It’s time to introduce you to one of horology’s most classic treasures — the pocketwatch.
Pocket watches are my argument for why horology is still thriving today. Excluding these, watches are generally easy to access compared to a phone.
By the time you’ve fumbled through layers of clothing and pockets, you may as well have looked at your wrist.
In a world where cell phones are life, they aren’t much more convenient than a wristwatch. However, a pocket watch is fiddly and inconvenient, yet we still love it. It is a classic, elegant work of art that we collectors can’t help but share an affection for.
Vintage pocket watches are even more attractive. These capsules of time carry a slice of real horological history inside them. They are beautifully compact portals transporting us to a nostalgic place and time.
There’s also something incredibly cathartic about operating them. Take, for example, the Titanic pocket watch with an 18k gold hunter case.
That piece exceeded its valuation several times over, selling for £1.75 million. It remains the highest-selling artifact from the tragic British ocean liner.
If you’re considering giving the pocket watch a chance, you may benefit from learning about its past.
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The Pocket Watch History
Initially, the upper class used pocket watches, but later, they became compulsory tools for the working class.
Queen Elizabeth I owned one of the first examples. However, the popularity of pocket watches grew during the 16th century when a German watchmaker took his masterpiece to England. After that, manufacturers began making these portable watches from materials other than steel, including gold, brass, and silver.
As railroad systems evolved across America and Europe, pocket watches became popular with lower and middle-class societies.
The evolution of the wristwatch and the quartz movement caused the pocket watch to fizzle out momentarily. Alas, it is making a comeback, with many modern-day models available on the market, not to mention collectible pre-owned versions.
When Were Pocket Watches Invented?
The allure of a traditionally crafted watch leaves many enthusiasts pondering, “When were pocket watches invented?”.
Peter Henlein invented the first official pocket watch in 1510. After utilizing mainspring technology, watches became small enough to wear.
You may envisage this first masterpiece neatly sitting inside a pocket, though it was indeed a pendant on a chain. Charles II later began wearing the watch in his waistcoat pocket, spurring the trend and coining the “pocketwatch” name.
How To Wear a Pocketwatch
Pocket watches are symbols of class and good taste. If the traditional way of wearing one appeals to you, you might sport it in the top pocket of a jacket or waistcoat. To achieve this classic look, one simply threads the chain through a buttonhole and rests the watch inside the pocket.
For an even more formal look, you may choose to wear your pocket watch with a suit. To achieve this, thread the chain through the buttonhole.
However, you can wear the timepiece without a waistcoat, suit, or jacket for a more casual look. Work a pocket watch into a white shirt and pair it with loafers or chinos. Or wear it on the belt band of a pair of jeans. Seriously, try it! The combination works a treat!
The Beauty of a Smart Pocket Watch
It’s surprising just how many stylish designs are available on the market today.
Esteemed manufacturer Hamilton, for example, nods to its American heritage with its Railroad version. The legible, bold Arabic numeral hour markers on its dial evoke the style used at this time.
Speaking of railroads, Ball Watch Company is another superb choice. The manufacturer nods to its contribution to accuracy across US railroad systems during the 1800s with the Trainmaster Secometer.
Many won’t realize that Omega also dabbled in pocket watches. The brand designed one to celebrate its role as the official timekeeper of the 1932 Olympics.
Similarly, it released a stunning commemorative piece crafted from 18kt rose gold. It features a special hunter case that reveals the reworked Calibre 3889 through the back.
The Pocket Watch With Chain
The traditions surrounding how to wear a pocket watch have remained the same for several hundred years. However, several pocket watch chains are available that can transform the style of these special collectibles.
One example is the T-bar chain, the best choice for wearing in a waistcoat pocket. Another is the belt bar, which slides easily into the belt loop of a pair of trousers. A bolt ring will attach in the same way but has a fastening similar to those on a lady’s necklace.
The resurgence of the classic watch with a chain is a welcomed treat for many enthusiasts. Packed full of nostalgia and charm, these handheld timekeeping instruments come in so many different varieties. It’s one reason why so many horologists still enjoy them today.
3 Parts of a Pocket Watch
Hopefully, you will follow our posts regularly. If so, you may have taken the opportunity to brush up on your knowledge of watch anatomy.
