Vigo County Historical Society

Early watches have great value

The sundial was the earliest type of time recorder. It originated in Babylonia about 2000 B.C. and spread to all parts of the ancient world.

A watch is a portable timepiece. The first portable timepiece originated in the early 16th century.

Today any early watch signed by an American maker before he had a large factory or any Hamilton, Elgin or Waltham watch numbered below 1,000 is valuable. Most American watch producers, marked watch movements with serial numbers marking dates of production. A serial number between 100,000 and 200,000 on an Elgin watch identifies it as being made between 1870 and 1874.

Value in a watch depends on age and the maker. One of the finest of all watchmakers is Abraham-Louis Breguet of Paris, France, whose watches had complex movements and accuracy.

Complex or complicated watches do more than tell time. They show date, day or month, moon phase and may have moving figures on the dial. "Repeaters," the most valuable complicated watches, ring the hour and quarter hour at the press of a button.

Highly valued are railroad watches, noted for their accuracy. Companies producing railroad watches were the Elgin National Watch Co., Hamilton Watch Co., The American Waltham Watch Co., Illinois Watch Co., Rockford Watch Co., Hampden Watch Co., and Howard Watch and Clock Co.

Early women’ wristwatches made from 1910 to 1920 by Elgin. Waltham and Hamilton are collectible. In the 1920s decorated cases were made by Carter and Tiffany and Co. After World War I, when men found wristwatches easier to use in the trenches than pocket watches, men’s wristwatches became popular in the 1920s and 1930s.

Inexpensive novelty watches for children made during the 1930s, such as a Mickey Mouse watch, are valuable.

Before 1875 watches were wound by key and many were set by key. In 1875 the built-in winding system was created and many firms used both systems. These transitional pieces are prized.

The interior back of a watch can tell more. Inscriptions may note the number of jewels or sapphires. Standard-grade United States watches had 15, 17 or 21 jewels. The best railroad watches had 23 jewels.

Inoperative watches can be made to tick again. Often a good cleaning will do the trick. Inexpensive pocket watches from the late 19th century are favorites, especially if they are in their original packaging. Watches may range in value from $65 to well over $500.