GOLD Pocket Watch - My Best find ever - UPDATED PICTURES

[4dcr]

I can't believe I found this.

I have not done much hunting in the past year or so due to illness (asthma) but went out for a short time with Chris to a local park which we have hunted many times over the past few years but continue to get a decent amount of clad and an occasion silver coin out of and was only out about 30 minutes finding the normal clad when I got a signal which I thought might be a half dollar but was really expecting to see a pocket spill of quarters.

To my surprise about 7 inches down I see the edge of what I thought might be a ring and WOW when I pulled it out I was in shock.

There was a woman watching me from about ten feet away and I was yelling to Chris but he could not hear me. I just stood there waiting for Chris to finish his dig and I yelled again and he came over.

I had put the plug back in and asked him to go over it with his detector and he thought it was a half dollar or possibly a dollar but he was also surprised.

i wiped it clean and was amazed when it opened and the inside was like new with 14k marking and Warranty by US Assay along with a serial number.

after realizing the front cover was missing we went back to the hole and dug a little deaper and found and old can labeled Club Wallbanger but no front cover.

There is an indentation in the can (see picture with arrow pointing) which matches the edge of the watch making us believe it came to rest on the can and never went deeper.

I am attaching a few pictures but may update this with more when I get a chance.

WOW

8) HH - DDos

 

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[cellar dweller]

Re: GOLD Pocket Watch - My Best find ever

Awesome!! I wonder how many swingers missed it because of the can? Nice job!!

 

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[fishbone3d]

Re: GOLD Pocket Watch - My Best find ever

What is the serial on the movement? Not the case. I may be able to help.

 

[4dcr]

Re: GOLD Pocket Watch - My Best find ever

What is the serial on the movement? Not the case. I may be able to help.

See attached picture

 

[fishbone3d]

Re: GOLD Pocket Watch - My Best find ever

Serial Number SN Range RunQty Name Year grade size code jewels Adj/reg/etc.
-------------- -------- ------ ---- ---- ----- ---- ------ ------ ------------
11082475 11081001 2000 1904 286 6s h3n2p 7j


grade total runs first yr last yr class size code jewels Adj/name
----- ----- ----- -------- ------- ----- ---- ------ ------ ----------
286 354000 225 1903 1927 115 6s h3n2p 7j


Class 115: 6s HC 3/4 pend model 2
286 354000 made 7j
289 321000 made 7j gilded
295 210000 made 15j
325 18000 made 15j gilded

 

[4dcr]

Re: GOLD Pocket Watch - My Best find ever

Serial Number SN Range RunQty Name Year grade size code jewels Adj/reg/etc.
-------------- -------- ------ ---- ---- ----- ---- ------ ------ ------------
11082475 11081001 2000 1904 286 6s h3n2p 7j


grade total runs first yr last yr class size code jewels Adj/name
----- ----- ----- -------- ------- ----- ---- ------ ------ ----------
286 354000 225 1903 1927 115 6s h3n2p 7j


Class 115: 6s HC 3/4 pend model 2
286 354000 made 7j
289 321000 made 7j gilded
295 210000 made 15j
325 18000 made 15j gilded

OK the year is 1903, but what does the rest of this mean?

 

[sniffer]

Re: GOLD Pocket Watch - My Best find ever

according to what he found yours was one of 321,00 made between 1903 and 1927. it came with 7 jewels and gilded with 14k gold
congratulations

 

[4dcr]

Re: GOLD Pocket Watch - My Best find ever

according to what he found yours was one of 321,00 made between 1903 and 1927. it came with 7 jewels and gilded with 14k gold
congratulations

Thanks for the info.

Does anyone know what it might be worth?

 

[windage]

Re: GOLD Pocket Watch - My Best find ever

Hope I am not throwing cold water on you here, but "warrantied" usually means plated...gilded. It may turn out to be solid gold...but....
Nice find by any means! Congrats!

 

[4dcr]

Re: GOLD Pocket Watch - My Best find ever

Hope I am not throwing cold water on you here, but "warrantied" usually means plated...gilded. It may turn out to be solid gold...but....
Nice find by any means! Congrats!

