[ian grant]

Afternoon, gents;
I am currently doing a little research into some of my grandfathers' war memorabilia, and amongst those things were his pocket watch. I have been told the story of this watch by my grandmother, but I have no idea how to verify this information!

The watch has NO makers mark or identification, simply 'BREGUET + 31328' (the 'plus' being the swiss symbol) on the movement, and the dial, too, has no mark.

I wondered if anyone knew whom might have been the maker of this watch, or any insight at all into a similar one someone might be aware of?

Any information or help would be most appreciated,

Many thanks

 

[ulackfocus]

Hi Ian. I'm going to post a link to this in another forum so some of the pocket watch guys can assist. If you can post a couple pictures of the inside of the caseback and internal cover where the hallmarks are we might be of more help.

 

[NAWCC]

Hi and welcome.
Where does it say Breguet?
Are you sure NOT 'Brevet' which means patent.

Watch does not look a Breguet, but please show where you see that PLUS the dial.
Chance of this being a 'Breguet' is low, Breguet only spoke French so no 'A' and 'R' = English for advanced and retard

Thanks
A

 

[ivan1998]

What ever it is please informs. I know it's a minute repeater. Don't know what kind?

 

[NAWCC]

From those pictures I can not see much.
Where did you get 'Breguet'??
Can we see pictures of face, movement. And inside case.
It's Swiss!

 

[NAWCC]

What ever it is please informs. I know it's a minute repeater. Don't know what kind?

How can you tell it's a minute repeater?

 

[ulackfocus]

How can you tell it's a minute repeater?

The slide on the side of the case and the blueish metal chimes that surround the movement. You can also see the twin hammers clearly in the first picture near the hinge of the case.

 

[NAWCC]

The slide on the side of the case and the blueish metal chimes that surround the movement. You can also see the twin hammers clearly in the first picture near the hinge of the case.

Does not make it a minute repeater - could be a quarter repeater.
Adam

 

[ulackfocus]

Does not make it a minute repeater - could be a quarter repeater.
Adam

True. Most members call all repeaters 'minute' because they might lack a little necessary knowledge about them.

 

[ian grant]

Thank you all for replies.
My apologies, I was incorrect, it does say Brevet. I mistyped since on another website I had been researching, Breguet came up a few times!! the word must have been stuck in my mind.

The photos here show the mark, which appears to be a crown with the letters CS or GS inside. There is also the number 650 below that.

On the back case, there is a hallmark for 9ct, and two symbols; a 'P' inside a circle and a square with circle inside it.

Finally, there is the number 33630 stamped on the back case also.

 

[ulackfocus]

If it's 9ct, it's a UK made case. Please post the best photo you can of those hallmarks on the inside of the case and I'll be able to tell you more.

 

[ian grant]

The best photos I could take thus far, are the ones on the previous page. Are they not clear enough? I was having difficulty photographing them!

 

[ulackfocus]

Are they not clear enough?

I need a bit more close up shots to make out the hallmarks. Small differences in the shape can mean decades difference in the year of manufacture. If you can get a nice clear shot, then crop / magnify enough to make them out that would be great. Also, you can email me the shots so they aren't shrunk down to forum friendly size - just click on my screen name and select the "Send Email" option from the pop up box.

 

[ian grant]

well thank you so much for that help, I shall take some better photographs and attempt that this evening! I need to play around with the settings so that they are clear enough!

 

[ian grant]

Hopefully these show things a little clearer....

 

[ian grant]

and this one

 

[ulackfocus]

This is strange - the P inside a circle denotes 1930, but that movement is definitely from the second half of the 1800's or at the latest very early 1900's. Maybe the original case was melted and the movement has been recased. I'll call for reinforcements.

 

[NAWCC]

Thank you all for replies.
My apologies, I was incorrect, it does say Brevet. I mistyped since on another website I had been researching, Breguet came up a few times!! the word must have been stuck in my mind.

The photos here show the mark, which appears to be a crown with the letters CS or GS inside. There is also the number 650 below that.

On the back case, there is a hallmark for 9ct, and two symbols; a 'P' inside a circle and a square with circle inside it.

Finally, there is the number 33630 stamped on the back case also.

COOL. I am glad to that. Its surely NOT Breguet.
We could look up the Brevet number - what was it again?
Will look up the assay/gold mark to-morrow

Is it a minute or quarter repeater -0 gold should be minute.

a

 

[ian grant]

hmm thank you, although it goes some way to confirming part of the story of this watch!

I don't/didn't want to divulge too much in case it influences opinion, but the owner of the watch was presented it as a gift during WW1 from guards AND prisoners at a POW camp. He was a doctor, and surgeon, and performed some duty to help a lot of folks from the camp. One of the prisoners worked for a certain watch company and acquired the mechanism for the purpose of the gift, with it being installed in its case after the war.

I have been sorting and cataloguing all my bequethed militaria, and this watch is amongst many items. I am slowly but surely attempting to find out a little more about each of these items, and my grandfather.

I was hoping to find out a little more about the watch since it is clearly a lovely mechanism, and I love the simplicity of the face, and the blue tinged hands! (please excuse my lack of technical parlance)

And your willingness to help, sir, is very much appreciated, thank you

 

[ian grant]

the brevet number is 31328