Waterbury Watch Co. Series J Pocket Watch
Record status
Individual type · partial
Period
circa 1890
This gents pocket watch, registered under number ST 23767, was manufactured by the Waterbury Watch Co. of Waterbury, Connecticut, circa 1890. It belongs to the Series J line, which was produced by the company between 1888 and the mid-1890s.
The watch features a metal case and a white enamel dial, which is marked "Waterbury" and includes black Arabic numerals for the hours alongside an outer track of five-minute intervals. A small sub-dial is positioned at the 6 o'clock mark for seconds. The movement is a stem-and-button wound design incorporating a duplex escapement with a speed regulation scale. The object was acquired by the museum via a donation from F.
Schafer in 1954. Note that the watch currently lacks its hands and the back of its case is missing. The inner works cover is stamped with identification marks.
Evidence at a glance
- Linked sources
- 1
- Photograph views
- 1
- Catalogue references
- 0
Counts describe this entry’s documentation, not authenticity, rarity or completeness. Photographs may show one specimen; check each caption and licence.
Technical characteristics
- Date
- circa 1890
- Type
- Open-face watch
- Maker
- Waterbury Watch Co
- Series
- Series J
- Escapement
- Duplex escapement
- Place recorded
- United States
- Dial Inscription
- Waterbury
- Maker / attribution
- Waterbury Watch Co
- Registration Number
- ST 23767
- Country of Manufacture
- United States of America
- Works Cover Inscription
- The Waterbury Watch Co., Patented, Series J
Design
- Visible features
- • White enamel dial with Arabic numerals and a peripheral 60-minute scale • Stem and button winding mechanism • Missing hour, minute, and seconds hands • Absence of the rear case cover
- Movement and Mechanism
- The watch is powered by a stem and button wound spring mechanism. It utilizes a duplex escapement to regulate the timekeeping. A scale is provided for adjusting the rate of the watch, designated as fast to slow. Internal markings identify the specific manufacturing series. The works cover is stamped with the inscription: "The Waterbury Watch Co., Patented, Series J".
- Case and Dial Construction
- The object is a gents pocket watch featuring a metal case construction. The white enamel dial is marked with the name "Waterbury" and features black Arabic numerals for the primary hour indications. A secondary sequence of numerals marks the 5-minute intervals from 5 to 60 around the perimeter of the dial. There is a small seconds sub-dial positioned at the 6 o'clock location. The physical integrity of the piece is compromised, as both the hour and minute hands are absent from the center arbor, and the seconds hand at the 6 o'clock position is also missing. Furthermore, the back portion of the metal case is no longer present, exposing the movement mechanism within.
- Provenance and Documentation
- The watch was acquired by the museum collection through a donation from F. Schafer on October 6, 1954. It is documented as a Series J pocket watch produced by the Waterbury Watch Co., which was based in Waterbury, Connecticut. The Series J line was manufactured over a specific period spanning from 1888 until the mid-1890s.
Identification
- Reference
- Series J
- Source note
- Facts transcribed from the linked source listing or collection record. Attribution and specifications are source-reported and have not been independently authenticated.
Catalogue references
No catalogue numbers recorded. Numbers are only published once transcribed from a verified edition of a standard catalogue — they are never inferred.
Research required
- Research required: The watch is listed with significant missing components, including all dial hands and the case back
- Research required: The manufacturing date is provided as an approximation of the Series J production window