How Do You Identify An Antique Pocket Watch?
The pocket watch started out as a kind of miniature clock. Early watches were driven by internal springs. As the spring unwound, it supplied power to a series of gears that controlled the movement of the watch hands. With time, the pocket watch became increasingly elaborate. Ornate gold cases contained sophisticated movements complete with jewels, second hands and subsidiary dials. The various features of a pocket watch can help to identity its period of manufacture. Open the pocket watch case. Cases with an obvious tab, or lip, will simply pull open. The lid screws off of some watch cases. In most other instances, use a case knife to carefully pry up the lid of the pocket watch case. The presence of very small hinges, and a tiny lip, typically indicates a pry-up case. Look for the serial number that is engraved on the watch movement. The movement is the set of gears inside the pocket watch. Ignore numbers that appear on other parts of the watch. If the watch was manufactured by Bulova