I have Googled "warrantied" extensively and found no reference to it meaning plated...gilded.

Has anyone else ever heard this?

 

[jadeblackhawk]

Re: GOLD Pocket Watch - My Best find ever

Usually "warranted" or "guaranteed" followed by a year (10, 20 , 25 etc) meant gold filled. I think it is real. There are several similar marks on page 35 of the Complete Price Guide to Watches.

Of course, having it tested will tell you for sure. Counterfeit stamps are out there. (I've had one on a "sterling" silver watch. Wasn't so sterling after all.)

 

[West Jersey Detecting]

Re: GOLD Pocket Watch - My Best find ever

Anyone who has dug gold and gold filled know that if it comes out of the hole looking like that without needing any cleaning, it is almost certainly solid gold. If it was plated it would have started interacting with the soil.

Congratulations!

 

[ticm]

Re: GOLD Pocket Watch - My Best find ever

Anyone who has dug gold and gold filled know that if it comes out of the hole looking like that without needing any cleaning, it is almost certainly solid gold. If it was plated it would have started interacting with the soil.

Congratulations!

Yep, I agree Neil. if it were under the ground it would show decay if it were plated. I am curious as to why there is no dirt on this nice find here. Not a speck. That's why I asked if it was cleaned before the pics. I would love to dig up somthing like that.

 

[DirtDigler]

Re: GOLD Pocket Watch - My Best find ever

Hey, you can find something great the first time out. Don't need to be an expert. That's the beauty of this hobby. Congrats!

 

[4dcr]

Re: GOLD Pocket Watch - My Best find ever

Anyone who has dug gold and gold filled know that if it comes out of the hole looking like that without needing any cleaning, it is almost certainly solid gold. If it was plated it would have started interacting with the soil.

Congratulations!

Yep, I agree Neil. if it were under the ground it would show decay if it were plated. I am curious as to why there is no dirt on this nice find here. Not a speck. That's why I asked if it was cleaned before the pics. I would love to dig up somthing like that.

Yes I cleaned it before taking the pictures, but it did not take much to get it looking good just wiping of with a cloth and a can of compressed air.

 

[plymouthian12]

Re: GOLD Pocket Watch - My Best find ever

if i could only be so lucky congrats
kent

 

[4dcr]

Re: GOLD Pocket Watch - My Best find ever

I want to thank you all for the wonderful comments, I can't begin to tell you all how excited, amazed and shocked I am with this find.

I am also looking to find out what this might be worth to sell or if maybe I should have it restored and then try to sell it.

If anyone knows where I can sell it or who can restore it (for a reasonable cost) I would greatly appreciate the info.

Thanks and HH
DDos

 

[fishbone3d]

Re: GOLD Pocket Watch - My Best find ever

Here is a good definition of gilding for you.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gilding

 

[4dcr]

Re: GOLD Pocket Watch - My Best find ever

Here is a good definition of gilding for you.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gilding

I am quite sure it is Solid Gold, there is no mistaking it in this watch.

HH
DDos

 

[fishbone3d]

Re: GOLD Pocket Watch - My Best find ever

I was just answering the question on gilding . I have no reason not to believe you. I wish you good luck. The case is probably worth much more than the watch itself. Check it out on Ebay. I have a lot of Waltham cases that I have found in the past. If you could find the size of your watch, you could get a silver or silveroid case for it. The watch itself is not worth that much. They use the serial numbers on the watch and not the case. They do this because, the case quality was an option when buying these watches. Good luck on the case! Here is a Waltham case the I found last month. Keep up the hunting my friend! Very good find!

 

[curbdiggercarl57]

Re: GOLD Pocket Watch - My Best find ever

If it looks like it is trying to run, then take it to a watchmaker for repairs and you'll have an heirloom. This is an amazing find.

Cheers,


Buck

Beat me to it, get it repaired. That's a thing of beauty that should be used and appreciated.
Carl