High-Grade Watches

American Waltham kept their model assignments simple, naming them after the year in which they debuted, meaning that their Model 08 was created in 1908. It was a superb 16-size design and the eventual platform for several grades, one of which was the Vanguard, the highest grade within that family. The wind-indicator feature was technically an add-on, since nothing in the base model needed to be altered to install the planetary stack and idlers necessary to push the indicator hand. This exceptional example was well cared for, still retaining all twenty-three of its original jewels, a hundred years after it left the factory. It's been thoroughly cleaned, inspected and timed, ready to keep excellent time for the foreseeable future. The bold Arabic dial has a light hairline at the 58-minute-position behind all four correct and blued hands, and the uncommon NAWCo King white-gold-filled case has light wear, a sharp crown, and a new glass crystal. A previous owner used a chain for years, so the bow is thinner than it should be, so be sure to use a bow protector with this piece to prevent further wear. Matching lanyard and display stand included.  

Hamilton's 16-size 21-jewel 992 debuted in 1903 with a pattern identical to the older and larger 18-size 940, which eventually became known as the First Model, even though there were two mechanical variants within the run that should have qualified as model changes but didn't. The Second Model appeared a decade later with the very same design but with pinstripes, which was entirely cosmetic, so it shouldn't have qualified as a separate model but did. The two variants within the first model were the number of dial feet, which went down from four to three, and the change from the two-screw crown boss to a single larger LHT one. This beautiful and original example is the earliest of all the variants and was just restored for the next owner with all twenty-one jewels still intact and all hardware present and correct, still in its original 25-year gold-filled Crescent clamshell case. The dial is the correct double-sunk light Arabic and is flawless behind blued moon hands and a new beveled glass crystal. Matching lanyard and display stand included.

The Studebaker Brothers, already famous as automakers, bought the failing Columbus Watch Co in 1903 and moved the whole thing to Indiana, renaming it the South Bend Watch Co. The new company was famous for freezing their watches in ice to demonstrate their accuracy and driving them up and down Main Street in a wagon behind a donkey, which was an interesting marketing strategy. One of their highest 16-size grades after the Polaris was the 227, which came with twenty-one jewels and was adjusted to temperature and five positions. This exceptionally nice example was just restored with a new mainspring and a thorough cleaning, still carrying its original dust band and correct snow-white double-sunk dial with the Gothic signature behind blued hands. The 20-year Bates & Bacon gold-filled case is also in exceptional condition with a beautiful pattern on the rear cover, a blank shield, a sharp crown, and a new glass crystal. Matching lanyard and display stand included.