Watch Chains

Shangas · Jan 29, 2012

Constant rubbing keeps them shiny. That's why when you use them, they retain a sheen. If you leave them alone, the oxidation builds up and it goes all mucky.

Don Dahlberg · Jan 29, 2012

I know this thread is about watch chains, but I thought I would tell you a little bit about your Ball watch.

Webb C. Ball was a railroad time inspector who was hired by many of the nation's railroad to set up their time standards. Many of the rules that make a railroad grade watch were created by him. A railroad watch had to keep time within 30 seconds per year. There were many mechanical requirements such as a Breguet hairspring, steel escape wheel, and a minimum number of jewels (that changed over time) that were required to keep good time over many years. A railroad grade watch had to keep the same time as the mainspring rand down (isochronism), at different temperatures and over 5 positions (dial up, down, pendant up, left and right). This required a great deal of labor adjusting the watch to do these things. The owner had to take his watch into a watch inspector every two weeks to have it checked by a certified railroad inspector and he must carry a card with the watch showing the inspection dates. They also had to be overhauled by a watch inspector every year. Many of these watch inspectors worked for Ball.

Not everyone was required to have a railroad grade watch. Engineers, firemen, conductors, brakemen, supervisors of track crews and people who were responsible for keeping trains running into each other or into track crews. They were not cheap. In 1900 they cost approaching $100 at a time when the average salary was $1.80 per day.

He also had a line of watches as shown by your watch. He did not make watches. Most of his watches were made by Hamilton, Illinois and Waltham. It takes some careful examination to determine who made a particular watch. Ball watches are some of the most collectable.

Don Dahlberg
National Association of Watch and Clock Collectors volunteer

DeaconKC · Jan 30, 2012

Don, as a longtime railfan, I truly appreciated learning about the watch requirements. Thank you very much!

tealseal · Jun 23, 2012

Can someone please post a picture of wearing a pocket watch in a dress shirt and with a blazer (no waistcoat) for me? My watch chain recently failed, and I need to find a new one.
Also, I used to have a spring-ring chain large enough to clip to a belt loop. My grandfather has a gold chain with a spring-ring but it's far too small to attach to a loop; how would this chain be worn?
Thanks in advance for your help and advice!

Shangas · Jun 23, 2012

You don't traditionally wear a CHAIN with a blazer/coat. You wear a leather-watch strap.

The chain you describe may not even be a pocketwatch chain. It could be a necklace. If it IS a watch-chain, then I believe the fashion was to attach one fob to one end, and the watch to the other, and wear it across the two watch-pockets on your waistcoat. Interesting, but hardly practical and safe. All it takes is for one slip and the watch will be taking a very expensive trip to the watchmaker...or a very cheap trip to the nearest dustbin.

Miss Stella · Jun 23, 2012

Just jumping in here...my husband pulled his pocket watch chain askew (he caught it on his shop table in was going full force in the opposite direction!) and it's ruined. Where would you recommend I buy him another at? The ruined one was about 10 inches long. He wears it everyday in his jean pocket ( he works on ranches) so a sturdy one would be good.
Thank you!

Gin&Tonics · Jun 23, 2012

Miss Stella said:
Just jumping in here...my husband pulled his pocket watch chain askew (he caught it on his shop table in was going full force in the opposite direction!) and it's ruined. Where would you recommend I buy him another at? The ruined one was about 10 inches long. He wears it everyday in his jean pocket ( he works on ranches) so a sturdy one would be good.
Thank you!

Here's a good place to start:
http://www.pocketwatchcentral.com/index.php?p=404

Gin&Tonics · Jun 23, 2012

tealseal said:
Can someone please post a picture of wearing a pocket watch in a dress shirt and with a blazer (no waistcoat) for me? My watch chain recently failed, and I need to find a new one.
Also, I used to have a spring-ring chain large enough to clip to a belt loop. My grandfather has a gold chain with a spring-ring but it's far too small to attach to a loop; how would this chain be worn?
Thanks in advance for your help and advice!

It was not uncommon in the Victorian era to wear a pocket watch in the breast pocket of one's jacket or blazer with the chain attached by a T-bar to the boutineer hole of the jacket's lapel. You can see something similar to the practice here:

this fine young gent appears to have his watch chain anchored by a pin, but you could just as easily anchor the chain into the boutineer hole itself using the T-bar you would use for a waistcoat.

As for the question of the small spring ring chain - you simply slip the ring through the belt loop and snap the spring ring around the trailing end of chain, creating a loop with the chain running through the spring ring. Another alternative is to purchase a leather belt loop with a d-ring on the bottom and clip the spring ring onto that.

Hope that helps!

tealseal · Jun 23, 2012

Shangas said:
You don't traditionally wear a CHAIN with a blazer/coat. You wear a leather-watch strap.

The chain you describe may not even be a pocketwatch chain. It could be a necklace. If it IS a watch-chain, then I believe the fashion was to attach one fob to one end, and the watch to the other, and wear it across the two watch-pockets on your waistcoat. Interesting, but hardly practical and safe. All it takes is for one slip and the watch will be taking a very expensive trip to the watchmaker...or a very cheap trip to the nearest dustbin.

