Pocket Watch Guide — Back in Beat

Anatomy of a Pocket Watch

External Parts

BowThe loop at the top for attaching a chain or fob

PendantThe tube connecting the bow to the case, houses the stem

CrownThe knurled knob for winding and setting (stem-wind watches)

CrystalThe glass or acrylic cover over the dial. Often domed on pocket watches.

BezelThe ring that holds the crystal in place. May snap, screw, or hinge.

Case bandThe middle section of the case connecting front and back

Case backHinged, screwed, or snap-fit. Open it to see the movement.

Dust cover (cuvette)An inner lid protecting the movement. Common on European watches.

Movement Parts

Pillar plateThe main plate. Everything is built on or attached to this.

Barrel & mainspringStores energy. The mainspring coils inside the barrel drum.

Gear trainCenter wheel, third wheel, fourth wheel — transfers energy to escapement

EscapementEscape wheel + pallet fork — releases energy one tick at a time

Balance wheel & hairspringThe oscillator. Swings back and forth, regulating timekeeping.

Bridges / platesHold the top pivots of the wheels. Full plate, 3/4 plate, or bridge style.

Keyless worksCrown, stem, sliding pinion, setting mechanism

RegulatorFine adjustment for timekeeping speed (fast/slow)

Movement vs. Case The movement and case were often made by different companies. The serial number on the movement identifies the watchmaker. Marks inside the case back identify the case maker. Don't assume they match.

Case Types

Open Face (Lepine)

No lid. Crystal always visible. Stem at 12 o'clock. Sub-seconds at 6 o'clock.

Hunter Case (Savonnette)

Spring-loaded lid covers the crystal. Stem traditionally at 3 o'clock. Lid opens with a push on the crown.

Demi-Hunter

Lid has a small window or chapter ring, allowing time reading without opening. Best of both worlds.

Sidewinder

Hunter movement (stem at 3) in an open-face case (stem at 12). Sub-seconds ends up at 9 o'clock. Not wrong — just unconventional.

Winding & Setting Types

Key-Wind, Key-Set

Oldest system (pre-1875). Requires a separate watch key for both winding and time-setting. Many use a fusee — a conical pulley with chain that equalizes mainspring torque as it unwinds. Mostly English and early American/Swiss.

Stem-Wind, Stem-Set (Pendant Set)

Most common system (1875–1960). Wind by turning the crown. Pull the crown out to set the time. Used on the vast majority of pocket watches you'll encounter.

Stem-Wind, Lever-Set

Pull out a small lever (usually at 10 or 2 o'clock on open-face) to engage setting mode, then turn the crown. Required for American railroad watches after 1908 to prevent accidental time changes. The lever is accessed by opening the bezel/crystal.

Stem-Wind, Pin-Set (Nail Set)

Press a small pin near the stem to engage setting mode. Common on Swiss watches 1880s–1920s and some lower-grade American watches.

Movement Construction Styles

Full Plate

A single large plate covers the entire top of the movement, with the balance wheel visible through a cutout. Common on earlier and lower-grade American watches. Robust but makes the balance less accessible.

Three-Quarter (3/4) Plate

A large plate covers most of the movement but leaves the balance wheel fully exposed. The standard for mid-to-high grade American watches. Balance is accessible for regulation without removing the plate.

Bridge Style

Separate individual bridges for each wheel or group of wheels. Highest-grade American and most Swiss construction. Allows access to each wheel independently. More expensive to manufacture.

Historical Eras

Key-Wind Era (1600s–1875)

Fusee movements, verge or cylinder escapements (earlier), lever escapement (later). English dominance, followed by early American factories (Waltham from 1850). Watches are wound and set with a separate key.

Early Stem-Wind (1875–1900)

Transition period. American factories (Waltham, Elgin, Illinois) achieve mass production of interchangeable parts. 18-size movements dominate. Open-face and hunter cases in gold, silver, gold-filled.

Railroad Era (1893–1930)

Standardization driven by the 1891 Kipton disaster. Webb C. Ball establishes inspection standards. 16-size replaces 18-size. Lever-set becomes mandatory (1908). Peak of American watchmaking quality. Hamilton, Waltham, Elgin, Illinois, Ball produce thousands of railroad-grade movements.

Late Production (1920–1960)

Wristwatches overtake pocket watches in popularity. American manufacturers decline. Pocket watches become dress accessories or railroad service tools. Production ends: Illinois (1932), Elgin (1964), Hamilton (1969).

