Antique pocket watches.

dakan

Hi Folks

Does anyone know of any antique shop in the Dublin area that sells antique pocket watches? I know I can get them on Ebay but I would like to have a look at them before I buy.

Kind regards and Merry Christmas.

shutup

Weldons (clarendon street dublin) had one about 6 months ago. They don’t do watches but they had it in at the time.
I think it was about €2k plus.
They are extraordinarily helpful and would point you in the right direction if they don’t have stock that suits you.

oxocube

From doing research on my great Grandfathers pocket watch I found you can get a solid silver pocket watch for buttons (if you account for the price of silver). Ebay showed most hits.

The service and repairs cost more than twice the actual worth of the watch. Its a family airloom so I wanted it to be in perfect condition. If I was buying one I'd make sure it had a recent service as this would be the most expensive part of buying a pocket watch.

Wibbs

oxocube wrote: »

From doing research on my great Grandfathers pocket watch I found you can get a solid silver pocket watch for buttons (if you account for the price of silver). Ebay showed most hits.

The service and repairs cost more than twice the actual worth of the watch. Its a family airloom so I wanted it to be in perfect condition. If I was buying one I'd make sure it had a recent service as this would be the most expensive part of buying a pocket watch.

Good advice from Oxo. With a few exceptions pocketwatches aren't collectable to nearly the same degree as wristwatches and values reflect that.

I have found down the years that Irish dealers seem to think this isn't the case and will look for daft money for even basic seven jewel movements. EG.

shutup wrote: »

Weldons (clarendon street dublin) had one about 6 months ago. They don’t do watches but they had it in at the time.
I think it was about €2k plus.

For two grand plus it would want to have been a very nice example S, maybe with a complication and from a respected maker. Two grand would get you a very nice pocketwatch from elsewhere, online or off.

shutup

Wibbs wrote: »

For two grand plus it would want to have been a very nice example S, maybe with a complication and from a respected maker. Two grand would get you a very nice pocketwatch from elsewhere, online or off.

I can’t really remember the conversation but I think it was somewhat of a special piece. He mentioned a name that meant nothing to me and I remember being surprised at how old it was.
My wife was looking at jewellery and I was bored out of my mind. I asked him if they did watches hoping he’d pull out a hidden drawer but all they had was the above mentioned pocket watch.

oxocube

shutup wrote: »

I can’t really remember the conversation but I think it was somewhat of a special piece. He mentioned a name that meant nothing to me and I remember being surprised at how old it was.
My wife was looking at jewellery and I was bored out of my mind. I asked him if they did watches hoping he’d pull out a hidden drawer but all they had was the above mentioned pocket watch.

My Great Grandfathers pocket watch was made in 1902 and the case was solid silver. I seen the exact same watch on Ebay for ~€150 in working condition. Not sure of the time keeping after mine was serviced. I'll check later to verify the the +/- per day.

For 2k I'd expect the watch to be very nice!

dakan

Thanks for all that info folks. I may just go for a cheaper quartz one. Do be honest, I just wanted one to wear with waistcoats that I wear once every so often.

saccades

Is there anyone recommended for work on pocket watches?

My grandad's watch was over wound and I'd like to get it running again (waistcoats are back in right?).

Trigger Happy

saccades wrote: »

Is there anyone recommended for work on pocket watches?

My grandad's watch was over wound and I'd like to get it running again (waistcoats are back in right?).

There is no such thing as over wound! The watch is just broken and not ticking and so not releasing the main spring.
Best bet is to try a local watch maker. The trouble with those old watches is getting parts from them if needed but any watchmaker worth his salt should be able to have a quick look and hopefully see if the issue is minor or critical.

hitemfrank

Have a look at https://thevintagewatch.net/ based in Kilkenny.

John there does pocket watch repair. I've sent a watch to him previously and was very happy with his service.

oxocube

hitemfrank wrote: »

Have a look at https://thevintagewatch.net/ based in Kilkenny.

John there does pocket watch repair. I've sent a watch to him previously and was very happy with his service.

Used thevintagewatch.net for my pocket watch. For the work needed he was right on the money. Very happy with the results too.

saccades

Trigger Happy wrote: »

There is no such thing as over wound! The watch is just broken and not ticking and so not releasing the main spring.
Best bet is to try a local watch maker. The trouble with those old watches is getting parts from them if needed but any watchmaker worth his salt should be able to have a quick look and hopefully see if the issue is minor or critical.

No horologists around here unfortunately.

It's a funny set up given to me from my grandad.

Cheapest Waltham movement in a gold hunter case. It's on a double Albert (9ct rose gold as I recall) with a half sovereign from 1907 with the counter weight being a pretty manky cheap petrol flint lighter (I never saw him smoking).

So basically the bits you would see are kinda flashy, the others bits are cheap as.

I'd be happy to replace with a movement of equal quality to the rest (excluding the lighter).

After some ideal googling it appears the lighter isn't manky/cheap. It's appears to be a Thorens circular double claw with lacquer art deco design ( same design as the one on the left in the link, but in gulf orange and blue).

https://m.ebay.ie/itm/3x-THORENS-CIRCULAR-LIGHTER-WITH-DOUBLE-CLAW-LACQUER-1930-SWITZERLAND-RARE/153454959014?hash=item23baa0d9a6:g:93MAAOSwjkdZ5f5r