Gin&Tonics said:
It was not uncommon in the Victorian era to wear a pocket watch in the breast pocket of one's jacket or blazer with the chain attached by a T-bar to the boutineer hole of the jacket's lapel. this fine young gent appears to have his watch chain anchored by a pin, but you could just as easily anchor the chain into the boutineer hole itself using the T-bar you would use for a waistcoat.

As for the question of the small spring ring chain - you simply slip the ring through the belt loop and snap the spring ring around the trailing end of chain, creating a loop with the chain running through the spring ring. Another alternative is to purchase a leather belt loop with a d-ring on the bottom and clip the spring ring onto that.

Hope that helps!

Thanks guys, that helps a lot. I saw somewhere earlier in this thread mention of using the breast pocket of a shirt as a storage place, and I was a bit confused by that. Using a leather fob strap makes sense for the lapel hole, I assume that for this purpose one does not attach a fob? Where is a good source for leather straps?

Gin&Tonics · Jun 23, 2012

tealseal said:
Thanks guys, that helps a lot. I saw somewhere earlier in this thread mention of using the breast pocket of a shirt as a storage place, and I was a bit confused by that. Using a leather fob strap makes sense for the lapel hole, I assume that for this purpose one does not attach a fob? Where is a good source for leather straps?

A chain or a leather strap would be acceptable for wear in the breast pocket of the jacket, and if by fob you mean the small charms that you would attach to an Albert chain, that would probably be a bit odd. I would use a leather strap or a chain without a fob drop.

The link I posted for the lady asking about chains for her husband also sells leather strap fobs I believe.

Shangas · Jun 23, 2012

You can find leather watch-straps online. They're unlikely to be sold in shops anymore. Chains you can still find in watch-shops, if you're lucky. But not leather straps.

tealseal · Jun 23, 2012

Gin&Tonics said:
A chain or a leather strap would be acceptable for wear in the breast pocket of the jacket, and if by fob you mean the small charms that you would attach to an Albert chain, that would probably be a bit odd. I would use a leather strap or a chain without a fob drop.

The link I posted for the lady asking about chains for her husband also sells leather strap fobs I believe.

I was referring to things like these, specifically. I can see how a knife, pen, stamp, or other chain-type fob would be a bit out of place on the strap.

Shangas · Jun 23, 2012

You use fobs like that if the watch is in the watch-pocket of your jeans. Not in your coat. In your jeans pocket, the watch is less likely to fall out, so there's no immediate need for a securing clasp (hence the nice fobs on that page), but in a coat pocket, all you have to do is lean forwards too much and your watch becomes a watch-shaped paperweight after it's smashed on the ground. So you need a strap to secure it to your lapel buttonhole.

howardeye · Aug 25, 2013

undertaker said:
Here is a shot of the watches, chains, and "trinkets" associated with them, that I wear most often. I have a cigar cutter somewhere and a human hair watch chain with a wonderful carved intaglio but I can't seem to remember where I have put them:eusa_doh:.

Regards,
J.S.

I read your post and viewed your picture of your watch chains from last year. I am a silver and goldsmith on the side. I am planning on building a watch chain for someone with fossil walrus or mammoth ivory added to it. I do not know what kind of attachment to put on the opposite end of the watch. Which is more popular the bar or the clip? What would be a proper length of the chain? I thank you for any help you can give me. Other input would be greatly appreciated also.

tuco1963 · Aug 25, 2013

love the pic of your collection howardeye if i can figure the photo bucket pst thing out i will show my collection tommorrow

howardeye · Aug 25, 2013

It is not mine. It belongs to undertaker. I was asking the questions about the chains in the pic. Looking forward to your collection and some ideas. Thanks

tuco1963 · Aug 25, 2013

howardeye ever been to friendship indiana i get alot of my chains and watches from there during the nmlra rendevous

howardeye · Aug 25, 2013

No I have not. I have hear about a muzzleloader shoot down there. I live in the NW corner 40 miles south of Lake Michigan, about an hour from Chicago.

Feraud · Apr 7, 2020

Bumping this old thread! Does anyone collect watch chains anymore? Watch chains were probably one of the first things I started to collect back in the early 90s. My wife and I used to frequent the outdoor flea markets that used to dot the city. Most are gone now but we have great memories of carrying vintage kitchen chairs on the NYC subway!

Here are a few from my collection.

Harp · Apr 23, 2020

I own a single chain-Chinese which my college Kappa key and Field Artillery School gold shield hang.
The watch needs repair; another postponed chore.

Watch Chains

I'll Lock Up

Familiar Face

One Too Many

A-List Customer

I'll Lock Up

One of the Regulars

Practically Family

Practically Family

A-List Customer

Practically Family

I'll Lock Up

A-List Customer

I'll Lock Up

Practically Family

One of the Regulars

Practically Family

One of the Regulars

Practically Family

I'll Lock Up

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