OLD Pocket watch found I Need HELP!!!

[jcobb]

I was in Houston Texas for work over the week, after work my wife and daughter went to Galveston island, she always makes fun of me for detecting but I enjoy it. I found what seemed to be a round piece of cement it has the same shape of a pocket watch. It is fully covered in sand, shells and bottle glass and has turned into cement. I work on computers in X-Ray departments so I decided to X-Ray it and turned out to be a Pocket Watch the X-Rays show all the gears and springs to be intact. I am so Excited!!! My Wife could not believe it either.... Its a nice change from digging up coins.
This was my very 1st time to detect on a beach too. Attached are my pictures. Any help in knowing how to clean it or where to take it to get cleaned would be greatly appreciated! Also how to find out maybe an age of the watch after it is cleaned. I live in the Dallas Ft. Worth area.

Semper Fi
James

 

[Noodle]

How totally NEAT!!! Wow! I don't know how to tell you to go forward from here, but if it was me, I would just start carefully chipping away at the crustacians on it. I mean, in my opinion, those things settled on the outside of it mean nothing, no value, no significance. But you've got a watch in the middle of them, so maybe someone somewhere could tell you how long it's been in the water just by what is surrounding it. You have a college or university close to you? If so, go see them before you start tearing it apart.

Bottom line is ... you will see the watch, cleaned and maybe working. guarantee it. When you do, please follow up with a before/after pic and story for us. People will be hollaring at me, but that's my two cents.

Nice find! -Noodle

 

[Metal Head]

The markings remind me of a baseball.

 

[DaChief]

Just my personal belief is that you should leave it like it is and either frame it in a shadow frame with the xray beside it or place it in a display box with the xray. The chances are that it will fall apart once extracted from the encrusted material.

I believe it is worth much more to you to show people who see it just what we are seeing. An entombed watch with the xray to prove it.

Just my thoughts!

DaChief

 

[Brett]

Just my personal belief is that you should leave it like it is and either frame it in a shadow frame with the xray beside it or place it in a display box with the xray. The chances are that it will fall apart once extracted from the encrusted material.

I believe it is worth much more to you to show people who see it just what we are seeing. An entombed watch with the xray to prove it.

That is an EXCELLENT idea!

I'm thinking a shadow box with a light box in the rear of it. The watch sits on a pedestal in the low center foreground and the xray lines the back of the shadow box, but the back of the box is just plexiglass and behind that is a light that can turn on when you push a button. Maybe white LED's, some batteries and nice easy to press arcade button on the side of the frame. The compartment for the light would have to be sealed off so the xray doesn't get any illumination before you turn on the light. Love it!

 

[BuckleBoy]

I agree with DaChief. Watches are a fairly common find in the ground--and you'll find another for sure. But one like that--that's just too cool!

It isn't gold, obviously. Probably plated--but even if it is silver, there's no saving it except maybe through electrolysis. Even that won't leave you an attractive piece though.


My vote is keep it like it is and display it with the X-ray.


-Buckleboy

 

[madmacabre]

Thats amazing , If you try cleaning it may end up falling apart. The crud could be the only thing keeping it together.

 

[CRUSADER]

Welcome from the UK. I wish I could x-ray some of my finds, you have the perfect job

Isn't it more fun to leave it as a talking piece with the x-ray pictures as proof?

I would keep it as is.