![Identifying english pocket watches](https://kumkoniak.com/75.jpg)
To identify a pair-cased watch you should identify these characteristics: an inner case which holds the actual movement of the watch, regularly a verge fusee, and an outer case which enclosed and protected the inner case. During the early to mid-18th century, it was commonplace for watches to be housed in “pair-cases”. This type of watch is one that you are fairly unlikely to run into, unless you are fortunate to have had a very old watch that has been handed down to you through the generations. There were the watch makers and there were the case manufacturers. The watch case therefore accounts for the outer protective cover, including the crystal that covers the dial too.Īn important point to note is that antique watches usually had their cases and movements made by different companies. The movement is purely what the inner workings of any pocket watch are referred to. They are of course the watch case and the watch movement. There are two vital areas to most antique pocket watches and they are pretty simple to establish. Occasionally the bezel -the round metal ring that retains the crystal- is lost, making it impossible to replace the missing glass. If you come across a movement that possesses neither a metal cover nor a crystal, then the chances are that there’s something’s missing with this particular timepiece. You will be able to notice that the open-face watch just has a “crystal” over the dial which is normally made of mineral glass. If there’s no metal cover over the dial, then this is an “open face” watch. Quite simply, if there’s a metal cover over the dial of the watch- yes, “dial” not “face”- then it is classed as a hunter-case watch. How do you define open face and hunter cased pocket watches? This is why the helpful minds at Pieces of Time decided to give you four key tips that will help you decipher the main areas to look out for when you come across a timepiece you like the look of but are unsure of in terms of value and authenticity.įind all the information to become a knowledgeable person here: To the untrained eye it can be difficult to identify the many different antique pocket watches for sale, along with the cases that accompany them. Knowing your hunter from your half-hunter: four key points in identifying different pocket watches and their cases
![Identifying english pocket watches](https://kumkoniak.com/75.jpg)