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The Encyclopedia of Horology

Pocket watch · Open-face pocket watch

Waltham Riverside Model 1908 pocket watch

Partially verified

This open-face pocket watch by Waltham features an original size 16s manual-winding Riverside mechanical movement, Grade No. 1621, with 21 jewels and adjusted positions and temperature. The white dial displays bold black Arabic hour numerals, an outer minute track with diamond-shaped five-minute markers, and a subsidiary seconds register at 6 o'clock. Blued steel hands indicate the time. The movement is housed in a 49.3 mm 10K rolled gold plate round case marked Keystone, featuring an engraved decorative pattern along the bezel perimeter.

Front view of the open-face Waltham 21 Jewels pocket watch displaying white dial, blued hands, and sub-seconds dial
Front view of the open-face Waltham 21 Jewels pocket watch displaying white dial, blued hands, and sub-seconds dial — Second Hand Horology. Rights pending — permission not yet requested. Original source

Catalogue identity

Source
secondhandhorology.com
Category
Pocket watch · Open-face pocket watch
Maker / attribution
American Waltham Watch Company
Reference
Grade No. 1621
Catalogue / lot identifier
WA-5247
Source-reported date
1908
Country
United States
Source-reported serial
30489979

Source-reported attribution and specifications are not independent authentication. A listing does not establish present ownership, current display, availability or permission to reproduce.

Object description

Dial and Hands

The open-face pocket watch features a white dial detailed with black Arabic hour numerals, a black minute track, and a central concentric circular chapter line. Positioned at 6 o'clock is a subsidiary seconds register marked with Arabic numerals at ten-second intervals. Time is indicated by blued steel spade hour and minute hands, along with a matching blued sub-seconds hand.

Below the 12 o'clock position, the dial is signed 'Waltham' and '21 Jewels'. The seller claims the dial is original, though movement or dial authenticity cannot be independently verified from the single listing photograph.

Evidence for this section
  • “White dial with bold black Arabic hour numerals and a central concentric circular chapter line”
  • “Blued steel spade hour and minute hands with a matching blued sub-seconds hand”
  • “The dial is elegantly signed with "Waltham" and "21 Jewels" at the top.”
  • “This open-faced watch boasts its original white dial, adorned with black Arabic numerals, a black minute track, and matching blue steel hands.”

Case Construction and Ornamentation

The watch is housed in a round open-face case constructed from 10K rolled gold plate. Recorded dimensions state a diameter of 49.3 mm, a width of 54.8 mm including the crown, and a case thickness of 13.2 mm. Visual observation confirms an engraved pattern along the outer bezel edge and an ornate relief bow mounted above the crown.

Case back markings are listed in the seller's data table as 'KEYSTONE 10K Rolled Gold Plate' alongside serial number '4220824'. These internal or reverse case markings are not visible in the provided front-facing photograph.

Evidence for this section
  • “Engraved scroll pattern along the bezel rim and a decorative relief bow atop the crown”
  • “Housed in a 49.3mm round case with fancy engraved design on the edge, all in 10K rolled gold plate.”
  • “Case 49.3 Case w/Crown 54.8 Case Thickness 13.2”
  • “KEYSTONE 10K Rolled Gold Plate 4220824”

Reported Movement and Source Discrepancies

The movement is not visible in the provided photograph. According to the seller's documentation, the movement is a 16s manual-winding Grade No. 1621 Model 1908 mechanism with 21 jewels, adjusted for positions and temperature, and fitted with a lever-set mechanism. Movement markings are transcribed in the listing as 'Riverside Waltham U.S.A. 21 Jewels Adjusted 30489979'.

The seller's description exhibits major internal contradictions. The product title and movement table classify the piece as a '1908 WALTHAM Riverside', but the narrative text also asserts it is 'a vintage Waltham Vanguard pocket watch from 1940'. These conflicting grade classifications (Riverside versus Vanguard) and date designations (1908 versus 1940) cannot be evaluated without direct inspection of the movement plate engravings.

Evidence for this section
  • “original Waltham Riverside mechanical movement, grade No. 1621.”
  • “Featured 21 jewels, a sub-second hand, and a lever set. It is a model 1908 with size 16s.”
  • “Riverside Waltham U.S.A. 21 Jewels Adjusted 30489979”
  • “a vintage Waltham Vanguard pocket watch from 1940.”

Open research questions

  • What specific grade and model name are engraved directly on the movement plates to resolve the contradiction between 'Riverside' and 'Vanguard'?
  • Does Waltham serial number 30489979 correspond to a production run around 1908 or circa 1940 according to factory ledger records?
  • Does visual inspection of the movement reveal a lever slot beneath the bezel, confirming the lever-setting configuration?

Source evidence

Recorded claims and source quotations for Waltham Riverside Model 1908 pocket watch
FieldSource-reported valueSource quotation
MakerWaltham Watch Company“Waltham Watch Company, also known as the American Waltham Watch Company, was founded in Waltham, Massachusetts, in 1850.”
Movement GradeGrade No. 1621“original Waltham Riverside mechanical movement, grade No. 1621.”
Jewel Count21 Jewels“Featured 21 jewels, a sub-second hand, and a lever set.”
Movement Serial Number30489979“30489979”
Case Material10K Rolled Gold Plate“KEYSTONE 10K Rolled Gold Plate”
Case Serial Number4220824“4220824”
Case Diameter49.3 mm“Housed in a 49.3mm round case”
Case Width with Crown54.8 mm“Case w/Crown 54.8”
Case Thickness13.2 mm“Case Thickness 13.2”
Reported Movement SizeSize 16s“It is a model 1908 with size 16s.”
Reported Setting MechanismLever set“Featured 21 jewels, a sub-second hand, and a lever set.”

Visible details

  • White dial with bold black Arabic hour numerals and a central concentric circular chapter line
  • Blued steel spade hour and minute hands with a matching blued sub-seconds hand
  • Engraved scroll pattern along the bezel rim and a decorative relief bow atop the crown
  • Subsidiary seconds register at 6 o'clock with Arabic numerals marked at ten-second intervals

Research qualifications

  • The source text contains conflicting descriptions, stating both '1908 WALTHAM Riverside' and 'a vintage Waltham Vanguard pocket watch from 1940'.
  • Neither the movement nor the interior case back markings are visible in the provided photograph.

Photograph identity and source facts were screened before import; rights clearance remains pending.

Consulted source

1908 WALTHAM Riverside Pocket Watch Railroad 16s 21 Jewels Grade No. 1 – SECOND HAND HOROLOGY

Reviewed 2026-10-21 · Record ccce60bb97

Terms in this record

Glossary explanations for terms named in this object’s record.

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