Skip to content
The Encyclopedia of Horology

Pocket watches · Winding

Keyless (Stem-Wind, Stem-Set) Watches

Verified

Watches wound and set through the crown and stem rather than a separate key, using a keyless works of clutch, winding pinion and setting mechanism.

Mechanism

Turning the crown drives a winding pinion through the clutch wheel to the barrel; pulling the crown (pendant set) or operating a lever/button (lever set, negative set) shifts the clutch to the setting train.

Typical characteristics

  • Crown at the pendant
  • Internal clutch (sliding pinion) engaging winding or setting
  • No exposed winding squares

Identification characteristics

  • Crown and stem with no winding squares present
  • Setting method (pendant set, lever set, negative set) identifiable by testing or removing the bezel

Collector significance

The transition from key-wind to keyless is one of the clearest dating markers in pocket watch history.

Known variations

  • Pendant set
  • Lever set
  • Negative set (push-button)
  • Nail-set

Related photographs

Vintage Elgin Open Face Pocket Watch, Size 18, G.M. Wheeler, 13 Jewels, Key Wind & Key Set, Coin Silver Case, Circa 1882 (14762667401)
Vintage Elgin Open Face Pocket Watch, Size 18, G.M. Wheeler, 13 Jewels, Key Wind & Key Set, Coin Silver Case, Circa 1882 (14762667401) — Joe Haupt from USA, CC BY-SA 2.0. Wikimedia Commons file page
Vintage Elgin Open Face Pocket Watch, Size 18, G.M. Wheeler, 13 Jewels, Key Wind & Key Set, Coin Silver Case, Circa 1882 (14765847935)
Vintage Elgin Open Face Pocket Watch, Size 18, G.M. Wheeler, 13 Jewels, Key Wind & Key Set, Coin Silver Case, Circa 1882 (14765847935) — Joe Haupt from USA, CC BY-SA 2.0. Wikimedia Commons file page
Vintage Illinois Springfield Watch Co. Pocket Watch, Currier Model, Hunter Case, Coin Silver, Key Wind & Set, 11 Jewels, Size 18 (14714708570)
Vintage Illinois Springfield Watch Co. Pocket Watch, Currier Model, Hunter Case, Coin Silver, Key Wind & Set, 11 Jewels, Size 18 (14714708570) — Joe Haupt from USA, CC BY-SA 2.0. 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. Cutmore, M., Watches 1850-1980

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