Pocket Watch Basics

Here are some clues to figuring out what you have:

Modern reproductions are fairly easy to spot. They are much lighter than their antique counterparts, with plain movements that may be battery powered. They contain stamped parts with sharp edges, and the flat dial is usually a plastic decal.

The brand is the name of the factory that made it and that name should be found on both the dial and on the movement itself, which is the mechanism inside the case. There are exceptions to this rule, like private labels or named grades.

Simply put, a model is a mechanical design that never changes.

The parts that make up a given model were manufactured for use with that model and generally aren't interchangeable with others, regardless of jewel count, pattern, or plate finish.

A grade is a name, phrase or location that was assigned by the factory that had some significance or was produced in quantity for a large retailer, and was also meant as a marketing strategy. A given grade could be present in multiple models. 

Most companies used at least some jeweling on their watches to reduce friction, and as a general rule-of-thumb the higher the count, the better the watch and therefore the more desirable.

After 1890 most factories started stamping jewel counts on the plates, eliminating confusion and guesswork about totals.

Most American watches have a unique serial number, which is stamped on the movement plates, not the case. Knowing this number will allow you to use any of several online resources, some of which are fairly accurate.

A variant is a slight change in pattern, plate finish, or engravings between factory runs or even on individual watches. It could be a change from steel to gilded screws, a different pattern on the winding wheels, or red to black enamel in the plate markings. 

The size of the case is unimportant! Digital calipers work best, but a ruler is better than nothing. The dial is slightly smaller than the pillar plate of the movement (its true size), but since it's the most accessible part measuring that is close enough.

This is the easiest and most common method. The crown snaps up when pulled into setting mode and clicks back down into winding mode. There is usually some resistance, and care must be taken not to pull too hard. If the depth of this part of the watch isn't set properly the hands may skip or not move at all.

Set the hands in a clockwise direction only!

This was a railroad criteria so the hands couldn't be changed accidentally. The front cover must be opened and the lever deployed before setting the time, which could be located in one of several positions around the dial, depending on the model.

Retract the lever before replacing the front cover!

Setting the time on a key-wind watch takes steady hands. The bezel must be opened for access to the dial to fit the key over the square center arbor. Carefully rotate the key in a clockwise direction, being very careful to not slip and damage the dial, and to leave the hands parallel to each other without crossing.