VINTAGE AMERICANA WATCH RESTORATION 

My great grandfather was a Swiss watchmaker. When he came to America, he went to work for Waltham Watch Co. I have a box (3 generations) of misc Waltham watch parts that has been handed down and the history written on the box to include springs, screws etc. now I’ll have to go back and inventory. I’ll send pics.

Wow, this takes me back. Grew up a few blocks from the Elgin National Watch factory and after high school worked for a while as a decaser at a Waltham repair facility in Elgin too.

What a beautiful watch and restoration. I'm always in awe with your workmanship and historical narrative during the filming of your work. Everything you do is above notch and superb. Love it all..! Kudos to you..!

A real joy to watch your work as well as a little history lesson on Waltham.

I live in Northampton Massachusetts and have always desired to own a Waltham Watch. I actually have an old American Wadsworth wrist watch from the 1940s that I would love to have cleaned and serviced with the original radium Lume entirely removed professionally. It has an Elgin movement. I would pay exactly what you require to have that done.

Love the videos , always appreciate your words of wisdom at the end . I actually live in Massachusetts and have been to Waltham many times . I never knew that they used to make watches there . Sadly the entire northeast is loaded with mills and businesses that have long since closed down or been shipped over seas . It’s really a shame , American made is all but a thing of the past . It’s hard to find anything that is completely American made of all American parts . Where did we all go wrong ? The simple answer , greed .

Thank you for the history lesson, I'm sure I'm not the only one who found it very interesting. It would be interesting to see a restoration of a fully U.S. production and how quality compares with a Swiss movement. Thanks again.

Comments and history lessons are awesome. The rest is a bonus . Love it.

Your Waltham watch repair triggered a long forgotten memory. When I was a young teenager, my Dad came home one evening with his broken Waltham watch in one hand and a new Twist-O-Flex band in the other. I replaced the broken band for him and I still remember how much I admired that watch. Thanks for the memory.

I am always impressed with the level of detail Nekkid puts into each and every repair and restoration he does. I am also taken by his comments and speeches; something that I do not get with other watch repair and restoration channels. For me, this is my only go-to watch channel, and it is also one that I wait patiently to see new videos; I can't wait to see the next project here.

I own a 1902 Waltham and it's beautiful. It has a porcelain face and enameled numbers. I enjoyed the history lesson

I have a waltham 845 railroad pocket watch. my great great grandfather bought it in 1907. It is the most beautiful watch i have ever seen when you take the back off. It needs a crystal and a service. One day i will finally get it repaired.

I really enjoyed seeing this classic beauty being restored and brought back to life. You just can't beat the look of a vintage watch. This watch comes from a time when watches were simple and understated. A watch should never have more charisma then the person wearing it. Your history on the the swiss and American watch companies was facinating.

Just a simple elegant watch.. perfect pairing with that strap... gorgeous

Among the many watches I inherited from my grandfather was a Chronograph that was made by Hallmark. From my limited research, Hallmark was actually owned by Waltham when the watch was made (1950's I believe). It's a beautiful watch, but missing the pushers. I would love to get it repaired and running again some day. Thank you as always for the video!! Cheers

I am glad that you mentioned "right to repair" on your channel.

Joe, I was born in Chicago, but raised in the burbs. We lived in a small town east of Elgin, Illinois, in fact Elgin is where all the schools located I attended. We had a neighbor who worked at the Elgin Watch Co. and my Dad bought an Elgin Sportsman watch from him around 1957 or 58 I think. The watch company moved to Blaney, South Carolina sometime in the early 60's and I remember Blaney renamed their town to Elgin. I so enjoy the history you provide in your episodes. I'm watching this episode on Sunday which is Father's Day in the states, so Happy Father's day to you.

I have a waltham wrist watch from 1960 that my grandfather was given by the fire dept he worked for. Its got an fhf 905. After a little adjustment it keeps excellent time and I still wear it every day. Just need to get a new glass for it now.

