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Great Grandfather's Watch For Your Viewing Pleasure Login/Join 
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Picture of 4MUL8R
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While reorganizing the safe, we found this treasure. Not sure what it is, what to do with it, but thought with all the watch aficianados here you all may want to see it. It belonged to August W, born 11 Aug 1861, died 10 Dec 1952.









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Trying to simplify my life...
 
Posts: 5553 | Location: Commonwealth of Virginia | Registered: January 15, 2007Reply With QuoteReport This Post
I run trains!
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Elgin was one of many companies that supplied watches for the railroads. A good history can be found here.

Good looking watch that's obviously seen many miles. I'm curious, did your great grandfather or any of his relatives ever work for the railroad?



Success always occurs in private, and failure in full view.

Complacency sucks…
 
Posts: 5444 | Location: Wichita, KS (for now)…always a Texan… | Registered: April 14, 2006Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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Not sure about the railroad.

After perusing eBay, I think this is c. 1907, based on markings.


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Trying to simplify my life...
 
Posts: 5553 | Location: Commonwealth of Virginia | Registered: January 15, 2007Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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While I know nothing of the watch itself I have heard of the brand and wish it could talk.

It's gotta have some great stories to tell.

Thank you for sharing.

Cheers~
 
Posts: 962 | Location: Valley Oregon | Registered: May 23, 2008Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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Priceless .
 
Posts: 4772 | Location: Down in Louisiana . | Registered: February 27, 2009Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Raptorman
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Very similar to the watch from 310 to Yuma.


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Posts: 35000 | Location: North, GA | Registered: October 09, 2002Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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Picture of Syngin1066
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Beautiful piece. My grandfather retired from the railroad in the early 80’s and I have his Hamilton Railway pocketwatch. Sadly, he passed when I was young. I wish knew the history.


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Posts: 4858 | Location: Celina, TX | Registered: February 07, 2008Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Husband, Father, Aggie,
all around good guy!
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Very cool, what a treasure to have.

Love the crystal showing good honest wear, amazing.

Congratulations
 
Posts: 3594 | Location: Tomball, Texas | Registered: August 09, 2005Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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I'm glad you have it, that's a special piece since it belonged to your grandfather.

I don't know what happened to my grandfather's belongings. He died in 1978 at 84 years old and my father went through everything at the time. But there had to be a watch, in fact I remember him carrying a watch in his pocket and my father trying to convince him to wear a wrist watch.
The one thing I have is his Colt .25 Vest Pocket still in the box with 1920 penciled on the bottom.


No car is as much fun to drive, as any motorcycle is to ride.
 
Posts: 7769 | Location: Northern WV | Registered: January 17, 2005Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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Beautiful watch. I work in Elgin Il. maybe 1/2 mile from where the Elgin factory was.
 
Posts: 1805 | Location: Illinois  | Registered: July 14, 2010Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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Very beautiful.


Beagle lives matter.
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Posts: 963 | Location: Panhandle of Florida | Registered: July 23, 2008Reply With QuoteReport This Post
His Royal Hiney
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Elgin. That was the Seiko of its day. Thanks for sharing.



"It did not really matter what we expected from life, but rather what life expected from us. We needed to stop asking about the meaning of life, and instead to think of ourselves as those who were being questioned by life – daily and hourly. Our answer must consist not in talk and meditation, but in right action and in right conduct. Life ultimately means taking the responsibility to find the right answer to its problems and to fulfill the tasks which it constantly sets for each individual." Viktor Frankl, Man's Search for Meaning, 1946.
 
Posts: 20867 | Location: The Free State of Arizona - Ditat Deus | Registered: March 24, 2011Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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Nice watch, especially since it was your grandfather's. I doubt it's a railroad watch. They had specific requirements. One being Arabic numerals. They also had to have a certain number of jewels (minimal) to increase the accuracy.


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Posts: 5823 | Location: Ohio | Registered: December 27, 2008Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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Nice piece

I have my great grandfathers Elgin pocketwatch. He was born around 1885 and died in 1972. I never met him. It’s gold and the case is engraved. Keeps time but I need a chain for it.

Also know that back then you’d go to the jewellery store and pick out the movement and then buy the case separately often made by 2 different companies but now always. Then the watch guy would mount it up and you would be on your way.


The market for pocket watches has dropped off a cliff unless truly rare. Of course a family piece is priceless.
 
Posts: 5337 | Location: Florida Panhandle  | Registered: November 23, 2008Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Baroque Bloke
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Classy elegance. Simple but beautiful. A treasure.



Serious about crackers.
 
Posts: 10301 | Location: San Diego | Registered: July 26, 2014Reply With QuoteReport This Post
אַרְיֵה
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VERY nice! It's great that you have that piece of family history.



הרחפת שלי מלאה בצלופחים
 
Posts: 32470 | Location: Central Florida, Orlando area | Registered: January 03, 2010Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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How did they ever survive with out 4k blue tooth and how did they wind up their earbuds





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Neck Ties, Hats and ammo brass, Never ,ever touch'em w/o asking first
 
Posts: 55921 | Location: Henry County , Il | Registered: February 10, 2004Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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Awesome history there.
If youre looking to get it serviced, this place did a fantastic job with my great-grandfathers pocket watch.

https://centralwatch.com/
 
Posts: 45 | Location: NY | Registered: May 28, 2009Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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Thats a very fine looking timepiece you have there. My sister has our family’s old timepieces, and I’ll have to dig them out one of these days to reacquaint myself with them. They do bring back some good memories of once was.


Retired Texas Lawman
 
Posts: 1322 | Location: Texas | Registered: March 03, 2016Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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