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VIRTUAL POCKET WATCH MUSEUM DAY 69, Seeland, cal 25

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    Moderator
    29 May 2020, 4:31 p.m.
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    As some of you know, I am collecting pocketwatches, IWC only.

    Far from saying that my collection is a museum collection but I am proud to
    have found some nice and rare pieces over time.

    Some of the pocketwatches are common, easy to find on the market, sometimes in
    better condition than mine, but some I have are gems.

    So in these crazy times, as the museum in Schaffhausen is closed, why not open
    one here on the forum.

    As long as the museum is closed, I will post here daily a pocketwatch from my
    collection.

    I hope I don't run out of pieces before the virus is beaten. Fingers crossed
    for all of us.

    I will post them in a random order, with some comments, feel free to join.

    Keep safe all.

    DAY 69, Seeland, cal 25

    Today a pocketwatch from the dark ages for IWC the 1880's. Not much is told
    yet about that period and sources are limited for the momen to find
    information.

    I am not an expert on these Seelands, but I believe that I present here a cal
    25. As you see it is bigger than the cal 24 watches I showed before.

    Known to be watches that were made in an effort to sell more and cheaper
    watches, you see that not a lot of effort went in decorating the movements,
    were on the calibres 24 the balance bridge got some decoration, here on the 25
    nothing fancy to see, except for the the company name.

    It comes in a silver case, is key wound as the other Seelands I showed before
    in our virtual museum.

    For those doing some research on these watches, case nr is 3918 and cal number
    is 36943.

    about 42mm

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    Master
    29 May 2020, 4:31 p.m.
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    Ahhh, the dark ages. So little was known about the watches from this period.
    Over the years here, I recall the passionate discussions over the years about
    these movements.

    [On Day 54](/t/virtual-pocket-watch-museum-

    day-54-cal-24-seeland/31875/post/280275/)I posted the following picture when
    writting about the pocket watch pictured here on the right - namely, the LMS
    labelled watch here below on the right.

    The Watch

    Today, to compliment Tonny's drark ages pocket watch case, we will visit the
    watch in the middle in the picture above. A Cal. 24

    So no LMS on the dial, nor International Watch Co. logo - but if you catch the
    hands in the correct light the blue steel color pops out.

    And as Tonny writes, unlike the C.25 the balance cock here is finely decorated
    (hand engraving).

    the movement in it's entirety shows off it's blue screws too.

    Interesting to note, that when looking at the movement serial numbers, only
    8,566 movements seperate this Cal. 24 from Tonny's Cal. 25 as you see below.

    However, when it comes to the actual watch (case) serial numbers, it's a whole
    different story.

    with only 45
    units seperating the two watches as you see above here.

    I simply cannot wait for the wise men to publish the book, so these secrets
    can be revealed!!!!!

    Now, one only wonders what lies below the back cover of the watch next to
    it....

    But that folks, is a a post for another day!

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    Master
    29 May 2020, 7:44 p.m.
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    Alan Myers has recently published an extensive article on the full plate
    watches made by many Swiss manufacturers after the great success of the
    Waltham watch factory Boston USA.. Waltham had launched a full plate watch in
    1857, which turned out to become a world success. It was machine made and very
    cheap to produce. Of course this meant that the quality could not be compared
    to the three quarter plate calibre Jones watches. Soon this watch, because it
    was produced in Boston was called a 'Boston watch'. Swiss watch manufacturers
    who had visited the World Exhibition of Philadelphia saw there the Boston
    watches and because the watch market in the US and Europe was declining, they
    decided to make copies of the Waltham product. However, the Boston watch was
    not a Waltham invention but a British one. Nothing from the movement is seen,
    except the balance wheel and spring. In fact, F.F.Seeland did what the others
    also did : clone the Waltham Boston watch. Nearly all IWC collector call the
    full plate clones Seeland watch or calibre, which is in fact too much
    honour......

    Adrian,

    (alwaysiwc).