Manage and grow multiple railroads by hauling important cargo around the world. Ball watch co railroad pocket watch model 999 jul 30, 2011. For 2012, ball has released a limited edition watch in honor of the big boy locomotive from the union pacific railroad. Ball watches are today some of the most collectible of the american railroad pocket watches. Unless a pocket watch is very rare small differences can make a big difference in price. Ball built a time service which grew to control the inspection of watches railmen used on half of the u.
My best so far is a ball hamilton 999 and i feel its better than my others because. Get the best deals on ball antique pocket watches when you shop the largest online selection at. Very fine and exceptionally rare, 18k gold screw back and bezel, brotherhood railroad watch. Ball wristwatches, ball pocketwatches, ball antique watches. One can purchase an original 21jewel ball railroad pocket watch, wind it, and have it keep time to close to its original tolerances.
Pocket watch identification and value guide the spruce crafts. I thought the gotham was a less expensive quartz watch that had the look of a railroad time piece. Stop reading and start constructing your railroad empire in pocket trains. As for stopworks on an american railroad watch, i remember the first time i removed a dial from an elgin 18size, openface, fullplate model 5 b. Ball pocket watches have always been most highly prized by collectors and rail road men for years. Collecting railroad pocket watches few images are more iconic of the golden age of american railroading than that of the train conductor dutifully checking his pocket watch. A pocket watch or pocketwatch is a watch that is made to be carried in a pocket, as opposed. Best railroad pocket watch thanks to all for the input advertisement. Waltham was probably the most prolific being the oldest and all, but after the 20s, their quality really dropped.
Ball railroad pocket watch 23 jewels triple marked. Real railroad watches were speced to have 19 jewels or more. The definitive railroad watches were the ones sold and labeled by ball, but ball wasnt a manufacturer. Waltham ball official rr standard sn b 263497 in its stirrup bow case is also highly recognizable as a railroad watch. Ball of cleveland, ohio, was the general time inspector for a large chunk of the railroads in the late 1800s and early 1900s. An automatic railroad pocket watch for your wrist inspired by vintage transsiberian railway pocket watches. Watches by hourminsec products pocket watches ball. Here are a few old advertisements about ball pocket watches. Railroadgrade watches had to meet strict guidelines to ensure their reliability and accuracy. A system of timetable and train order, which relied on highly accurate timekeeping, was used to ensure that two trains could not be on the same stretch of track at the same time. The adds for the general public posted from the 1940s and 1950s when 992b was in production were for wrist watches. Vintage hamilton advertisements, pocket watch adds most of the larger pocket watch adds from hamilton are for watches that predated the 992b. Many of the major pocket watchmakers, including elgin, waltham, illinois and hamilton, began making railroad pocket watches that met the railroad specs.
We specialize in rare vintage pocketwatches and wristwatches including illinois, hamilton, elgin and waltham, hampden for investment or hobby. Hamilton did however post 992b pocket watch adds in specific railroad magazines. Railroad grade pocket watches explained the vortic blog. Did you scroll all this way to get facts about train pocket watch. The cleveland watch company was in operation from 18791969, founded by webb c. Ball official standard pocket watch, made by hamilton in 1902. The ball product line continues to include official railroad watches, perpetuating the traditions of the early ball timekeepers. It was ball who was originally commissioned by certain railroad officials to develop the standards for railroad approved watches. The most common train pocket watch material is metal. Announces the new speed record of the empire state express no. This handsome open face watch boasts large easy to read arabic numerals. Beautiful example for a devoted railroad pocket watch collector. If you are new to collecting pocket watches my best advice is to take your time, even buying from me. Ball to investigate time and watch conditions throughout the lake shore line and develop an inspection system for their implementation.
Here, the swiss brands us heritage as a railroad watch maker comes full circle. Pramzius transsiberian railroad pocketwatch inspired. A railroad chronometer or railroad standard watch is a specialized timepiece that once was crucial for safe and correct operation of trains in many countries. A ball company official rr standard pocket watch in a 10k yellow gold filled keystone case, made in cleveland, ohio. A classical railroad heritage, the trainmaster timepieces are made in the absolute respect for the values of precision, reliability and tradition of the ball legacy and feature a sapphire crystal case back. Ball set about immediately and put in place fortnightly checks on the watches worn by all railroad workers. A quality timepiece was an inseparable component of the uniform. Hamilton 992b railroad pocket watch, hamilton railway special. Ball was a major contributor in the formation of the horological institute of america. This handsome open face watch boasts large easy to read arabic numerals and has a sunk seconds subdial at the six oclock position. Buy products related to railroad pocket watch products and see what customers say about railroad pocket watch products on free delivery possible on eligible purchases.
Many people are fascinated by pocket watches, but are a bit intimidated by the thought of actually owning a miniaturized piece of complicated machinery made a hundred years ago or more. Youll never be bored when you have all this destruction ahead of you. The kipton disaster prompted the lake shore officials to enlist webb c. There were no swiss or japanese railroad pocket watches. The railroad industry produced a set of operating specifications for the watchmakers to follow. When you pull this out of your pocket, therell be no mistaking what it is. Ball bought an interest in whitcomb and metten jewelers in cleveland in 1879. The new collectors 2 guide to pocket watches although water may appear to drip at a steady, fixed rate, in fact the more water is in the vessel the faster it leaks out due to the pressure exerted by the weight of the water.