Major American Manufacturers

Company	Active	Production	Notable Grades	Known For
Waltham	1850–1957	~40 million	Vanguard (23J), Riverside, Crescent Street, Appleton Tracy	First factory with interchangeable parts (1857). Pioneer of American system.
Elgin	1864–1964	~60 million	B.W. Raymond (railroad), Veritas, Father Time, Lord Elgin	Largest American watch factory. Produced half of all American pocket watches (excluding dollar watches).
Hamilton	1892–1969	~6 million	992B (railroad icon), 950, 992, Broadway Limited	Dominated railroad market (56% share). "The Watch of Railroad Accuracy."
Illinois	1870–1932	~6 million	Bunn Special (60-hour), Sangamo, A. Lincoln	High-quality movements, often finely finished. Purchased by Hamilton in 1928.
Howard	1858–1930	~800,000	Series 0, Series 5 (railroad)	Premium positioning. Edward Howard was a Waltham co-founder who left to make higher-quality watches.
Ball	1891–1969	Contracted	Official Railroad Standard (various makers)	Webb C. Ball set railroad time standards. Ball-branded watches were made by Hamilton, Waltham, Elgin, and others to Ball's strict specs.
Hampden	1877–1930	~5 million	Special Railway, New Railway, Dueber	Good quality, often undervalued by collectors. Merged with Dueber case company.

Railroad Grade Watches

After the Kipton, Ohio train disaster (April 19, 1891) — caused by an engineer's watch stopping for 4 minutes — railroads mandated strict timekeeping standards. Webb C. Ball was appointed Chief Time Inspector and established the rules.

Requirements (post-1908 standard)

Minimum 16-size (earlier: 18-size)
Minimum 17 jewels
Adjusted to 5 positions (DU, DD, CU, CD, pendant)
Adjusted to temperature and isochronism
Open face case (hunter not allowed)
Lever-set (not pendant-set — prevents accidental changes)
Double-roller escapement
Arabic or bold numerals, seconds hand
Must be inspected regularly (weekly/biweekly)

Common misconception Not every old pocket watch is "railroad grade." Many watches have similar styling but don't meet the technical specifications. A 7-jewel Waltham in a hunter case is NOT railroad grade, even if it looks similar. Check the jewel count, adjustment markings, and setting mechanism.

Most Collected Railroad Grades

Hamilton 992B — The most iconic. 21 jewels, 16s, produced 1940–1969.
Hamilton 950 — 23 jewels, bridge movement, top of Hamilton's line.
Waltham Vanguard — 23 jewels, Waltham's finest railroad watch.
Elgin B.W. Raymond — Long production run, available and affordable.
Illinois Bunn Special — 21-23 jewels, 60-hour models particularly prized.
Ball Official Railroad Standard — The literal standard. Made by various manufacturers to Ball's specs.

Getting Started

For Collectors

Start with a common American 18s. Waltham or Elgin, 15-17 jewels, stem-wind. Available for $30–80 in running condition. Learn to identify grades, open cases, and use serial number databases.
Learn the grading system. Each manufacturer had a hierarchy — from 7-jewel "department store" grades to 21-23 jewel railroad/premium grades. Higher grades had more jewels, better adjustments, finer finishing.
Condition matters more than age. A clean, running 1910 Elgin is worth more than a dirty, non-running 1880 Waltham. Look for: original dial (no cracks/hairlines), clean movement, original hands, matching case.

For Repair Hobbyists

Best starter movement: 18s Waltham or Elgin. Large (easy to see and handle), parts still available, common (cheap to buy). Full-plate movements are more forgiving of reassembly errors.
Essential tools to start: Case knife, loupe (10x), screwdriver set (0.6–2.0mm), hand-removing levers, mainspring let-down tool, tweezers (fine point), movement holder.
First projects: Cleaning and oiling a running movement. Mainspring replacement (let down the old one safely first!). Crystal replacement.
Don't start with: Key-wind fusee watches (complex), high-value railroad grades (too expensive to learn on), anything sentimental.

Where to Buy

eBay — Largest selection. Search by manufacturer + size + jewel count. Ask for movement photos before buying.
Estate sales / antique shops — Often underpriced. Bring a loupe.
NAWCC regional marts — Best place to buy from knowledgeable sellers. Can inspect in person.
r/pocketwatch, watchmaker forums — Peer-to-peer sales, often fair prices.

Red flags when buying Cracked dial (expensive/impossible to replace). Replaced parts (wrong-color screws, mismatched hands). "Parts only" with no further description. Bent stems. Missing balance wheel or hairspring. Rust anywhere.

Resources

pocketwatchdatabase.com — Serial number lookups for all major American manufacturers. Free.
NAWCC (nawcc.org) — Largest horological organization. Forums, workshops, research library.
r/pocketwatch — Active Reddit community for identification and discussion.
What Do I Have? — Our interactive identification flowchart.
Size Converter — Convert between American sizes, mm, and ligne.