Well done Joe.. this one looks a bit like my Dad's Omega that he gave me before he passed.. God bless you and the family. Frank in Colorado

The beautiful watch restorations are not the only reason I'm subscribed to you. The history and inspirational commentary at the end keep me here

Waltham went through a lot of owners and in 1957 they were bought out by Hallmark Watch company in Chicago who then changed it's name to Waltham. In 1962 Waltham opened a new factory in Neuchatel, Switzerland and made parts there. They bought Elgin and Benrus and in 1968 sold out to Invicta of Switzerland. They moved the headquarters to Chicago and by 1975 Waltham was the third largest watch company in America.

I'm restoring a Waltham pocket watch, 18s 7 jewel. Budding entuisiest!

Very nice watch & the story behind the Waltham watch co. I live in Waltham Ma.I remember as a kid playing in the old watch factory, it’s sad they closed it down & built condos in the space.I found a WM Ellery pocket watch when I was a kid I still have it but it’s broken, I’m trying to find someone to repair it. Cheers from America👍👍🇺🇸👨🏻‍🦯

Beautiful restoration as always! A post-war (late 40's/50's) era Elgin watch restoration would be awesome.

I have a Waltham pocketwatch that belonged to my great grandfather, the serial number dates back to 1863. I love that watch.

I learned alot from this. I live not far rom Waltham Massachusetts. Never knew that they had a watch facility at one time until i saw this. Please keep safe, blessings to you and your family

Another Awesome Video My Friend! Beautiful Finished Project with Expert Hands in Charge of the Restoration. Thank You and God Bless

Thanks for doing this one. I live in Lancaster, Pennsylvania... right next to the old Hamilton watch factory.

The old Waltham watch factory was quite a piece of History. Great vidio.

Your brother's music is beautiful and adds a lot. How fortunate you are.

I can remember my Dad telling me a story when he was in the military in the late 50s and early 60s . The Swiss sent a very small screw to the USA and said top that so they tapped it and put a screw in the top of the Swiss screw and said there you go!

i think these are some of the best affordable vintage watches you can buy. I was looking for a mechanical watch and stumbeled across a waltham from the 70's, it's great, only payed 120 € for it

What a joy watching you restore a beautiful timepiece and getting a bit of history to boot. Thank you for your amazing content!

Ok Joe, very glad you have a Silent channel but I follow your channel because of the noise. Noise, hummm well it's Inspirational ( you could go on the road you know, like giving inspirational talk), meditative, (fell a sleep once watching, not your fault) and of course instructive. DON'T GO ON THE ROAD, we would miss you. All the best to you.

What a beautiful story told with sheer emotion and perfection. One of the best RU-vid channel I've ever come across.

Interesting restoration! I own a 1960’s vintage Waltham wristwatch that was given to me for my 16th birthday, I believe. I haven’t worn it in years as the crown is so worn it’s like a little round ball and the crystal is cracked. I’m certain it needs a service although it does still run if I wind it a little. I’d love to have it fixed and running again. It’s not a fancy watch nor self winding, thus the wear on the crown. Anyway, I enjoyed the video and am newly subscribed.

Great restoration, as always. Absolutely LOVE the dial on this watch. I live relatively close to the old Waltham factory. Didn't know much about the company history, though, so this video was very interesting & informative.

The railroad grade American pocket watches were outstanding pieces of work.

Happy Father's Day from right near Waltham, Massachusetts!

I love Seiko's automatic pawl .. think it's genius actually. It's not a surprise it's still around.

What a great video! Really love hearing the history. I had no awareness about the shift in the industry. All my life, "Swiss" meant the highest precision and quality.

My favorite channel on RU-vid. Always taken aback by your humbleness when you have such talent. Thank you for giving us all something to look forward to.

Thank you for doing this beautiful restoration of an American brand. I am originally from Canada, but Waltham was a well known brand there when I was growing up.

A half-hour very well spent. Nice job. Keep up the good work

Thanks for thinking of us Yanks, Enjoyed the video. Well done! I live 90 minutes, west down the Pennsylvania Turnpike from the old Hamilton Watch Complex in Lancaster, PA. I mention that, not only as a matter of pride, but as a matter of reality in the number of pocket watches from the brand that pass over my bench. Whether it be in pocket watch or wristwatch form, that is a brand worth featuring in the future. They made some of the most iconic, precise, well-known models in their day, The 992B Railroad Watch has a devout following and many of your viewers may be quite familiar with it. In any event, thanks for what you do.