A limited edition watch like this makes perfect sense for a brand like ball. Find railroad pocket watch from a vast selection of pocket watches. The ball watch company, out of cleveland, ohio, was founded in 1879, but it was after a tragic train collision in 1891 due to what is believed to have been a problem with one engineers watch not keeping accurate time that the company began the task of standardizing what we now term railroad grade watches. Ball wristwatches, ball pocketwatches, ball antique. Season 15 episode 19 37s video has closed captioning. A pocket watch or pocketwatch is a watch that is made to be carried in a pocket, as opposed to a wristwatch, which is strapped to the wrist they were the most common type of watch from their development in the 16th century until wristwatches became popular after world war i during which a transitional design, trench watches, were used by the military.
Watch craig evan smalls appraisal of a ball railroadgrade pocket watch from. I wanted to replace my swiss army pocket watch, which died after 20 years of hard use and is no longer made. Todays criteria for the certification of each cosc officially certified chronometer are still based in part upon webb c. Collect parts to construct all the different train types from steamers to diesels, and complete daily events to unlock special trains beyond imagination. The watch has been running and keeping time, and has been fitted with an acrylic crystal which is clear.
And, contrary to common belief, there were many regulations in place before webb c. Antique pocket watches with 23 jewels for sale ebay. The seller is fistemarti and is located in wheat ridge, colorado. Ball announced a commemorative 999 highgrade pocketwatch in 1895 that remains among the finest examples of the railroad watch. We are proud to present this fine collection of vintage ball watches, historical documents and other ball material. Mar 20, 2020 from the creators of pocket planes comes pocket trains. The watch in the photo is a ball open face pocket watch made of. Aiming poolshot, the pool aiming training software. Balls career eventually led to his being the time inspector on more than half the united. Today the use of radios, automatic block signals, and central computer tracking of trains has lessened the role of the railroad watch on many railroads, yet watch requirements still remain important to safe railroad. Railroad pocket watches by gadfly thu dec 06, 2012 6.
Pramzius watches is raising funds for pramzius transsiberian railroad pocketwatch inspired watch on kickstarter. Make offer ball hamilton 21j 16s railroad pocket watch 14k white gf original box. Beginning of a dialog window, including tabbed navigation to register an account or sign in to an existing account. Raymond sn k 696370 is in a classic teardrop model 3055 case. Some of the most valuable watches are railroad pocket watches because they were produced with governmentrequired exacting standards to ensure they kept accurate time. Built by the best companies to webb balls exacting specifications.
This week i make a plasma ball lamp, wood is apple with lots of burl. A pocket watch is a subtle way to demonstrate both sophistication and style. Ball watch co railroad pocket watch model 999 ball watch co open face pocket watch. We may earn a commission for purchases using our links. Built by the best companies to webb ball s exacting specifications. In this section, you will find a nice selection of vintage ball pocket watches that are typically considered gents size, although in many cases would also be appropriate for a woman to carry. Beyond simply making a statement, a fine pocket watch should be made from a quality material, have a crystal that. At ball watch, innovation and creativity are the cornerstones on the foundation of our corporate mission, accuracy under adverse conditions.
A railroad chronometer or railroad standard watch is a specialized timepiece that once was. This illinois hunter case pocket watch was special for a railroad company. Railroad grade vintage mens elgin pocket watches in this section, you will find a nice selection of vintage railroadgrade elgin or the earlier national watch co. A real railroad watch is 16 size by the original spec. Discussion in american pocket watches started by george, jan 4. Ball watch company known for their official railroad standard pocket watches, the ball watch company of cleveland, ohio helped formulate the specifications of watches used for railroad service. The item vintage 21j waltham ball official railroad standard pocket watch with ball case is in sale since tuesday, october 29, 2019. From the creators of pocket planes comes pocket trains.
Ball watch usa is the official north american distributor for ball official railroad standard watches. Find great deals on beautiful antique pocket watches when you shop the extensive selection at. Some of the technical specifications for railroad watches mandated that each watch have. A railroad grade pocket watch is simply a watch that was approved by a particular railroad organization for use by conductors on their rail. I love this pocket watch because it tells time, it is part ofa long histor of pocket watches with the same dial design, it is the official japanese railways watch given to all engineers they have a cut out at their dashboards, it is quartz and accurate to 15 seconds a month, as well as having a 10 year battery, and because a pocket watchers are classy, and.
Railroads were at the forefront of the effort to standardize timekeeping in the late 1800s, because when their engineers watches werent accurately synchronized, terrible locomotive collisions could result. Ball set strict standards, forbidding variations more than 30 seconds among the watches. Ball, of cleveland, ohio, was the general time inspector for more than 125,000 miles of railroad in the united states, canada and mexico, a collision of two lake shore and michigan southern trains at kipton, ohio in 1892 caused by an engineers watch stopping for four minutes then starting again, resulted in the commissioning of mr. If it breaks, one can send the watch out to a craftsman who will fix it with original 100year old replacement parts in original unopened packages. Pocket watch identification and value guide learn about jewels, adjustments, and top brands. In 1893, the hamilton watch company of lancaster, pennsylvania began producing pocket watches primarily for railroad workers. The ball museum reveals the rich history of the ball watch company and vividly illustrates the impact that webb c. The item estate watch ball 999p 1924 21j official railroad 14k wgf stirrup bow case is in sale since tuesday, february 12, 2019. While there are watches that look like railroad watches with 17 or less jewels, these were made as less expensive imitations for the general public. Ball big boy union pacific engineer master ii limited. The checks were carried out by approved watchmakers. The specific definition of railroad grade evolved quite a bit over the years.