Help identify this pocket watch - wexler and co, general supply company, dublin

Ideo

I found this old pocket watch in a family member's house and we are having difficulty finding out any information on the watch - when it was dated/when they might have been made, who is the wexler co and where where they based. Any boardsies able to offer any information on this? Also, the glass face is missing from the watch. Any ideas how much a watch like this would take to be restored?

Winterlong

Wexler was the retailer, not the watch maker.
The watch would have been shipped to the retailer with a blank dial and the retailer then added their own branding to the watch.

So the more interesting info will be 'who made the movement'.
To find that out you will need to post pics of the movement for us.
Also, the hall marks on the inside of the case will give detail on how old the watch is.

It is a lovely piece. Deserves a good refurb/clean up. But be careful with the dial. While the hour markers are baked on to the ceramic during manufacture - the 'wexler' bit was not and will rub off with relative ease (especially if helped with meth).

Ideo

Winterlong wrote: »

Wexler was the retailer, not the watch maker.
The watch would have been shipped to the retailer with a blank dial and the retailer then added their own branding to the watch.

So the more interesting info will be 'who made the movement'.
To find that out you will need to post pics of the movement for us.
Also, the hall marks on the inside of the case will give detail on how old the watch is.

It is a lovely piece. Deserves a good refurb/clean up. But be careful with the dial. While the hour markers are baked on to the ceramic during manufacture - the 'wexler' bit was not and will rub off with relative ease (especially if helped with meth).

Hi Winterlong,
Thanks for taking the time to respond. Yes we are going to get the watch repaired as it belonged to a family member who passed away in the 1940s so it's more sentinmental than anything else. Any recommendations for where to get it repaired in Dublin City? I'll check it out over the next couple of days and post further pictures - I took the above pics in a bit of a rush!
Thanks again

Winterlong

No, sorry, would not know where to recommend for this.
But shop around. Online and bricks and mortar. Prices for a service and restore can vary.

I would guess the watch is turn of the century or maybe slightly earlier, but the hall marks will tell more.

flutered

it seems to be solid silver as there appears to be a stamp on the top where the chain hook is attached, also it is a keywound movement, if you are lucky it is a fusee movement, otherwise it could be a lever type or wores of all a cylendre type movement, the last type works away fine but are really hard to get to keep accurate time

Ideo

So I finally got another couple of photos together, see attached. Not really sure if you can tell anything from the back of the pocket watch - you'd need to look at the movements to understand more, is that right?

There are hall marks on the back of the case so I'll start looking into them to see what I can find out about the pocket watch

Ideo

Ideo wrote: »

So I finally got another couple of photos together, see attached. Not really sure if you can tell anything from the back of the pocket watch - you'd need to look at the movements to understand more, is that right?

There are hall marks on the back of the case so I'll start looking into them to see what I can find out about the pocket watch

So from what I've read it's from 1894, it's sterling silver, from the Birmingham assay office and was made by a JM. Any ideas what the other markings mean?

Wibbs

The [JM] refers to one Joseph Moore of Coventry who made watch cases. He would have made your case, but the movement, dial and hands would have come from other sources. At the time the practice of watches being put together by different makers and sold under the retailer's name was far more common than buying a watch with the makers name on the dial.

The movement cover inside the watch looks to be nice quality. The whole watch does. It would not have been a cheap purchase when new. Few items in the average person's life would have been as expensive. It's fantastic that it has survived and come down through the family and hopefully goes on for another century or three.

Getting it properly restored is the next thing and TBH I've no idea where you would take it.

Winterlong

Winterlong wrote: »

I would guess the watch is turn of the century or maybe slightly earlier, but the hall marks will tell more.

Ideo wrote: »

So from what I've read it's from 1894.

I am going to give myself a big pat on the back!

Have a good shop around OP and you will find someone who can restore it.
The case is easy enough to clean up. Just silver.
But the movement and dial and crystal should be done by a specialist. They are out there in numbers, I just dont know who to recommend.

CarltonBrowne

I would hope the crystal is a relatively easy thing to replace but I wouldn't touch the dial; it's over 120 years old and I believe it can be allowed to wear its' age gracefully. I have no idea if there is anybody in Dublin who can do this or even Ireland. I've had only good experiences with Rob Horan who is a Canadian guy based in South West France but the earliest thing he's done for me is from 1921.

http://www.roberthoran.eu

Looking at his website it looks like he has done at least one 19th century pocket watch.

Ideo

Thanks for all those responses - they're greatly appreciated! It is pretty cool that this has been in the family for over 100 years and we are going to get it restored, I guess that's the next step..

I googled pocket watch repair and came across a couple of Irish based watch repair specialists so I'll get in touch with them first and see what sort of prices they are asking for. I guess I'm just looking to get the Crystal replaced, the silver polished, and the mechanism cleaned and repaired if required. Does that sound the extent of it?

Also, should I attempt to wind the watch to see if it works or is it best left alone? Any other things that I should specify when asking for a quote?

Lastly, do you guys have any ideas what the other markings on the inside of the case mean? The look like back to front numbers to me - I'm not sure where to start searching for what these mean!

blue5000

Ideo wrote: »

Thanks for all those responses - they're greatly appreciated! It is pretty cool that this has been in the family for over 100 years and we are going to get it restored, I guess that's the next step..

I googled pocket watch repair and came across a couple of Irish based watch repair specialists so I'll get in touch with them first and see what sort of prices they are asking for. I guess I'm just looking to get the Crystal replaced, the silver polished, and the mechanism cleaned and repaired if required. Does that sound the extent of it?

Also, should I attempt to wind the watch to see if it works or is it best left alone? Any other things that I should specify when asking for a quote?

Lastly, do you guys have any ideas what the other markings on the inside of the case mean? The look like back to front numbers to me - I'm not sure where to start searching for what these mean!

Probably best not to in case someone over wound it in the past. But if it was mine I wouldn't be able to resist giving the balance wheel a very gentle poke with a cocktail stick or small screwdriver just to see if anything happens.....;)

The numbers 2b42 could be a serial number. They almost match the dial numbers in one of your earlier pics 25420

flutered

he would have to ease aside the blued spring over one of its tensioners to remove the movement cover, they have a habit of snapping, with me anyway, a shake should move the balance wheel, he should be able to hear it ticking if its ok

CarltonBrowne

If you are sourcing watch repairs using Google you need to do a bit of due diligence - particularly given the sentimental value. Ask for references and, by all means, circulate their names on this thread. It may be that people are not willing to be candid in the open forum but it might flush out a few PMs.

Ideo

CarltonBrowne wrote: »

If you are sourcing watch repairs using Google you need to do a bit of due diligence - particularly given the sentimental value. Ask for references and, by all means, circulate their names on this thread. It may be that people are not willing to be candid in the open forum but it might flush out a few PMs.

Yeah I'll post the names of the people who respond to me and see if you guys have any experience dealing with them, no harm I guess! Don't think I'll try winding the watch - don't want to do any damage to it! I'll let you know how I get on. You should all feel part of this restoration process

Ideo

Ideo wrote: »

Yeah I'll post the names of the people who respond to me and see if you guys have any experience dealing with them, no harm I guess! Don't think I'll try winding the watch - don't want to do any damage to it! I'll let you know how I get on. You should all feel part of this restoration process

I had a chat to Brian Gallaher during the week who had an initial quote of between 200-250 for repair. He sounded like he knew what he was talking about and said if i posted it to him he'll give me a more detailed quote.

http://www.gallantiquewatches.com

Alan Tully watch repair also said that they are happy to inspect if I post it to them

http://www.tullywatchrepair.com/about-us/

Anybody any experience with the two above repairers?