elgin American shows, in cash. Movement of good quality with kittens. The American mass produced quality watches, which is the delight of collectors today. Indeed, they are affordable and not too hard to find. Dial decorated cards. To 1900-1920.














Shows "half timer" chrome-plated brass, circa 1900-1910. The movement has a central kitty.








Shows silver inlaid soap, to 1920-1930. Geometric pattern typical of the Art Deco era.














Silver watch for the English market. Blued steel hands. Punched in Birmingham in 1919.












Big watch-key steel to 1890-1900. The 2732 patent was filed October 10, 1890 by Emile Meystre. Dial signed Waltham.












Watch with silver key, punched in Chester in 1890. Movement hinged, in the style of watches rod of the early nineteenth century.














Silver watch, for the English market. Black enamel dial, covered with radium figures. To 1910-1920.














Shows TAVANNES Railway, steel. To 1910-1920.










Watch with silver key, punched in Birmingham in 1897.












Watch with silver key, punched in London in 1882.















The movement apart (it has a chain and a rocket, designed to regulate the deployment of the force of the mainspring):








Elgin American soap, gold plated (gold filled) in several colors. 1900.










Watch with silver key, punched in London in 1866. Mr. Matt & Co. signed Cardiff. Against diamond hub.


















Shows atypical burnished steel, circa 1910-1920. The black Roman numerals on the dial with Arabic numerals turn red when you press the button in the center of the crown.














Shows signed "Happiness" metal to 1901-1910. The case, very much in the Art Nouveau style, is decorated with a woman in the back. Visible balance at 6 o'clock. Patent No. 16,598 was filed by Ernest Degoumois St Imier (Switzerland) May 4, 1898. Patent No. 22,280 was filed by the same April 26, 1901. The inscription "SGDG" means "without government guarantees."


















American Waltham hunter, gold plated (gold filled) in several colors. 1900.














Show that runs for eight days in a row, like weekly. Silver box. Metal dial. To 1900-1910. The visible balance is characteristic of this type of watch. Many variations existed, often with enamel dial.










Motor controller, designed to fit into the dashboard of a car. Large diameter (65mm). Steel case. Indirect central seconds. To 1900-1920.












Alarm watch in burnished steel, produced by Junghans circa 1910-1920. Numbers and needles were originally covered with radium.
















Watch with silver key, punched in Birmingham in 1900.
















Manufactured steel watch by Omega in 1920. Omega movement, although many copies produced were of good quality and accurate.










Big nickel silver regulator to indirect central seconds (diameter: 66 mm). Movement signed Japy Brothers (factory was located Beaucourt). To 1900-1910.










Big regulator burnished steel and brass, signed Ernest Magnin in Besançon (diameter: 70 mm). Dial atypical 24 hours. To 1900-1910.












4. Watches with verge escapement







The verge escapement is the oldest. It appeared in the earliest clocks in the sixteenth century, then onion in watches in the seventeenth. It was used until the mid-nineteenth, when he was dethroned by the cylinder, easier and a little more specific. The watches were generally rod equipped with a chain and a rocket, designed to regulate the deployment of the force of the mainspring. However, this exhaust is not very precise, there is often a lag of 1 to 5 minutes per day.


Shows silver rod with Louis XVI, circa 1780. Housing fully worked. Bordier signed in Paris. Nice cock scrolls typical of that era. Dial and hands may be replaced (the style of the dial corresponds rather to the early nineteenth).
















Shows silver rod with Louis XVI, circa 1780. The Black signed in Paris. All parts are original.


















Big shows silver rod, signed Stauffer & Sons in La-Chaux-de-Fonds. To 1810-1820. The movement is protected by a dust cover.

















The movement apart:










Shows silver rod called "Campagnarde" because of its box characteristic mass. Spoiler signed in Neufchatel. Needles "sun". The draft motion was produced by Chopard. To 1820-1840.
















Watch rustic silver rod signed Marbais Lebrun, to 1820-1840. Outline of the movement Chopard.














Rod shows produced by Baillon in Paris around 1760-1770.












The English have also produced many watches penis. Their cocks often have one foot, and are richly decorated (grotesque ,...). They will not go back on the back, not the front yard to watch the French.









Their faces are often decorated with polychrome enamel (enamel, while the French are more rare).






5. Duplex escapement watches





The duplex escapement was invented to allow the second hand to move forward once a second like quartz watch (this is called a second death). It was primarily used in watches for the Chinese market in the second half of the nineteenth century. This escape is not of great accuracy and reliability is far from excellent (it must be perfectly adjusted to the watch is working properly). By cons, movements often decorated with plant motifs and gold are especially beautiful to watch.


