The Beginning of Antique Gold Pocket Watches

Time has always been a valued part, and now becomes a valuable element for those who collect antique gold pocket watches. 

The history of pocket watches extends back to the mid 1400′s, proven by a letter from an Italian clockmaker to a noble.  In the document, the nobleman is offered what was named as a pocket clock by the clockmaker.  A businessman of German descent was making pocket watches in 1524 in England employing a revolutionary spring technology ; clock faces that exhibited just one hand to indicate the hour now took the place of using the sun to tell the time.  Time could be guestimated inside an hour or so of the genuine time.  The minute hand was added much later on in the late 1600′s when technology advanced further ; enabling wearers of the watches to gauge time inside mins of the particular time.  As technology allowed more definitive time gauging, more gildings were added to meet a growing interest in the watches. 

Portable watches, as they were called in the early days, were first assembled of steel by blacksmiths and locksmiths as they were used to working with the amalgamate.  Over time, other more suitable substances were used instead, for example brass, silver and gold.  Jewels and delicate scroll work were added to adorn some of the watches to make them more attractive for the made.  Antique gold pocket watches, especially those with jewels, are particularly valuable for collectors due to these elaborations. 

Waltham, Elgin, Hamilton, Ball and Illinois are some of the early makers of pocket watches whose products are among those valued the highest.  All the way back to the mid 1800′s and of attractive design, many of these watches are sought after as collectibles.  Another popular collector sort of pocket watch is a series called Railroad watches.  These timepieces were employed by train engineers in crucial time keeping schedules for train arrivals and departures.  The accuracy of the watches were more precisely accurate than most, as any variance of time quicker or slower could mean sad eventualities for two trains on one track.  As with any antique, the value of the item depends on how much a buyer is willing to pay for it. 

The prize of many collectors is antique gold pocket watches, with histories that go back just about 150 years.  Regularly owned by the well to do in society, these timepieces would likely have wonderful stories if they were only ready to tell more than time.