I see my Pallweber from last night gave Tonny the idea to post during this
last week, the last of his Pallweber digital timespieces.
So, who am I to argue? (albeit that I feel that I need to have a wee little
chat to our Moderator, to ensure that we can end the week, at least on a
highnote and some real handsome or beautiful pocket watches.
The Watch
Over the last 3 months, those of you that have followed the Virtual Museum,
have probably noticed my passion for trying to save some of these 100 plus
year old timepieces. Often, one needs to weigh up carefully the pro's and
con's of wether to attempt a restoration or even just service an existing
pocket watch, based on it's intrinsic value. So it is, that within my
collection there are some watches (I cannot tell a lie - not too many) that
are not on the list awaiting service or restoration, yet remain awaiting the
right donor movement to come along so as to make the restoration feasible (you
may also read this as : Affordable) at which time they probably would become a
project.
Yet at other times, I see a watch and just know it needs to be rescued. It
simply cannot be left to be finally smelted done just for the value of a
silver (or even gold) case, by some speculator who has no feeling or
understanding of the Probus Scafusia seal, or the rich heritage of IWC.
The watch I share with you tonight, to compliment Tonny's post of a Pallweber,
is exactly such a timepiece - one, I simply could not leave to die a
misserable death out there. Here she is as I found her.
Clearly a Pallweber and one in distress. The state of the dial leaves nothing
to the imagination, and to add insult to injury she is missing her bow loop.
Her crown, remains without a bow.
And if that was not bad enough.... just look what abuse she suffered when that
bow was removed (probably by the look of things in a brutal grab and stash hit
on the owner, where the watch was pulled off the poor owners chain, attached
to his waistcoat.)
and the other side of her neck, is even worse!
No ways is this then, a simple " lets just replace the bow ring " and we are
done project!
But all the above doubt rapidly faded in importance to me, when I saw the
movement ....with
that distictive (and unique to IWC Pallweber) Y shaped bridge. No ways could
we let this one go.
Now, I know that it does not look all that great but I also know that our good
Hungarian friend Aron would demand to see the underside of the dial.
And I am very sure he will probably jump in here and help identify exactly
which Pallweber type movement this is - and I also know that if needed, he can
get this movement restored and running like clockwork again.
But, the first thing was to weigh up the pro's and con's. Is the watch
genuine, and did this movement leave Schaffhausen in that case.
And indeed it did, as this watch was sold 16th January 1886 to Weil and
Harburg in London.
Now, she needs to be saved. But she has been drawn and quarted (judging by her
condition) and then hung by the neck. Can one save a broekn neck?
Answer: Yes we Can
And how is this done? Well lets start by taking another Pallweber in the
Collection and measure her up.
And to do it right, every single aspect needs to be measured.
And then it's off to the master case maker with the request to do the
impossible.
And there you have it folks, one cannot mend a broken heart - but broken
necks, well thats a whole different story. You judge for yourself, but I
believe our casemaker did a sterling job (including the forced patina on the
new neck) and that once completed no one will ever know that the poor fellow
had ever suffered a broken neck.
The case is saved ! And unlike Tonny's guaranteed 0.800 German silver -
apparently what we have here is 0.935 Sterling Silver.
Oh, and as for that dial - well many moons ago, in a place far far away. on a
dark and lonely night....
I ran into this damsel in distress - she had lost her body and soul, only her
face (which needs just a little T&C) was left in the gutter. I will be her
night in shining armour, and give her back her dignity.
So work in progress - check back soon for the next chapter!