Soap silver, circa 1870. Blued steel hands. Balance with weights. The movement is protected by glass.
















Shows gilt, circa 1870. Manufactured by Fiebelmann in Rotterdam.














Shows gilt, circa 1870. With surboîte protection. Movement richly decorated.














6. Watches with complications


Some pocket watches were also equipped with complications: calendar, moon phase, alarm, alarm ... Those listed below are of ordinary quality, and therefore relatively affordable (for cons, most complicated watches of high quality are worth several thousand euros).


Chronograph pocket steel. Signed in Besançon Brisebard Ch. Lever escapement. To 1900-1910.










Inlaid silver chronograph, Signed J. Auricoste. Lemania movement. Lever escapement. To 1900-1910.









The movement apart:








Silver watch dual calendar: it indicates the day of the week and day of the month. They automatically change at midnight. Exhaust cylinder. To 1880-1900.














Shows burnished steel, repeated shifts. Lever escapement. 1900.
But what is it for this complication? In fact, striking watches are designed so that people can have time at night listening to the ringing of their shows, because there was not much light and luminescent numbers did not exist.
The quarter repeater watches are the most common. They give time to the nearest quarter hour (it also existed repetitions minutes, but will not be discussed here). For example, imagine that it is 10:52. If it triggers the alarm, the watch will sound 10 shots (10), then two shots three times (for three quarters), each set of two strokes corresponding to a quarter of an hour. So we know that it is between 10:45 and 11. The ring snaps or by pressing a button, either on the slide as shown below.
















Big watch "half ball" made of steel and glass, with triple calendar and moon phases. The watch shows the day of the week, the day of the month, moon phase and month. Complications change automatically once a day, except the month must be set manually. Four buttons on the side, can adjust quickly complications. The movement, visible through the bottom, is magnified by the glass which is a magnifying effect. Exhaust cylinder. To 1890-1910.


















Big regulator triple calendar and moon phases in burnished steel, 1910 (diameter: 65 mm). Lever escapement. The movement is protected by glass. Polychrome dial.


















Watch Rod silver, circa 1820, with a quarter-repeating (by pressing the pendant). Needles Breguet style blued steel.




















Shows silver key repeatedly shift towards 1870-1890. Lever escapement.




















Well, I hope you found this guide helpful It is the result of several years of research.

An honor and a pleasure to be the first to thank you for this guide, it is a pleasure to learn

phew!
What a job!
bravo

Beautiful post! We walk through history, we enjoy looking at the photos, congratulations again!

just

So there!!
I can not imagine all the time invested in the development of this great guide.
Honestly, a big thanks Pianist.

Impressive. A wealth of information. Thank you and bravo!

Great job!
Thank you for sharing.
Beautiful pictures!

Thank you very much, great photos and interesting comments. Soon the watches less ordinary?

Lot of research, thank you for making it available to all.

Small flat.
This is only an escape wheel cylinder escapement and not the cylinder as shown.


Here are some of the famous cylinder is located in the axis of the balance wheel.

Photo Saturn.

Bug

Thank you very much

What a job!

simple, clear, effective!

thank you.

Hello,
We do not know what is the most wonderful !!!!!!
The beautiful and rare collection of this kind !!!!!!
or:
The "KOLOSSAL" work for "post" when you know that already take time simply to make a photo,
write text, and host all !!!!!
In these two cases: one hat off and thank you for everyone to share your passion
for the watch!
Friendly greetings,
A +
bernard

atchoum wrote:

An honor and a pleasure to be the first to thank you for this guide, it is a pleasure to learn

It is a gigantic task and quality with beautiful pictures

Thank you to the author

Cordially

Hello,

I can not imagine the time spent! Anyway, congratulations and thank you to discuss these watches, often scorned, but reflecting with much charm, the times and society.

Pianist thank you and congratulations!

Heuuu,
The large class
What work, thanks again for sharing.
I motion the lark mounted on a housing of the wrist, I'd have to find a proper apn for a review of all that drags me in my box
Thanks again for this work PIANIST crazy Famer

A work of exceptional quality, and a wealth of knowledge probably unsurpassed (or none, your choice).
Thank you again

oh boy a job for crazy crazy .. but it's exciting, informative, complete ... Wow ...

100000 thanks

Thank you for this excellent report, Gaëtan!

The knowledge gained in a short time.
A blush of shame some old.
And the amazing is not known to the reader!

The good.

fly back wrote:

The knowledge gained in a short time. A blush of shame some old. And the amazing is not known to the reader! The good.

