"Millions spent on rare watches leads to lawsuit"

An article in my local paper yesterday. I met Gilbert once years ago
when my Dad and I went to his shop. My Dad was big into collecting
Howard pocket watches at the time.


http://www.heraldtribune.com/article...RTICLE/7181022

Thanks for sharing. He said, he said case. Too bad prices have dropped and there is a recession. Current valuations aren't really relevant to what those pieces were thought to be worth 4-5 years ago.

MULTI-MILLIONAIRE...

Sorry, can't feel TOO bad for him...

I'll swap my collection for his....if it make's him feel any better.

Hobbit, Your Dad collected Howard pocket watches??
I happened to have been gifted a Howard pocket watch from a friend who got it from a collector estate sale. Unfortunately the crystal smashed in transit and the movement does not work. Also the owner had turned the watch into a wristwatch by soldering (poorly) lugs to the casing.
Is the watch (from around early 1900s?) worth restoring? It is gorgeous, and I have a qualified watchmaker in Canada who would have to see the open movement to assess it.
What might your opinion be?

Sounds like a complicated situation there !
Some NICE looking pocket watches though !!!
Thank you for this link Hobbit ! VERY interesting !

thianwong wrote:

Hobbit, Your Dad collected Howard pocket watches??
I happened to have been gifted a Howard pocket watch from a friend who got it from a collector estate sale. Unfortunately the crystal smashed in transit and the movement does not work. Also the owner had turned the watch into a wristwatch by soldering (poorly) lugs to the casing.
Is the watch (from around early 1900s?) worth restoring? It is gorgeous, and I have a qualified watchmaker in Canada who would have to see the open movement to assess it.
What might your opinion be?

Not an expert by any means. My Dad collected railroad watches. That Howard does look pretty cool though. I really like the dial and subdial. I think your decision would come down to how much someone would want to restore it and is it cost effective. I think it would be a awesome looking pocket watch if restored properly.

Thanks for your reply. I would have to ship the watch to Canada and let Al see what is inside and what the prob is ...and if he could source a replacement crystal for it....
The case engravings are so wonderful. Al said he has a friend who can remove the shoddy solder....
Again, you are right..about total restoration cost to me...is it worth it? haha! I will have to think more about it.....cheers!

Thian

I love to see it if you did restore it. What model is it? Do you know? Might be a few out there to use part from. Maybe even another model with the same crystal.

Hobbit712 wrote:

I love to see it if you did restore it. What model is it? Do you know? Might be a few out there to use part from. Maybe even another model with the same crystal.

No idea what model nor date of it.....I would have to send it to my watchmaker in Canada for his assessment of crystal finding, what it might take to get it ticking again haha! here is the caseback view!
I'm betting it could cost several hundred dollars in the end...but since it was a free gift, I think I could manage to pay for the restoration!.....but then I would have to buy a watch fob, vest chain and vest hahaha! would love that....(at my age of 61! hehehe)

and the cheap soldering job ..but look at the wonderful filigree around the casing!

I found a similar one with a quick Google search.

http://www.malleries.com/-e-howard-14kt-white-gold-pocket-watch-14k-art-deco-engraved-i-10168-s-129.html