• Graduate
    25 Jun 2018, 7:57 a.m.

    Hi there everyone - this is my first new discussion. I am an avid IWC lover and fan and have just started dabbling in the vintage space with a recent vintage Pallweber and caught the vintage bug. I absolutely love the vintage movements so much but I am admittedly not an expert and was wondering if you guys help me with a few questions: I have been offered this caseless Jones Calibre - B Pattern s/n 9369 with the crown on 3 o'clock ~43mm diameter and was wondering if any Jones expert could help here and verify that's it's authentic? I am still deciding on what to do with the movement - do I try and recase it and bring it as close as I can to what it was like, or do I convert it into a classical wrist watch. I'd be interested to get everyone's view. 

    Because I know so little, any information you have would be most welcomed. I do have a few specific questions like: 1) What Cal number do you think this JC is and what year range do you think it would be from? I had a look at some older serials and my guess was 1874-1876. 2) The signature has been damaged - I know the signatures varied a fair bit with the JCs but if anyone knows what signature is likely of the same pattern and date range would be awesome. I am not decided on whether to repair the enamel and re-do the sigature or leave it without. 3) Any examples or ideas on the pocketwatch case designs for the same pattern and year (I would love to ideally re-build it in a pocket watch casing that fits with the right pattern and era if possible). So that it can be as close of a restoration to what it should be. Thanks so much for all the help and love and sorry for the long post!! Tommy
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  • Master
    26 Jun 2018, 5:09 p.m.

    Interesting Movement 
    Hopefully one of the resident Pocket Watch experts will be able to help.....

  • Graduate
    27 Jun 2018, 2:12 a.m.

    Thanks Mark! 

  • Master
    28 Jun 2018, 10:06 p.m.

    imageshack.com/a/img924/377/nYJTwb.jpg
    I was hoping that you got answers from one of the authors of the "Jones bible", by Alan Myers, Thomas Koenig and David Seyffer.
    In this book you will find everything about the Jones pocket watches.
    The answers I give come from this book.
    1. Jones pocket watches are not given calibre numbers by Myers. They simply are called Jone calibre with the addition 'B',  'C', 'D' 'E', 'H' 'R' 'S'.
    Your guess of 1874-1876 is ok.
    2. Nearly all dials were signed International watch Co in many different styles and abbreviations.
    The city Schaffhausen was never printed on the dial.
    A few dials were lacking International Watch Co but on request signed with the name of watch retailer in New York..
    3. Not one Jones left the factory wth a case fitted by IWC. The movements produced by Jones were cased in the US as all movements were exported to the US. They got in the US an IWC stamp in the case. These cases have been removed nearly all to retrieve the 18 or 14 kt gold.
    The production by Seeland was exported exclusively to European countries, where they received a case as well outside Schaffhausen of different case makers.
    Regards,
    Adrian,
    (alwaysiwc).

  • Graduate
    29 Jun 2018, 2:22 a.m.

    Hi Adrian - thank you for your comprehensive and insightful response - much appreciated. I found the book on ebay and have ordered it - looking forward to going through the "Jones Bible". 

  • Connoisseur
    2 Jul 2018, 9:55 a.m.

    Hi,

    I only just saw your post.
    Not to worry, Adrian has summed it up nicely - I have nothing to add!

    Hope you enjoy the book.

    Best wishes,
    Alan Myers

  • Graduate
    5 Jul 2018, 10:16 a.m.

    Hi Alan, thank you for the message and excited for the Jones bible to arrive. Should arrive in a week. I do have a question seperately though, I saw a Jones Calibre pocket watch with what looks to be a silver coated brass dial and has arabic numerals rather than the traditional roman numerals. I inserted a quote from the IWC website below and wanted to see if you have ever seen a JC like this? Or whether it's a retrofitted 1900's dial on a JC because I am a little stumped - looks rather Art Deco to me but website says "most" early dials were roman numerals.

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  • Master
    6 Jul 2018, 4:17 p.m.

    Hi Tom,
    Dial and case are from post Jones era.
    Also the case has a snap on case back which does not correspond with the classic hinged cases.
    So, the buyer should realise that he only gets a Jones movement.
    Regards,
    Adrian

  • Connoisseur
    6 Jul 2018, 7:10 p.m.

    Hi,

    Again I find myself coming in late! And all I can do again is agree with Adrian.
    Case and dial are wrong. They probably are 1920's or there abouts. Hands are OK though.

    Very rarely Jones can be found with Arabic numerals, dials placed on by the retailer in America probably on demand from a customer.

    Alan