How to Buy a Pocket Watch 101 - By Ashton-Blakey Vintage Watches 

I am going to add a couple of things, there are other comments about the inaccuracies in this video, I will add some buying advice for people buying their first pocket watch. Tip one, do not buy a low grade 7j movement like the Elgin watch he demonstrates in this video, here in the UK it costs more to service the watch than its value, buy a minimum of 15j, it is a better quality movement and there are millions of pocket watches out there. Tip two, never buy a pocket watch that has a damaged dial, chips, hairlines, you cannot get new replacement dials. Avoid Omega, masonic, suffragette, Disney dials etc, they are constantly faked. Tip three, never buy a watch with a damaged case, it is not as easy as people think to put the movement in a donor case and will cost more than the watch is worth. Tip four, do not be afraid of buying watches that do not work, quite often they just need a service or a new spring, look at the case for any damage, if the case is in good condition the movement clean and the dial undamaged then you probably have a good watch. Obviously, this is a risk that something may be broken and may be expensive to repair. Tip five, once you purchase your watch, have it serviced immediately, do not run an old watch that may have been in a drawer for over 40 years (pocket watch era finished circa 1980s), it can damage the movement. Tip six, do not use any kind of cleaning cloths on pocket watches, they can contain mild abrasives and may damage the surface. Tip seven, buy a chain, never drop a pocket watch. Tip eight, if it is your first pocket watch buy a Waltham or an Elgin, millions of them out there, you can pick them up cheap, parts are available (not dials) every horologist has worked on them throughout their career. Do not buy a Fusee pocket watch, here in the UK it is getting harder to find people to service them, parts are unavailable as well. I was quoted £450 to have a fusee serviced a few months ago $558.50 at 25/06/2020. Last tip, buy a working pocket watch, without damage, nice dial, 15j plus. There are millions of pocket watches, be patient. If you want to try a mechanical pocket watch to see if it suits you, buy something like a Smiths Empire, about £20-£25 working in the UK, then sell it on. pocketwatchdatabase.com is your friend to look at serial numbers, it will tell you everything about the movement, try searching the Elgin watch serial 7696154 in the video. There is information about cases, companies, sizes, virtually everything you need to know. Good luck and enjoy your purchase.

Excellent guidance and insight into these beautifully crafted jewels of precision timekeeping. All gentlemen must have one and it is our duty to preserve them for the next generation. American Railroad pocketwatches for example were beautifully made and are a fine examples of this art and craft!

This was a lovely guide. Thank you for making it.

1. Cases are more common in coin silver (literally, silver coins melted down) than sterling silver. 2. Men's watch sizes are typically 12, 16 and 18. Smaller watches were for young men or women. 3. low jewel movements (13 jewels and under) aren't worth the bother. Watches need to be cleaned and oiled periodically. Its not economical to have a low-jewel movement cleaned. Also, considering the pivots of the wheels are running on metal rather than in a jewel they tend to be worn. Spend the money on a fully jeweled movement (15 jewels or more), it will be worth it in the long run. 4. You are better off buying an American watch than a French/Swiss watch. American watches were made in factories and parts can still be found for them or salvaged from other watches. French/Swiss watches were frequently made as a cottage industry and so the parts tend to be non-standardized and will need to be fitted, at a significant cost. 5. Pocket watches are not modern movements. They lack anti-shock jeweling and modern alloys. You don't have to pamper they but you do need to treat them with care or you are going to break something you don't want to break.

Excellent video, very informative, thank you for taking the time to educate another pocket watch enthusiast.

helped me to no ends .. looking for my first watch.. thanks buddy

Excellent presentation, thank you 👍👍

Thankyou sooo much.... I bought my first pwatch today ... colin nz

Helpful, thanks.

Cool watch’s

I love mine.

nice pocket watch buying advices...

Thanks for a great video! Has anyone put a display case-back on their Elgin Railroad Edition pocket watch? It's such a beautiful movement. It would be nice to observe the movement in action without having to unscrew the existing, plain, case-back.

Nice video

Great

I have an antique. French regulator. Brand .pocket watch. With a. Porcelain. Dial. Do you know about them. Great video. And many thanks

I like the ELGIN MEN'S HUNTER POCKET WATCH, what is your thoughts as a first pocket watch to collect?

Not many hunters are anything other than sidewinder.In fact "sidewinder" is a term mostly for hunting movements in open face cases.

I've never commented so many times on a video. Howard ,Elgin, Boston Watch, Illinois, Waltham; etc, are devoid of correct information

You mentioned sidewinders - gotta throw out an ocd argument - a "sidewinder" *technically* is a hunting case movement in an open face case. What you were calling a "sidewinder" isn't technically right - it was just a regular hunting case movement configuration.

Ha I just went to ebay not even looking for a pocket watch and purchased a Hamilton 992B military

I noticed that you did not discuss European Made watches. I have a 29 jeweled Patek Philippe. Octagonal .95 Platinum cased watch. Rolex made some pocket watches that are of a good value to be purchased in the market today. (My Rolexes are worn on the wrist.)

which once is better??? the open case pocket watch or the once with the close cap??

Where can I safely purchase a Patek pocket watch?

Can we buy your watch online from overseas ?

It’s not a “sidewinder”, it’s a hunting case movement.

How I can buy a pocket watch that works to perfection at keeping the time.

1700s? Railway schedules in the 1700s??????

My son wants a pocket watch.

There were no trains in the 1700's to check time.

Gotta correct you on one thing. Wrist watches did exist in the 1800s. Actually the first one was made in 1810. They were quite common in the 1800s, but only worn by women, because they were marketed as bracelets. So it might be true that they started to be made for men during the 1900s, but they did exist for women throughout the entire 19th century pretty much.

Fake news at 4:00 that is gold filled. It says warranted 20 years. It is 14k GF, not solid karat gold.

Why did not address the fact t hat there would be a bit of paper inside the watch that documents the service/ calibration of the watch if it was; "Railroad"?

It’s weird that pocket watches were used to time railway schedules in the 18th century, especially since the first steam locomotive wasn’t made until the 19th century.

Thank you for video, but those lint packed gloves really made me shudder.

Man that's wrong. Pocket watches date earlier than the 1700s.

17 hundreds???? I was not aware that there were railroads in the 17 hundreds. (IMHO you have your dates SERIOUSLY wrong.)

how to buy a pocket watch 1-get some money you dont need. 2-shop everywhere. 3-try to buy a watch with certification or serviced, otherwise your buying garbage at very expensive price.

Try washing machines.

No phone here, Just a pocket watch, Also i have a good relationship with my wife.

Rust is cancer. Irl and the game.