And yes ...
Of course, the knowledge, but without the balls to go forward, you can have knowledge of Berner and G. Daniels met, you will come to nothing.
Or so, you continue to paw on the merderies Cup and other crap Fe, twisted and chinoiserie Russeries bling-bling.
Pianist at all understood.
If his studies end up in trouble (which is certainly not something to be desired) future merchant, not a merchant bumpkins, is clear.
To advance in the collection must be as hopelessly seller, with all hazards, including losing moolah ... and not go crying like a girl.
Most merchants were / are always collectors.

Lot of work pianist
And excellent visual guide. Page in the bookmarks.
Thank you.

Impossible not to congratulate you for this useful little guide remarkable and amazing flying over the universe that we love with an intelligent classification and great pictures.
I am both amazed and shocked, mainly because of "the incredible is not known to the reader!" alluded flyback.
So much passion, knowledge, wonders that are passed into your hands become experts, the courage to buy them, do you separate, generosity to share them here ...
Your guide me and will myself to reading both enjoyable and useful.
Again congratulations.
I spare you the asshole hopping but the heart is.

Thank you for your comments friends
I'm glad you like this little guide. After several years of collection, I realized that I have owned quite a few watches and to share my knowledge could be a good thing. Moreover, as we do not find info on watches it popular, while it is the most common. Most collectors are interested first in this type of watch, before to change their collection.

Congratulations pianist, and I think especially the time spent at the excellent quality of your photos and modesty of your words!

A real trip back in time all these pictures of timepiece.
Hats off to the artist.

It might be interesting to post in this sticky? This would allow the most novice pocket watches to learn some interesting ideas, instead of always making requests for identification in which the same questions keep coming back. Otherwise the post will soon be forgotten.
Besides, I think FAM is the only forum where you can find French a guide like this.
Anyway I am not speaking

Pianist wrote:

It might be interesting to post in this sticky?

I vote for !!!!!!

plume68 wrote:

Pianist wrote: It might be interesting to post in this sticky? I vote for !!!!!!

A

It is obvious that this fabulous post must be in the sticky section.
For me, it is classified as "favorites" from the date of publication.

Cordially.

plume68 wrote:

Pianist wrote: It might be interesting to post in this sticky? I vote for !!!!!!

Me too!
A must for beginners (like me).
It is becoming so extensive that anyone wishing to identify his "family shows" can find a reflection of his own (except in exceptional cases).

[Quote = "pianist"] It might be interesting to post in this sticky?


Very good initiative, I vote for

sublime piano work thank you for sharing

Here is a post that makes you want to abandon the automatic wrist some time for this other dimension and vision of watchmaking.

Thank you.

A very big thank you for this presentation

Superb, superb, it's a bible of the old shows. You learn the basics.
It could be an early encyclopedia.
Well done and especially thank you!

Sacavis

Wow! I see you have a fair amount of watches ... They are beautiful and your review is wonderful! Congratulations!

Merlinoux wrote:

Wow! I see you have a fair amount of watches ... They are beautiful and your review is wonderful! Congratulations!

Sorry for the delay but I confirm it is a beautiful work of a professional
Again thank you for all these beautiful pictures

I re-proposed,

Can we pin this wonderful post? an obvious reference which is cited several times a week!

A

This beautiful and exciting post truly deserves this.
Another big thank you to the author which, in all modesty, spent much of his time
to perform and document the post which is at the top in my favorite Internet. I refer to often ...

Cordially.

Thank you very much
Pierre25

and say that I almost miss this nugget, as I say, this gold mine!

Thank you a pianist.

Yesterday, July 14, 2011 I enrolled in FAM

To forget my disability since 3 months, I fell in love with pocket watches
and I was able to acquire a number.
Of course, the purchase of books related to an amateur was natural unlit.

The first "mouse click" puts me in touch with your photographic documentation gathering
beautifully the evolution of pocket watches from the 18th to 20th with details of related documents,
which is great for a beginner because by reading the books, it's a puzzle
and you are a great EXTENSION.
Another big thank you. From a small corner of the Valais, friendly greetings MC sapin23

PS: If you read me, could you tell me what works deal with Swiss pocket watch,
of no. serial, punches, initial master silversmith, in fact any books describing our passion,
in French if possible, I know, I'm not hard !!!!!!

Hello
thank you for this exhibition, which tells us much
I noticed your ELGIN
from a U.S. seller on an auction site
which gave the date and the number of the watches
No. 11490283 (maps) to 1903
and No. 5180074 to 1891
bragalou

A big thank you for this big job, and this excellent extension. The neophytes like me see it much clearer.

This post is a reference.
Pianist thank you to these wonderful pictures and very professional for an explanation.
I felt like visiting a museum.

The pictures speak for themselves as they say!