Did i got a rare pocket watch?

[Stuvetjee 17]

Hey all!

 

Yesterday my Grandma and Auntie from Switzerland came for visiting this weekend.

 

My Auntie brought two pocketwatches as a gift. Im soo happy with them

 

But you guys need to help a little on one pocketwatch.

 

I got a Swiss one and a Chinese one.

 

Now the Chinese one is a really cool piece, but i really dont know which brand or history there is about this piece. Hope someone can chime in?

 

Left Chinese, right Swiss

 

 

Swiss heart!

 

 

 

But now the really cool Chinese one!

 

 

 

 

 

Hope someone can help identify that piece, and tell us more about it . Also it came with a key.

 

Thanks guys!

 

 

[Stuvetjee 17]

Seriously nobody?

[DR3M3L 4]

The swiss is hard to tell, just because it's a common design used by many brand with just slight changes. Any reference found inside the watch? Numbers, engravings?

 

The chinese one looks like a cheap version or clone of a Verge Fusee.... Seems not to be a repeater though.... Same here, any engravings found? Avance en Retart is not a brand, it means faster and slower, it's the regulator of the movement

[SSTEEL 0]

Aren maybe able to shed more light as she's a pocket watch collector.

[marper 0]

I believe this chinese pocketwatch is a nice piece. The highest value chinese pocketwatches have paintings and hand done decorarations. Chinese antiques have really sky rocketed in value. The chinese have money now and they are willing to pay top dollar to get there antiques back. If your willing to offer shipping to China on say an ebay auction then I think your Chinese watch would sell if it's working for $400-$1000 depending on how bad 2 people wanted it. I think this watch 10 years ago might have only brought $100.

 

Source: I have dealt antiques online for years.

Edited May 11, 2014 by marper

[Conex 0]

Rare or not, they are lovely pieces.

[marper 0]

Also on the swiss ladys pocket watch I litteraly sold the exact same pocket watch recently in a more decorative 800 fine silver case and the watch only brought $25 not working.

[Stuvetjee 17]

The swiss is hard to tell, just because it's a common design used by many brand with just slight changes. Any reference found inside the watch? Numbers, engravings?

 

The chinese one looks like a cheap version or clone of a Verge Fusee.... Seems not to be a repeater though.... Same here, any engravings found? Avance en Retart is not a brand, it means faster and slower, it's the regulator of the movement

 

Watchmaker in switzerland confirmed the swiss movement and told my aunt that the chinese one is very rare and unique. But i cant find shit about it on the net. :(

[Stuvetjee 17]

The swiss is hard to tell, just because it's a common design used by many brand with just slight changes. Any reference found inside the watch? Numbers, engravings?

 

The chinese one looks like a cheap version or clone of a Verge Fusee.... Seems not to be a repeater though.... Same here, any engravings found? Avance en Retart is not a brand, it means faster and slower, it's the regulator of the movement

 

Swiss one stamped code:

 

29151

 

 

 

Chinese one:

 

4662

 

[JDCKent 0]

If you're still wondering, the "Chinese" piece is actually a French fusee-driven watch with verge escapement. Most French watches had much less engraving work on the backplate, compared to their finer English cousins, and a two-footed balance cock, as this one does. The square balusters/pillars, case, and stem would suggest this watch dates to right around the 3rd quarter of the 18th century (c.1780). Nothing terribly special, but it does have quite an unusual dial.

[JohnG 41]

wow, that´s old.

 

 

.

[Xpletiv 16]

I would think that even the most un-advanced retard would know what advance and retard meant. PC nazis stand down.

[Daffy 105]

The "chinese" watch that came with a key has a hole in the dial, just like old mechanical movements in grandfather clocks. Wind it carefully and slowly, starting off with 2-3 turns and see if the movement will start for you. That's an interesting piece.

[Genius 281]

So do we know if the Chinese one is actually Chinese or really a very old French watch?.....

[Stuvetjee 17]

So do we know if the Chinese one is actually Chinese or really a very old French watch?.....

 

Its an very old French pocketwatch (indeed 18th century). Value i still dont know.

[Bamadadof3 0]

If you're still wondering, the "Chinese" piece is actually a French fusee-driven watch with verge escapement. Most French watches had much less engraving work on the backplate, compared to their finer English cousins, and a two-footed balance cock, as this one does. The square balusters/pillars, case, and stem would suggest this watch dates to right around the 3rd quarter of the 18th century (c.1780). Nothing terribly special, but it does have quite an unusual dial.

 

JDCkent is dead on right here. It was most likely made in France for the Chinese/Asian market and sold there. Unfortunately even though it's very old and very cool they just don't bring much money on today's antique market. I would say you would be lucky to get over $175 on ebay if you can find a buyer that appreciates the nice dial. The dial is what makes this watch it looks to be in very good shape with no cracks. These are usually made of enamel and very easy to crack/chip. The reason the price is so low is there were a lot of the fusee style watches made all over the world so there is a supply but the problem is there are few solid collectors. The other reason I think is because it has become very hard to find a watchmaker to keep them running (especially fuse) and when you can find one the cost outweighs the value. Parts are becoming very hard to find too and for your Swiss and french watch you would have to find a donor watch for parts or make the part. Very cost prohibitive.

Another member gave you a correct value on the Swiss watch they are a dime a dozen and $25-$45 is correct even if running. I have a small American pocket watch collection and I am still amazed at how low these value has stayed on these works of art. The only ones that will demand very high $ are rare railroad grade american watches or repeater/chronograph complication watches and I think even they are way undervalued.

When you consider most are now over 100 years old and made almost exclusively by hand and the railroad grade ones kept close to COSC standards is amazing to me. If you lokk real close with a loop at the French watch you will see a very small hand made chain wrapped around 2 of the winding barrels. Very cool and this is the Fusee designed system of providing an even amount of spring energy to the watch.

 

Keep them and enjoy them for what they are works of art.