Need help identifying pocket watch

RLF13430 · Feb 20, 2018

I inherited this Marlboro lady’s time piece. I was told it may have been my great grandmother’s but the details are at best “sketchy”. As you can see it has some problems especially the dial but if it was my great grandmother’s, she would have had it in the late 19th or early 20th century. It actually runs but needs some serious TLC. I have found out that it is 18K gold. If any of our fellow OF members can help fill in some details about this piece, it will be greatly appreciated. Is it rare and/or worth restoration?

RLF13430 · Feb 22, 2018

RLF13430 · Feb 25, 2018

I am surprised that I’ve received zero replies to this post on this pocket watch. Marlboro Watch Co. was a legitimate watch company at one time, there are a few pieces out there but I’ve yet to find any depth of information.

I see where the post has been viewed several times but no one has contributed any information. Did I put this in the wrong forum, poor description or is there simply nothing to say?

Oku · Mar 16, 2018

Hi,
I'd say the incredible quality of the pics make any of us so speechless that we forget to answer.

Coming to your questions: It is worth the gold value and your sentimental value.
The seconds hand is also wrong.
Best!

dx009 · Mar 16, 2018

Should be an early 1900s watch but I believe it could be late 1800s. Just my 2 cents.

RLF13430 · Mar 16, 2018

dx009
Should be an early 1900s watch but I believe it could be late 1800s. Just my 2 cents.

Thank you.

RLF13430 · Mar 16, 2018

Oku
Hi,
I'd say the incredible quality of the pics make any of us so speechless that we forget to answer.

Coming to your questions: It is worth the gold value and your sentimental value.
The seconds hand is also wrong.
Best!

Thanks for the input.

Fritz · Mar 16, 2018

Late 1890s ladies pendant watch, about 7 jewels... without clear pictures of the movement & case markings I can't tell much more

mismatched hands, likely a result of the same accident that broke up the enamel face.

airansun · Mar 16, 2018

A job lot, marked for a local dealer, made by Hamilton? Even though it’s only seven jewels, doesn’t it appear to have a “going barrel”, suggesting a somewhat nice movement?

Fritz · Mar 16, 2018

airansun
A job lot, marked for a local dealer, made by Hamilton? Even though it’s only seven jewels, doesn’t it appear to have a “going barrel”, suggesting a somewhat nice movement?

Too low a jewel count for a Hamilton pocket watch of that size. Hamilton did very very few watches with jewel counts that low and they were large size movements. Mediocre movement typical of the type that ended up in ladies watches.
Markings on the case ID suggest its been recased.

Swiss

Canuck · Mar 16, 2018

RLF13430
I am surprised that I’ve received zero replies to this post on this pocket watch. Marlboro Watch Co. was a legitimate watch company at one time, there are a few pieces out there but I’ve yet to find any depth of information.

I see where the post has been viewed several times but no one has contributed any information. Did I put this in the wrong forum, poor description or is there simply nothing to say?

As you are the one person on this MB who appears to know more about this watch company (I have almost 70 years in the business and I’ve never heard about it), why don’t you share what you know about the company. It may jog someone’s memory. As to it being 18-karat gold? Nowhere in your pictures do you give a clear shot of any proof that it is actually karat gold. I won’t comment on the movement that is in it. Other than to say it is a Swiss, and most assuredly not made by Hamilton!

airansun · Mar 16, 2018

I knew I’d get corrected.

RLF13430 · Mar 17, 2018

Canuck
As you are the one person on this MB who appears to know more about this watch company (I have almost 70 years in the business and I’ve never heard about it), why don’t you share what you know about the company. It may jog someone’s memory. As to it being 18-karat gold? Nowhere in your pictures do you give a clear shot of any proof that it is actually karat gold. I won’t comment on the movement that is in it. Other than to say it is a Swiss, and most assuredly not made by Hamilton!

Relative to your experience, admittedly I am a novice. As I searched and saw a few Marlboro Watch Co. pieces in online photos, I made an assumption that the company was a “legitimate” company at one time. Obviously I was mistaken. I appreciate your input. As for it being gold, it’s weight relative to it’s size (unless the movement is made of lead) tells me it’s gold. I intend to have it tested. As a casual collector, I am curious about its value and if it should be considered for restoration. But being it is the only piece I have that once belonged to my great grand mother (born in the 1860’s), it is priceless to me and will be past on to my daughter. Thank you again for your insights.

Canuck · Mar 17, 2018

If the case is karat gold alloy, and not just gold filled, there should be a quality mark stamped on it, somewhere. Usually inside the front and rear covers. The quality stamp should be accompanied by a case maker’s trade mark. The case would not have been made by whoever it was that was involved in making the rest of the watch. Neither the case nor the movement were fabricated by any company called Marlboro. Every component in the watch (case, dial, movement) was a generic, off the shelf item assembled by some outfit who chose the name Marlboro. Watches such as this one are difficult/impossible to pin down regarding origin.

Interstatetime · Mar 18, 2018

Marlboro was more or less a private label name. I believe it was used by a jobber or distributor of watches and jewelry in NYC. The movement is a low jewel Swiss, made to look like an American. I have seen the Marlboro name on men's and women's watches. They are usually seen in rolled gold plate or plated brass cases. I would be surprised if the case proved to be karat gold.

Collectors of American watches refer to these and other private label Swiss watches from this era as "Swiss Fakes." There is a section generically discussing these "Swiss Fakes" on page 97 of "The Complet Price Guide To Watches" 2018 Edition by Gilbert/Planes/Engle/Shugart. The same info appears at about the same page in all editions of the book.

RLF13430 · Mar 25, 2018

Well, regarding the ID of this pocket watch, this is the end of the story for me. Thank you everyone for your input. Collectively all of your comments add up to exactly what this watch is. I had the watchmaker who I’ve learned to trust verified that the watch is:
1. from a distributor or private label watch company
2. from the late 19th or early 20th century
3. Not gold but gold plated
4. And is only valuable as a heirloom past down to me. Not worth the cost to restore. Now it will go back in the case to be past down to the next generation, my daughter.

Again, thanks OF for all of your exact information and members who took time to pass along their expertise!