This post dedicated to Cousin Ray, who I do believe finds my escapades in
saving some of these pieces, to be either totally ludicrous endeavours and/or
absolutely amazing journeys.
- //-
Yesterday Tonny, Adrian and I all posted some very nice examples of Jones
Romney based pocket watches.
However, I also said yesterday that I would share with you today another Jones
in my collection - but one with a twist.
I also said, that no matter which Jones it is, that somehow all Jones pocket
watches are to us collectors sought after timepieces, and that no matter how
many you have in your collection, each and every one remains special to us. In
fact, even if the collector has duplicates of a certain Jones calibre, lets
say for example has two Jones with movements both engraved Stuyvesant, New
York, that each watch no matter if one is in better condition than the other,
will please the owner.
It is ostensibly that emotion which led me to pursue this watch.
The Watch
This watch turned up on the forum here (movement only) and it was for sure a
"for sale" post - with the the seller having recognised it
as an IWC Jones, and advertising it as such. I knew the moderator was going to
go in with the big knives and axe the email.
So I quickly reahied out via email and asked for more photos and detials via
email (before the post got deleted).
This is what came back.
The logo on the dial for me, was already a certain give away that this was a
Jones based watch.
Everything else I say here, alongside the missing bow ring and the torn case
hinge (both of which we see in the photo above) was a clear WARNING SIGN to
stay away.
However, I promised you a Jones with a twist yesterday - so lets twist it
around, and take a look at the flip side.
Definately a Jones (of sorts) bearing the serial number #22803. However as
you see here above the rear side of this movement bears no engraving (other
than the serial number of the movement) and there is no International watch
Co. engraving. No Stuyvesant, Craig, Romney, Bradley or Burns, Not even a
New York!
Although, I already had other Jones pocket watches in my collection (including
the Romney I posted yesterday), there was something unique here other than the
lacl of engraving, that was not the case with the other Jones timepieces in my
Collecttion.
Namely, this movement is nickel plated!
Top and Bottom (dial side)
And there it was !!!
INT.W.Co.
alongside a case serial number too.
Did I say case?
Well, what was left of a case (which was clearly not "Solid Gold" as
advertised).
And to add insult to injury......
The entire case back (which sits over the dust cover you see above here) was
missing !
For those who know me, and my passion for saving these pieces, this was
beginning to look like a project.
However, not at the asking price. So I wrote the seller an email asking where
he was based, and how would payment happen.... and this is what came back.
And BOOM....right there in my head was Alan, and Kevin collectivly screaming
Buy the Seller - not the Watch ! Buy the Seller - not the Watch ! .. if
it 's sounds to good to be true - it's probably not true.
Extreme caution advised.
So I wrote back to the person that since there was no ability to pay using
PayPal and guaranteed funds, that I was prepared to work on a mutual trust
basis - I would wire 50% of the moneys (warning - warning) and on receipt of
the deposit of half the agreed price he would send the watch. Once, I received
the watch, I would send the balance of the funds.
Of course, I strongly motivated a totally different price than what he was
asking - but nevertheless, still a fair offer. It only took half and hour, and
my offer was accepted and an email with foreign bank account details (in a
country I've never been too - and probably will never go to with Roman as my
chaperone).
That quick acceptance of my offer was anothe clear : (warning - warning)! But,
I was already sold on this rescue project.
I transferred the money. Yup - you guessed it. No responce, no acknowledgement
and no tracking details.
But one should never judge a book by it's cover, and Yetey (bless the mans
heart) was true to his word. Turns out Ukraine post was just a little slow,
and on one fine day the parcel arrived. Yetey, for his part had also emailed
me and appologised for lack of correspondence after we agreed the price, as he
had taken ill and had been in hostpital.
On receipt of the watch, I imeadiately did three things;
1) I transfered the balance of the agreed funds to Yetey
2) rushed over to Jeroen and had him strip the balance out the movement
(which was still in the wreck of the case)
3) shipped the case and stabalised movement direct to the case-maker in the
UK
Well, lets just say that I am forever grateful that my case maker man, enjoyed
a challenge. Take a look..
New collets and bow ring , were manufactured from scratch and the crown
neck trued up where it had worn down.
Entire new front glass bezel is manufactured , and the hinge repair is
started (note the new hinge pin tube silver soldered in place on the left hand
side below.
The hinges are remade (work of art - given the size of these hinges).
We discovered tha the inner case spring which serves to click the hunter case
open when the crown is depressed was broken in two pieces.
So a new Case spring was made from scratch. Old an New springs seen here next
to each other below - with the broken off part clearly missing on the old
spring.
The completely missing case back is manufactured from scratch too.
And once the casework was all done, and after considerable discussion a
desicion was made to leave the original front cover decoration that was still
on the case intact (so not to polish off and align with new back cover) and to
then folowwing a nickel plating process, to 18K yellow gold plated the
repaired case.
This