Working from the outside in, here are the essential parts of a pocket watch.
1. The Case
A pocket watch’s case can come in several different materials, including steel, gold, or brass. It may be an open-dial version or a Hunter case featuring a completely closed metal cover. A Half-Hunter design allows you to see part of the dial but not all of it.
The bezel is another part of the case. A lever-set pocket watch unscrews to reveal a mechanism to set the time. Bezels on a pocket watch can be smooth, stepped, or adorned with gadroons.
The crown is the component you will need to use when winding the timepiece each day. Depending on the type you own, you can also use it to set the time.
The chain is the part of the pocket watch that threads through a buttonhole or belt loop. In doing so, the timepiece always remains attached to your clothing, preventing it from slipping out and breaking.
2. The Movement
Some pocket watch mechanisms are quartz, and others are mechanical. Either way, this is the part of the timepiece that accurately drives the hands around the dial.
To wind a mechanical movement, you’ll need to rotate the crown located at 12 o’clock.
3. The Dial
Just like wristwatches, dials come in many different styles and forms. Some have different-shaped hands, from dauphine to cathedral to the common leaf profile. Others come in different colors, though the classic pocket watch tends to be white.
While comparing pocket watch dials, you’ll see lots of variation between the hour markers. Bold Arabic numerals are often featured in the railroad style. Others are more traditional-looking, featuring Roman numerals that create a dressier jewellery-like feel.
How To Open a Pocket Watch
Mastering how to open a pocket watch will depend on its design. Swing out cases open from the front, where you’ll need to unscrew the bezel to set the time.
Railroad watches will have seams running through the case’s middle but no hinges. These screw-open cases can open from the back by unscrewing counter-clockwise.
A Hunter case is a snap-open design that pops up via a cut-in lip. You can use a special tool or open it with your fingernail to pop the case.
If you’re unsure how to unscrew or pop open the case of your pocket watch, it’s always best to seek help. To avoid damaging the case, take your timepiece to a jeweler or a watch repair store.
How To Wind a Pocket Watch
If mechanically operated, you’ll need to wind a pocket watch daily. The way you do this will depend on which type you own.
Four of the most common types of pocket watches are pin set, lever set, pendant set, and key-winding type.
The pendant set pocket watch works similarly to wind an automatic watch. The crown must be in its normal screwed-in position to wind the mechanism.
In European pocket watches, you may come across a pin set design. Unlike when you’re setting the time on this watch, you don’t need to press the pin down to wind it. Instead, wind the crown in the usual way.
If you’re wondering how to wind a pocket watch with a lever-style design, the process is pretty simple. You don’t need to unscrew the bezel unless you set the time first. Wind the crown as usual at 12 o’clock on the case.
The key set pocketwatch is an old style of watch. To wind the mechanism, you’ll need to open the case back. This reveals a keyhole. Inserting the key and winding it gives power to the mechanism.
How To Set a Pocket Watch
Depending on the design, how to set up a pocket watch can be similar to how a watch works.
The common pendant type lets you set the time by pulling the crown out to its full position. Then, you can rotate the hands by turning the crown.
As you’d gather from its namesake, with a pin-set pocket watch, you need to locate a pin. Simultaneously, hold the small pin down on the case with one finger and set the time by turning the crown.
Lever-set pocket watches were useful Railroad timepieces. Unscrewing the bezel reveals a lever that pulls out. You can then set the time via the crown. The concept of the lever-set watch helped prevent accidental knocks to the crown and, therefore, discrepancies in time.
On a key-set pocket watch, you open the watch from the front to set the time. A keyhole at the center of the hands accommodates the key, which moves the hands as you twist it. This can be tricky since you risk bending your hands.
Modern versions of the key set pocket watch enable you to set the time and wind the mechanism from the case back.
The Takeaway
Despite living in a technology-driven world, unessential accessories like pocket watches keep me smiling.
In today’s society, we have no need for pocket watches. The fact that they still exist in so many different forms is a testament to our unconditional, unwavering love for them.
As we often say about fashion, trends phase out and come back around again. As far as pocket watches go, they never really went away.
Leave your questions in the comment section below!
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