Watch
 

OK... Not a gun photo but, a neat item. This is a 1960's era Britsh made pocket watch. The woodcock between the four and the five rocks back and forth with each second... sorry had to have it....

Very nice

Thanks, was trying to figure out why the Brits were making a watch for an American Gun in the 60's when the gun itself was not manufactured in decades?

looks a little like a previous thread topic watch -

http://parkerguns.org/forums/showthr...t=parker+watch

but the rocking woodcock is a nice touch

Whoever is making these watches up is getting more elaborate as time goes by. I don't think they're from the 60's unless it's just the case and movement, I think the dials are being worked up as they're being sold.

Destry

Can we get a shot of the movement? This might help shine some light on the origin.

http://www.etsy.com/listing/84771716...un-advertising
http://www.etsy.com/search?includes%...s&q=parker+gun
http://parkerguns.org/forums/archive...hp?t-5435.html
http://collections.delcampe.co.uk/it...1fd44c1bb0ff0c

The particular watch that I aquired is made in England. Notice on the front of the dial. It was also shipped to me from a watch collector in England who said it was from the 1960's Hope this helps. I will see if I can get a pic. of the movement. I thought it had a neat movement and had to have it....

Bill ,Very nice , Hey you wouldn't want to be late for those first Woodcock flights in the Fall ! :rotf: Russ

Russ, one of those neat little trinkets that you just can't pass up!:rolleyes:

Yeah Bill ,I KNOW ,The previous thread about one of these watches that Rick mentioned ,I was one of the early bidders on e bay ,but it just got out of hand ,I would like one also , collectible or not ,just neat ! Enjoy it ! Russ

To be specific, by "movement" I mean the mechanism that you expose by popping open the back. Probably stating the obvious... :)

I wasn't pissing on your watch, it is a neat piece and I wouldn't mind having one myself. I'm just saying that the dial on this watch was made recently, it wasn't made in the 60's as the seller claims. I think the Made in England mark might reference the dial only.

Destry

Destry, I know you were not pissing on the watch. I hope you did not take it that way. Never thought that. I was just relating what the gentleman who sold it to me said. Thanks for your input... Not to worry... Just a watch ...:)

Watch Movement
 

OK, time to put the mystery to rest. Here is a photo of the movement. The dial and movement and the entire watch was made in Great Britian. Today though a email I was told by the watch collector from England to whom I purchased the watch that, the U.S. made these watches as well. The British made ones are a little harder to come by and this Particular watch was made in the 1960's. He had it cleaned and oiled just before selling it. I hope this helps.

This looks like a Smiths Co. (UK) watch. Many thematic variations on the dial were offered (superheroes, etc.).

The novel variation is that the little woodcock disk is attached to the escapement (partly visibly through the kidney-shaped hole in upper left). The escapement works in concert with the balance wheel (at top, behind the lever to change the speed) to regulate the movement.

Very cool!

I guess you know a little about watches. Anyway.. What is your estimate year of production?

I am no expert on this type of watch. Ingersoll and Smiths made some 30 million of these novelty watches up through the 1980s, and I suspect some are still being made in China. The original Ingersoll went bankrupt in the early 1920s, but the watch business was sold and some manufacturing ended up in the U.S.

As has been pointed out elsewhere, the face of the watch is pretty easy to change. What's unique about your watch is the animation. I believe there was a "Dan Dare" watch with the same pivot point at his elbow, aiming his gun back and forth.

The key here is "market segmentation." By putting a particular theme on the watch, you appeal to very specific collectors or enthusiasts. This watch was obviously meant to appeal to an audience in the U.S., but that doesn't mean the movement wasn't made in the U.K., or even "re-faced" from an older stock of watches for a particular market.

A neat watch! Enjoy a time-piece that isn't electronic.

Here are some other examples of animations, exploiting the escapement pivot down between 4 and 5 o'clock:

http://i1218.photobucket.com/albums/...e/animated.jpg

Thanks for the info.

beautiful watches.... charlie

Very interesting, never seen an Ingersol style watch that was british.

Destry