Movement record · United States (Waltham, Massachusetts)
Waltham Riverside Maximus
Partially verifiedWaltham's top commercial grade, distinguished from ordinary Riverside grades by a higher jewel count, gold jewel settings, decorative finishing and closer adjustment.
Technical specifications
- Diameter
- Made in 16 size and 12 size, with earlier larger sizes recorded
- Height
- Varies by size and plate layout
- Jewels
- 23 jewels on the standard specification
- Frequency
- 18,000 vibrations per hour
- Power reserve
- Approximately one day between windings
- Winding
- Keyless winding at the crown
- Setting
- Lever set or pendant set depending on grade and market
- Escapement
- Swiss lever, with gold centre wheel and raised jewel settings on the finest examples
- Balance
- Jewelled and closely adjusted; some examples with a free-sprung arrangement
- Complications
- Sub-seconds on most examples
Identification features
- Movement signed Riverside Maximus with the jewel count
- Gold jewel settings and heavy decorative finishing
- Grade names were reused across sizes, so size and plate layout must be recorded with the grade
Known variants
- Size variations
- Differences in finish and dial signature between production runs
Servicing notes
High-grade adjusted movements should not be re-regulated by an inexperienced hand; the raised jewel settings are easily damaged during cleaning.
General guidance only. Antique movements should be serviced by a qualified watchmaker.
Historical significance
Evidence that American factory production could reach a finish and adjustment standard comparable with contemporary Swiss high-grade work.
Diagram
Sources & references
- Waltham grade listings in collector reference works
- Auction and museum catalogue descriptions of Maximus-grade movements
Where sources disagree, the disagreement is stated rather than resolved silently.