When you are in the market for the best vintage railroad pocket watch available, something noteworthy is that they have only every been manufactured in the USA, and have had particular standards that had to be met. The size of the movement also needs to be paid particular attention to. The size of the watch’s movement is determined by measuring the dial across the centre and then through to the point where it is the narrowest. The standards set by the railways meant that the watch was required to meet size 18 or 15.227 mm precisely. A larger size of 16 or 16.919 mm came into force in the 30’s.
The timepieces also became open faced rather than contained in elegant hinged cases, and Arabic numerals replaced the classic Roman numerals. Each watch had at least 17 gems in its mechanism. Each watch has to be capable of being set to five different positions: face up, face down, crown up, crown down, and sideways. Each railroad pocket watch was intended to keep time to within 30 seconds of the week. They have to be able to adapt for a temperature range of 34 to 100 degrees Fahrenheit as well. These were required, and because of these criteria and regulations, these railroad antique pocket watches were unrivalled at the time of their production.
The railway business had a tremendous development surge, and American watchmakers were forced to respond to the challenge of producing increasingly accurate timepieces, often exceeding the railways’ own standards and requirements. Keep in mind that railroads were not only the major form of transportation in the 1800s, but they also transported precious items for trade and industry. One of the main reasons why classic conductor train timepieces, now known as antique pocket watches, were so important was because of this.
However, punctuality was not the only issue at hand. The timepieces have to be precise in order to avoid any mishaps. Every day, there were hundreds of trains to oversee, all of which had to run on schedule. Accidents might occur if the correct time was not kept. When tracks were turned on at a certain moment, for example, if times were off, they may clash, therefore accuracy was essential.
One noteworthy crash happened in Kipton, Ohio in 1891, and was caused by the conductor’s watch being 4 minutes late. This was the occurrence that caused the government to create railroad pocket watch standards. The Waltham Watch Company was the first to comply with the railways’ standards, but they were rapidly followed by all of the major watchmaking businesses that we are acquainted with today. Illinois, Elgin, and Hamilton are among them. These are the vintage pocket watches with several jewels and at least six adjustable settings instead of the customary five that are the most sought after by collectors and have the highest value.
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