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The Encyclopedia of Horology

Pocket watches · Form

Carriage and Travel Watches

Needs research

Larger, robust portable timepieces intended for travel rather than pocket carriage, sometimes cased for a travelling case or trunk rather than worn.

Mechanism

Standard watch movement types scaled up in size and durability rather than a distinct mechanism.

Typical characteristics

  • Larger diameter than a typical pocket watch
  • Robust, often plain case suited to travel
  • Sometimes combined with an alarm function

Identification characteristics

  • Larger-than-usual case diameter for the period
  • Simplified, robust case fittings

Collector significance

Illustrates the functional end of portable timekeeping, as distinct from dress or presentation pieces.

Known variations

  • Travel alarm watch
  • Officer's travel watch

Related photographs

Longines Pocket Watch Given to Charles A. Lindbergh By Guatemalan Military - DPLA - 09ba7909d34e65e4b8dd7d4a31542730 (page 1)
Longines Pocket Watch Given to Charles A. Lindbergh By Guatemalan Military - DPLA - 09ba7909d34e65e4b8dd7d4a31542730 (page 1) — Longines Wittnauer Watch Company, No restrictions. Wikimedia Commons file page
Longines Pocket Watch Given to Charles A. Lindbergh By Guatemalan Military - DPLA - 09ba7909d34e65e4b8dd7d4a31542730 (page 3)
Longines Pocket Watch Given to Charles A. Lindbergh By Guatemalan Military - DPLA - 09ba7909d34e65e4b8dd7d4a31542730 (page 3) — Longines Wittnauer Watch Company, No restrictions. Wikimedia Commons file page
Longines Pocket Watch Given to Charles A. Lindbergh By Guatemalan Military - DPLA - 09ba7909d34e65e4b8dd7d4a31542730 (page 6)
Longines Pocket Watch Given to Charles A. Lindbergh By Guatemalan Military - DPLA - 09ba7909d34e65e4b8dd7d4a31542730 (page 6) — Longines Wittnauer Watch Company, No restrictions. Wikimedia Commons file page

No confidently matched photograph of this subject has been found yet. These photographs show a closely related record, and are not examples of the type described on this page.

Sources & references

  1. General horological surveys; the boundary with carriage clocks proper needs further sourcing.

Where sources disagree, the disagreement is stated rather than resolved silently.