In the 1950s, Waltham, reeling from the aforementioned bankruptcy, tried to make a go of it by opening an office in NYC and importing Swiss movements. They called these new brand of watches _Hallmark_ If you see a watch with the name Hallmark on the dial, no, it is not related to the greeting card company, but is a Waltham. They are nice watches and came in all varieties. I have an automatic with an AS1580 movement, 17 jewel, and a cool dial, runs like a top. It has Waltham written on the rotor. The case was made by Id, who also made cases for Rolex back in the day. Picked it up for $10 with the original case. So, keep an eye out. Collectors have not yet noticed them so they can be found for very low prices.

I have a silver cased Waltham pocket watch that belonged to my father who recently passed away. Don't know the age as I haven't opened it up yet but it still runs. Does need a service though.

From Wikipedia. This watch was made in Japan from the 80s or later. "As a result of the quartz crisis, SGT terminated operations in 1981. The rights to the names of the various SGT brands were sold individually.[101] The Waltham brand name was purchased by the Japanese firm Heiwado & Co. and soon emerged as one of the most popular brands in Japan.[102] In 2011 a majority stake in Waltham International SA was sold to Italian-American entrepreneur Antonio DiBenedetto.[102]"

Well another lesson learned, this is just one reason why this channel is so special, not only do you get to watch a restoration taking place before your eyes, you get the benefit of being educated in the watch industry history. Another great video brother, Thank you 🙏🏻

I was digging through my box-o-watches the other day and saw this Waltham. Don't recall how I got it, but decided to service it. Immediately upon opening, I was confused. Like no other Waltham I had worked on. Having done a few Seikos, I was sure there was a connection. Anyway, I serviced it and posted on the WRT forum...asking about the unmarked movement. Somebody pointed me here. Yup...that's the same movement.

Besides the skillful repair/restorations you do, your eye for matching something seemingly minor as a band makes for an outstanding finish.

I love 20.07 to the end. Nice words.

I really admire how you by looking at the pieces, understand the logic of how a machinery you haven’t seen before works. I’ll buy a hat to tip it for you, my friend... ❤️

Well, that half hour absolutely flew by..........your vlogs are strangely mesmerising. Excellent, thank you!

There's nothing like watching your informative and entertaining videos after coming home tired from work. 👍

Loved the vid as always must say the watch looked minimalist but with a very elegant charm ....

Not only did we watch another great video on a servicing, but learned that there was an American watch industry. Thank you!

I really enjoyed the back story on Waltham - it added a lot of interest to the video. Great job on the restoration as well.

It is very relaxing to watch you work and listen to the commentary. There is always something to learn.

We watch tinkerers are perhaps more aware of time than some others, realizing that life is far too short for war. Well done again and thank you.

Superb restoration. Really awesome video. I too have a Waltham Military Pocket watch which is still working. I have a beautiful Elgin pocket watch also, but the mainspring is broken and I have kept it aside for repairs. I have a lovely Hamilton watch which is made in USA. But pallet fork is damaged and that too is kept for repairs. Many American companies which were in the top is no more. One company which comes to my mind is Sheaffers. They made such marvelous pens, but the factory in USA is closed and AT Cross has bought the company and make rubbish pens from China. This is the sad part of American industry. One moment top of the world, the next moment in the dumps.

Fun fact I was born and raised in Waltham mass! And I have a couple of Waltham time pieces

Two talents , a watch maker extraordinaire and a gifted musician combined to give great viewing pleasure 😊

Thank you for the history lesson. It is a shame that we no longer have large watch factories in America but we allowed this to get away from us just like a lot of other companies.SAD. Thank you.

Just some feedback from a stranger - I love your videos but your comments are the cherry of the cake, I will never even want to watch a video of yours without your comments. It is like driving a silent Ferrari, just doesn't feel right.

great restoration as always, along with the history and information that enhances your work. You are the best restorer on you tube.

