4 Discussions and CommentsMember since Dec. 28, 2010faygate,
United Kingdom
I am in possession of a gold IWC pocket watch presented to an ancestor in March 21st 1881. It is still in perfect working order. The gold case has a number 17752 and the mechanism number is N 11256.
What can anyone tell me about it ?It appears to pre-date the catalogue records.
While I concur with cellar's suggestion, I wonder if your watch's movement looks like this: in which case it would be a so-called Jones, one of IWC first group of watches.
2,081 Discussions and CommentsMember since Jan. 7, 2005
[quote=][li][/li]
Pretty well identical.
It does not have the black line decorative marking shown right hand top corner of your image.
I will endeavour to photograph it and post the image on this website if I have the technical competance.[/quote]
Hi David,
[u]only if you want and with your permission[/u], you can send me the pictures and I'll post them for you, just drop me an email to the mail address in my signature.
Otherwise, you can follow these tips: How to Post Images - [url]http://www.iwcforum.com/PostImages.html[/url]
This thing is getting too interesting to neglect it now :)
Here are two photos of other IWC Jones movements --as you can see they all have different finishing. The easiest identifying factor is the elongated needle, positioned between "fast" and "slow".
Subject to a photo of your watch, how do you know when it was sold? That would be especially interesting to people who research these watches.
4 Discussions and CommentsMember since Dec. 28, 2010faygate,
United Kingdom
This watch has never been sold. Its history is that it was presented to my great uncle George Trench (known as gunpowder George in recognition of 25 years service with the Tonite Powder Co, San Francisco 31st March 1881. He retired then came back from USA in his forties and settled at Faversham, Kent where in 1882 he became the general manager of bthe Cotton Powder Co until he died in 1912. George Trench appears on the internet and has a commemorative plaque in Faversham on the site where he lived attributing to him the invention of Tonite which is used to this day in explosives involved in tunnelling, quarrying and demolition. After his death the Cotton Powder Co on 2nd April suffered a fire followed by a massive explosion creating a crater 20m deep and 40m wide killing 116 peolple. It was the biggest disaster involving explosives in peacetime history. I inherited the watch via his neice whose married name was Gingold. She thought it should remain in the Trench family.
Great story, and it's rare when the provenance of a Jones watch is fully known.
You have what's been called a nice pattern 'D' savonnette. The savonette or hunter style has the crown at 3 o'clock and a cover over the dial that flips open.
The Jones models were IWC's first watches, and produced from 1868 until about 1875, although many were finished and sold subsequently (until the early 1890s)according to some reports. Reportedly, about 25,000 were produced. They generally were sold in the U.S., and you can find out much more about them via searching our archived posts.
4 Discussions and CommentsMember since Dec. 28, 2010faygate,
United Kingdom
Some last questions for the experts.
The gold case appears to have been made by MW&Co. Is that Mappin and Webb ?
I have never had it serviced and it has been in a safe since 1961. As I write it is wound up and working. Should I have it serviced? If so where and what should I expect to pay.
The gold case has a number 17752 and the mechanism number is N 11256.
What can anyone tell me about it ?It appears to pre-date the catalogue records.
Cheers from the cellar
cellar@gregsteer.net
Last edited: 4 January, 2013 - 22:35
in which case it would be a so-called Jones, one of IWC first group of watches.
Regards, Michael
mfriedberg@iwcforum.com
Last edited: 5 April, 2012 - 19:53
Pretty well identical.
It does not have the black line decorative marking shown right hand top corner of your image.
I will endeavour to photograph it and post the image on this website if I have the technical competance.
Pretty well identical.
It does not have the black line decorative marking shown right hand top corner of your image.
I will endeavour to photograph it and post the image on this website if I have the technical competance.[/quote]
Hi David,
[u]only if you want and with your permission[/u], you can send me the pictures and I'll post them for you, just drop me an email to the mail address in my signature.
Otherwise, you can follow these tips: How to Post Images - [url]http://www.iwcforum.com/PostImages.html[/url]
This thing is getting too interesting to neglect it now :)
Regards,
Roberto
Last edited: 11 January, 2013 - 11:07
Here are two photos of other IWC Jones movements --as you can see they all have different finishing. The easiest identifying factor is the elongated needle, positioned between "fast" and "slow".
Subject to a photo of your watch, how do you know when it was sold? That would be especially interesting to people who research these watches.
Regards, Michael
mfriedberg@iwcforum.com
Last edited: 5 April, 2012 - 19:53
I must say it's a beauty - imho and with its own history!
Regards,
Roberto
Last edited: 11 January, 2013 - 11:07
Its history is that it was presented to my great uncle George Trench (known as gunpowder George in recognition of 25 years service with the Tonite Powder Co, San Francisco 31st March 1881. He retired then came back from USA in his forties and settled at Faversham, Kent where in 1882 he became the general manager of bthe Cotton Powder Co until he died in 1912.
George Trench appears on the internet and has a commemorative plaque in Faversham on the site where he lived attributing to him the invention of Tonite which is used to this day in explosives involved in tunnelling, quarrying and demolition.
After his death the Cotton Powder Co on 2nd April suffered a fire followed by a massive explosion creating a crater 20m deep and 40m wide killing 116 peolple. It was the biggest disaster involving explosives in peacetime history.
I inherited the watch via his neice whose married name was Gingold. She thought it should remain in the Trench family.
You have what's been called a nice pattern 'D' savonnette. The savonette or hunter style has the crown at 3 o'clock and a cover over the dial that flips open.
The Jones models were IWC's first watches, and produced from 1868 until about 1875, although many were finished and sold subsequently (until the early 1890s)according to some reports. Reportedly, about 25,000 were produced. They generally were sold in the U.S., and you can find out much more about them via searching our archived posts.
Regards, Michael
mfriedberg@iwcforum.com
Last edited: 5 April, 2012 - 19:53
The gold case appears to have been made by MW&Co. Is that Mappin and Webb ?
I have never had it serviced and it has been in a safe since 1961. As I write it is wound up and working.
Should I have it serviced? If so where and what should I expect to pay.