Westclox Silent Film

[n2ize]

Over the past year or so I began collecting vintage and antique pocket watches. I have amassed a fair collection of watches. But it goes beyond just collecting. Since most of them still run I have been putting them to practical use and have been using them as timepieces. There is something cool about carrying 60+ year old watch complete with chain and fob It's a bit of practical and functional old tech in today's high tech world. The watches I have collected (and carry and use) range from low end watches (they were called "dollar watches" back in their day) because they were low priced, contained no jewels and often when they broke down many people just bought new ones rather than have them repaired. They were sold under brand names such as Westclox (La'Salle Illonois), Ingersoll (i.e. the famous "Ingersoll Buck"), and Ingraham (made in Bristol Connecticut). I also have some high end watches made by Waltham (who has one of the biggest watch factories in the country located in Massachusettes... the building still stands). Hamilton and a couple of high end watches made in England. I also have an old key wind type watch that dates back to the 1850's and still runs, although it is very rare that I carry or use it.

Surprisingly, of all the pocket watches in my collection the ones that seem to keep the most accurate and precise time are my Westclox "Pocket Bens". They seem to neither gain nor lose time, even when run over a 24 to 48 hour continuous period. Not bad for a watch that was made in the 1940's and was designed to be inexpensive and contains no jewels. In fact it's rather impressive.

In any event I found this interesting silent film tour of the Westclox watch factory in Peru/Lasalle Illinois. It was made in the 1920's or perhaps even earlier. It highlights the production of the manufacture of Westclox watches and clocks during the days when the factory was state of the art and in it's prime. Sadly, the factory was eventually closed and abandoned and a part of the factory was destroyed by arsonists. However I think the main part of the factory still stands, including the grand entrance. Perhaps some of you who live out that way may have some info about the current condition and status of what remains of this historic factory. Perhaps some of you knew people who once worked there.

In any event here is the film...


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4NfJGDZc0sE

[HUGH]

American clock and watch makers had the sensible idea of making clocks and watches affordable to people whereas the British tended to continue serving the more exclusive and well-to-do customers until it was almost too late. Clocks by US makers are collectable and often easily repairable. I used to repair clocks but never had the eyesight or equipment to deal with watches.

My school watch was in Ingersoll. I didn't treat it kindly which annoyed my Dad, but still had a few years use out of it.

[n2ize]

American clock and watch makers had the sensible idea of making clocks and watches affordable to people whereas the British tended to continue serving the more exclusive and well-to-do customers until it was almost too late.

This was also true of many of the European watch makers. Most of the watches were hand made in small volume and thus were high end and quite pricey... mainly a luxury for those who were well off. Waltham was one of the first US based companies to start producing factory made watched, although Waltham produced watches that were of finer quality and much more pricey than the lower cost "dollar" watches (I used to call them "drugstore watches) such as the Westclox, Ingersoll's, etc. Even today you can find working Ingersoll's, Westclox "Pocket Ben's" and Ingraham's on Ebay in the $20.00 - $30.00 price range. Not long ago I got a very beautiful 1949 Ingraham "Viceroy" in mint condition in it's original box with original instructions and warranty for about $26.00. It runs perfectly. I also got a 1947 made Westclox "Pocket Ben" in the original box for around the same price. Walthams and Elgins , well, they cost a lot more. The watch factories in the US were huge, designed to bring in the raw materials at one end and send out the finished product at the other end.



Clocks by US makers are collectable and often easily repairable. I used to repair clocks but never had the eyesight or equipment to deal with watches.


Yes, many of the US made clocks are available and not all that hard to clean and fix. But be careful if they have luminous radium dials. Although the watches barely glow anymore the radium is still very active. I fixed a few pocket watches but I don;t know if I can deal with fixing wrist watches. Too tiny.



My school watch was in Ingersoll. I didn't treat it kindly which annoyed my Dad, but still had a few years use out of it.

A lot of those dollar watches, like the Ingersoll's, Westclox's could take quite a beating. They were inexpensive for their day, but they were strong and not as fragile as some of their finer, expensive, and more precision counterparts. I've dropped a few of my "pocket bens" accidentally and they are still ticking and keep perfect time. Not bad for watches between 65-70 years old.

The history of pocket watches is interesting. They date back to the 1400's and 1500's. In those days the gear train was directly driven via the mainspring and as the spring unwound the torque dropped and the watch slowed. In those days an "accurate" watch lost at least 2 hours per day. An interesting way around this problem was the development of the fusee & chain watch. The fusee was a conical shaped spindle. When the watch was wound (with a key) the chain was wound around a drum which also wound the mainspring. As the watch ran the chain would wind around the conical fusee driven by the mainspring. The idea of the fusee was to compensate for the reduction in torque which was linearly related to the spring tension. The fusee watch was a big improvement and made the watches much more accurate. I am in the market for an antique fusee watch. I found an English made fusee watch dating back to the 1830's but it's price was a bit more than I could spend at the time. But I am keeping my eyes open and eventually I'll find one to add to the collection.