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The Encyclopedia of Horology

Pocket watches · Purpose

Railroad Watches

Verified

High-grade pocket watches built to railway timekeeping standards, typically requiring lever escapement, 17 or more jewels, adjustment to temperature and positions, and an open-face dial with bold arabic numerals.

Mechanism

Conventional going-barrel lever movement, refined for isochronism: free-sprung or micrometric regulation, compensation balance, and careful positional adjustment.

Typical characteristics

  • 16 size or 18 size American movements predominate
  • Lever-set winding to prevent accidental hand-setting
  • Double-sunk white enamel or melamine dials with plain bold numerals
  • Micrometric regulator and heavy damascened nickel plates

Identification characteristics

  • Movement marked with jewel count and 'adjusted to five positions' or similar
  • Lever-set mechanism revealed by removing the bezel
  • Open-face case with the winding crown at 12 and subsidiary seconds at 6

Collector significance

The most widely collected category of American pocket watch, and a direct link between precision horology and public safety.

Known variations

  • Hamilton 992B
  • Waltham Vanguard
  • Elgin B. W. Raymond
  • Illinois Bunn Special

Photographs

Vintage Elgin Railroad Pocket Watch, 10 K Gold Filled Case, 21 Jewels, 8 Adjustments (9763729373)
Vintage Elgin Railroad Pocket Watch, 10 K Gold Filled Case, 21 Jewels, 8 Adjustments (9763729373) — Joe Haupt from USA, CC BY-SA 2.0. Wikimedia Commons file page
Vintage Hamilton Open Face Pocket Watch, Railroad Grade, 21 Jewels, Lever Set, Circa 1929 (14781930023)
Vintage Hamilton Open Face Pocket Watch, Railroad Grade, 21 Jewels, Lever Set, Circa 1929 (14781930023) — Joe Haupt from USA, CC BY-SA 2.0. Wikimedia Commons file page
Vintage Hamilton Open Face Pocket Watch, Railroad Grade, 21 Jewels, Lever Set, Circa 1929 (14762070855)
Vintage Hamilton Open Face Pocket Watch, Railroad Grade, 21 Jewels, Lever Set, Circa 1929 (14762070855) — Joe Haupt from USA, CC BY-SA 2.0. Wikimedia Commons file page

Photographs are illustrative examples of the type, not necessarily the exact object described. Verify details against the source file page.

Sources & references

  1. Ehrhardt, R., American Pocket Watch Identification and Price Guide (used for identification data only)
  2. NAWCC Bulletin, articles on railroad time inspection

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