This American Waltham pocket watch dates to approximately 1921, placing it right at the beginning of the transition toward the bold geometric styling that would define the Art Deco era. It is an open-face men's dress watch with an attractive combination of traditional engraved casework and a distinctly modern early-1920s dial.
Measuring 47.2mm in diameter, the watch falls into the classic 12-size American pocket-watch category. This was a popular size for a more compact and elegant men's pocket watch, offering a substantial presence without the larger dimensions associated with many traditional railroad and utility watches.
The case is marked Mira, Gold Filled, Registered, with its own case serial number. Gold-filled construction consists of a genuine layer of gold mechanically bonded over a base-metal core, providing considerably more durability than simple gold plating. The exterior features elaborate engraved leaf motifs surrounding a textured bezel, giving the case a beautiful link between the ornate decorative traditions of the late 19th and early 20th centuries and the cleaner styling beginning to emerge in the 1920s.
The silvered-metal dial is where the watch takes a decidedly Art Deco turn. Bold stylized Arabic numerals are combined with an integrated railroad-style minute track and a subsidiary seconds register at 6 o'clock. The contrast between the geometric typography of the dial and the flowing engraved leaves of the case makes for a particularly appealing period combination.
Inside is an A.W.W.Co. Waltham, U.S.A. 17-jewel manual-wind movement, bearing serial number 23,859,710, which dates its production to approximately 1921. The 17-jewel configuration provides jeweled bearings at the movement's critical points of friction, representing a well-established standard of quality for American mechanical watchmaking of the period.
One of the fascinating aspects of American pocket watches from this era is that the movement and case were commonly purchased separately. A customer could select a Waltham movement through a jeweller and then choose a case from a separate case manufacturer according to their preferred style and budget. This watch is a wonderful example of that system, pairing a Waltham movement with an individually produced Mira gold-filled case.
With its early Art Deco dial, elaborate engraved case, American-made Waltham movement, and 1921 production date, this is an attractive example of the changing face of American pocket-watch design at the beginning of the Roaring Twenties.
This American Waltham pocket watch dates to approximately 1921, placing it right at the beginning of the transition toward the bold geometric styling that would define the Art Deco era. It is an open-face men's dress watch with an attractive combination of traditional engraved casework and a distinctly modern early-1920s dial.
Measuring 47.2mm in diameter, the watch falls into the classic 12-size American pocket-watch category. This was a popular size for a more compact and elegant men's pocket watch, offering a substantial presence without the larger dimensions associated with many traditional railroad and utility watches.
The case is marked Mira, Gold Filled, Registered, with its own case serial number. Gold-filled construction consists of a genuine layer of gold mechanically bonded over a base-metal core, providing considerably more durability than simple gold plating. The exterior features elaborate engraved leaf motifs surrounding a textured bezel, giving the case a beautiful link between the ornate decorative traditions of the late 19th and early 20th centuries and the cleaner styling beginning to emerge in the 1920s.
The silvered-metal dial is where the watch takes a decidedly Art Deco turn. Bold stylized Arabic numerals are combined with an integrated railroad-style minute track and a subsidiary seconds register at 6 o'clock. The contrast between the geometric typography of the dial and the flowing engraved leaves of the case makes for a particularly appealing period combination.
Inside is an A.W.W.Co. Waltham, U.S.A. 17-jewel manual-wind movement, bearing serial number 23,859,710, which dates its production to approximately 1921. The 17-jewel configuration provides jeweled bearings at the movement's critical points of friction, representing a well-established standard of quality for American mechanical watchmaking of the period.
One of the fascinating aspects of American pocket watches from this era is that the movement and case were commonly purchased separately. A customer could select a Waltham movement through a jeweller and then choose a case from a separate case manufacturer according to their preferred style and budget. This watch is a wonderful example of that system, pairing a Waltham movement with an individually produced Mira gold-filled case.
With its early Art Deco dial, elaborate engraved case, American-made Waltham movement, and 1921 production date, this is an attractive example of the changing face of American pocket-watch design at the beginning of the Roaring Twenties.