Antique American Pocket Watches for Men

Railroad Time Parts

The first American pocket watch to gain popularity was the railroad watch. It is still considered the best American watch ever made and is highly sought after by serious collectors. It was designed to maintain the high standard of time on the railroad. The scenes depicted in the showcases depicted locomotive drivers, pastoral and village scenes, animals, birds, and other symbols of the railway industry.

Mail order

In 1896, the Waterbury Watch Company hired the Ingersol brothers Charles and Robert to produce a Dollar Watch. This item sold widely via mail order for $ 1.00 and quickly gained popularity. Although Dollar Watch production has ceased, it represents a milestone in the timekeeping industry.

The 1890s marked the height of popularity for men’s and women’s pocket watches. Men’s watches were distinguished by elaborate relief illustrations of animals and pastoral scenes, nautical images, and hunting scenes. Major railroad watch manufacturers included the Elgin, Hampden, and Waltham companies.

Watch catalog

Sears and Roebuck offered a variety of pocket watches through their catalog. They used American-made watch movements that helped make their watches affordable for the average working person. They also introduced a solid sterling silver case.

Effects of the First World War

After World War I, the wristwatch replaced the pocket watch. The wristwatch was more practical to wear and allowed the user to check the time quickly and easily. It wasn’t until the 1970s that collectors began to recognize the many interesting and valuable features of the success of the first mass-produced pocket watches.