🥇 BANNER Solid Gold Watch With Family Connection!

[staninbji]

I was detecting in a small park in Bangor, Maine the other day and got a very deep quarter signal. So imagine my surprise when this pops out!

A ladies' gold watch with the initials "RWT". After getting it home, cleaning it up and managing to pry the back off of it, the owner's name was revealed: "Ruth W. Thomas" Then under the back cap, the serial number indicates that this watch was made in 1896. Using this data and a genealogy site, I found her! She was born near here in 1873 and was living in Bangor when she got married in 1899. Just as a curiosity, I decided to see if there was any connection between us.

Keep in mind that I'm from Minnesota, but my mother's side of the family was from Maine and colonial Massachusetts. It turns out that she was a distant cousin of my great-grandfather! She never had any children so I'm inclined to think that it's mine to keep. I didn't know it at the time, but I made an awesome discovery and a relic return at the same time! Thanks for looking and HH!!!

 

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[West Jersey Detecting]

I was up there at the end of July and saw a dude detecting by the public library. Was that you? lol

 

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[BLK HOLE]

That is so cool!!

 

[staninbji]

I was up there at the end of July and saw a dude detecting by the public library. Was that you? lol

Yep, that was me! Found the watch on July 26th. ��

 

[West Jersey Detecting]

Too funny! What a coincidence. I was going to go over but my wife gave me the eye roll.

 

[washingtonian]

Super cool. Somehow I missed this post the first time around. 1st great find was the watch and the second was the family research. Well done!!

 

[gwcracker]

Would love to see it after cleaning the green off. Solid gold is really beautiful.
What Karat is marked?

What karat is the solid gold marked?

gw

 

[Relicific]

Incredible find
Congrats

 

[staninbji]

What karat is the solid gold marked?

gw

Can't find a mint mark but here's a pic. The spots that look like it's bubbled are where I rubbed from the outside with a bamboo skewer to remove some"tarnish". I didn't know that I was doing any damage until I was able to get the back off. Does that mean it's only gold plated? I once found a really old wedding band stamped 10K that had the same stuff on it. Tell me what you think!

 

[Wildcat1750]

What an astounding and unexpected tangible connection for you back into your family’s past! Congratulations on Banner!

 

[staninbji]

What an astounding and unexpected tangible connection for you back into your family’s past! Congratulations on Banner!

Thanks, Wildcat! HH!!!

 

[XLV]

What the face of the watch look like Roman numerals ? what company made the watch ? Is that hunter case marked 18k ? I had one that was similar made in that time period the time piece had roman numerals

 

[ANTIQUARIAN]

That was an amazing find with an even better story to go along with it!

Congratulations on achieving your first BANNER on Tnet Stan!

Dave

 

[staninbji]

What the face of the watch look like Roman numerals ? what company made the watch ? Is that hunter case marked 18k ? I had one that was similar made in that time period the time piece had roman numerals

Yep, Roman numerals and it was made by the Elgin watch company. Thanks for the like and HH!

 

[staninbji]

That was an amazing find with an even better story to go along with it!

Congratulations on achieving your first BANNER on Tnet Stan!

Dave

Thanks, Dave! HH!!!

 

[against the wind]

Incredible find,,
Congratulations

 

[R_Arn15]

beautiful watch!

 

[geo4472]

Super-cool find

 

[JerryH]

Congrats! thats awesome!!!

 

[HI-McDunnogh]

Man...awesome find, awesome story..congrats!

 

[cannonball]

Very cool find and story!! Congratulations