Thank you, . I find your videos not only informative but very relaxing to watch. Keep them coming

Awesome craftsmanship done with love! ❤️

Thank you for this video, you sparked my interest in american watches. I'll keep my eyes open for something that fits me. Waltham still exists, technically. There is a Walham International SA, based in switzerland. The company is a branch and its purpose was to import parts that Waltham couldnt produce in the US, from switzerland back to the factory. They still make and sell watches. Waltham itself stopped producing watches inside the US in 57 and started manufacturing precision instruments, such as aircraft clocks. Or electronic parts for the car industry. The swiss, bought them during the late 60s and they kept making watches, with chinese cases and swiss movements. During the Quartz crisis, the conglomerate they belonged to, went under and they were "free". From what I could find out, they still produce aircraft clocks.

Again. Beautiful story and sweet work. Thank you.

It’s always such a joy to watch you work. Which is a rare attribute among craftsmen. And I think the same could be said no matter if you’re fixing watches or solving jigsaw puzzles…

Great restoration as always Joe. I’m from this area and I never knew that Waltham was the home of these watches……go figure. I really enjoyed the history overview as well. Thanks so much; Peace ☮️

I had the same watch. When I went to sell it I called it a "Waltham Watch with a Seiko Movement". Folks gave me a hard time for labeling it that way. Not sure why, that is was it was!

Another fantastic restoration and a bit of history as well what a nice way to spend half an hour on a rainy Sunday afternoon, Thank You.

I see you have containers of various watch parts, I remember as a young lad, my father was into making paperweights out of clear epoxy resin, and would embed all manner of things within, my favourite was watch parts!

I didn't know much about the American watch industry. Its rather sad. I am a Timex fan (older stuff) as they where super cheap and reliable, i also have a Waltham pocket watch movement waiting for me when i visit my 'rents in England. Thanks for the lesson Joe. Great stuff.

I only watch this channel to listen to your voice and the worldly advice that's given. Keep up the good work!

you keep waving your watch hand wands and producing magic, just love the whole story... keep on keepin' on, best thing on the tube for me....

Timex was my first watch. It only lasted two years. My next watch was a Bulova Accutron. I wore it for many years but it too stopped working. Wish I had kept it

Thank you for never failing to make me smile every time I watch!😁

Wonderful video and a good perspective on globalisation. I loved it. I hope to get to learn more about the globe and help everyone on now that I'm on the other side of the great reboot.

Beautiful dial, hands, great watch! I love vintage watches.

Brilliant. Plus at the end IMO you cannot beat a simple stylish watch when dressed up. Thanks Joe.

Thank you to share your culture about watch !! 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻

I've a Waltham pocket watch, that may well be my 1st attempt at a service, here's hoping it goes better than yours did Joe

“Sharoooon, this bloody bat tastes saltyyy!” You killed me... 😂😂😂😂😂

i completely LOST IT at the ozzy osbourne bit

Another simply superb video, thank you 🙏

Good afternoon my precious brother I hope you and the family are keeping healthy and being prosperous. Is Mr Troubles doing well?

Totally agree about how sad the decline of the US watch industry is. I do like a nice old Hamilton, Bulova or later on, Amitron. Another great video - loving the narration on the history of the brands you often include too - adds extra perspective - keep ‘em coming!

As a Seiko fan and someone who is interested in the history I enjoyed this one. An unusual watch with bags of character and a tale to tell - much like yourself :)

That turned out to be an absolute stunning watch. I love simplicity!

Greetings Nekkid , another great video ! , blessings to you , the accountant and most of all, Trouble 😍...lol ... i used to live in Waltham Forrest😃

Your voice and beautiful accent is the ASMR for me. So I’ll stick to this channel Joe😉

Beautiful job brother! I’ve been to Waltham MA. Nice place. I also have a 6s pocket watch. It’s dated to 1904 if I remember correctly. I love for you to play with it, but alas it would cost a million dollars to send it to you! 😂

The Egyptian dance in the reflection. You are on a roll... 😂😂😂😂😂

Beautiful restoration!

Wirklich eine schlichte Schönheit, perfektes lederband wurde gewählt wie ich finde. Dankeschön

Great job; that dial is really lovely. [Side note: Waltham also made watches for the US military. I was never issued one (not a navigator), but I knew some older Navs who still had their old Walthams. I think they were hand wound (not self-winding).]

Mint restoration !! Very nice straightforward Seiko movement and so funny to work on !! Thanks for sharing and for historical comments, that made always very interesting to listen !!