The white rabbit from Lewis Carroll's tale "Alice in Wonderland" endlessly took out a watch on a chain from his jacket pocket and screamed: "I'm late!". By the way, he was a dandy and had a status, since non-poor people wore an accessory in those days. A pocket watch on a chain conveyed superiority and solidity to the world. In the article we will talk about the most outstanding specimens. We will also talk about how the value of accessories is determined, and how to wear them today.
Lightning pocket watch
During the Iron Curtain, the accessory was very popular with foreign tourists. Pocket watches from the USSR were made from high quality materials and were famous for their accuracy.
The chain accessory has been exported to more than 30 countries around the world. For each of them, a batch with a unique design was developed. Thematic seriesissued for special events and dates. According to the famous pocket watch, you can read the annals of the USSR.
Lightning Brand
The factory, which produced world-famous accessories, still exists and is located in Chelyabinsk. The production has a complicated history. The most significant dates for watchmaking:
- 1877 - the Dubert Hampton watch factory appeared, from which the Lightning brand later grew.
- 1929 - Stalin gives the order to buy it on a turnkey basis. A watch factory is being launched in the Urals. Later, during the Great Patriotic War, it will be transferred to Zlatoust.
- 1947 - production moves to Chelyabinsk. The watch factory is named Lightning.
Omega Brand
The famous brand is over 150 years old. It all started with 23-year-old Louis Brandton. The young watchmaker bought up spare parts in the cold season and created high-quality products all winter. With the onset of heat, he went with them on a tour of the cities. The watch was a success and provided the guy with a comfortable life.
Louis had sons who, after his death, inherited the workshop. The watchmaker's children converted it into a small production - they themselves became manufacturers of spare parts. In 1884, the world saw the first Omega watch caliber. The name is given in honor of the letter of the Greek alphabet and meant "completeness, perfection".
Omega Company Achievements:
- 1909 - timekeeper at internationalballoon racing;
- 1932 - the brand receives the same honor at the Olympic Games.
Watch "Pavel Bure"
In the Russian Empire, watchmaker's products were in unprecedented demand. In 1865 he became a court master and moved to St. Petersburg. His son Pavel continued his father's work. Later, after the death of his father, he will move production to Switzerland. Unfortunately, he had no heirs, and bequeathed the family business to like-minded friends.
Collectors are on the hunt for the next 1910, 1912, 1917 watches.
Other famous models
- Lanco brand has released a watch with a gold-plated case in the form of a triangle.
- In the world of collectors, copies of the 1950 brand are listed. The heart of the model is the mechanics of the French-Swiss production. The product is dressed in a case made of steel and chrome. There is gilding on top.
- A batch of Pattern 300 military watches was issued for the Royal Navy in 1940. This is evidenced by a special marking applied to the product.
How the price of a pocket watch is determined
If this is an old copy, then it has historical and artistic value. Here the expert evaluates everything: the mechanism, the case, the hands, the decoration, the dial. On the mechanism of the watch or on the case, as a rule, there is a hallmark of the workshop. From it you can find out the name of the master and the place of manufacture. Of particular value are antique watches with dedicatory engraving.
The craftsman determines the material from which the watch is made. The price of the product will be higher if it does not contain impurities. The cost depends on the value of the alloy and inlay. More expensive are models that have features: a repeater, a moon phase indicator, a winding key, a tourbillon, a chronometer.
If the enamel dial of an accessory is broken, then, unfortunately, its price will be quite low. If you are lucky and the master has a suitable part, then the defect can be corrected. Otherwise, it is necessary to carry out restoration, and this is a very complicated and expensive procedure. The cost of refurbished watches will skyrocket. This procedure is carried out only in very rare cases.
First of all, the cost of an accessory depends on its safety. The collector inspects the copy for scuff marks. Watches that have retained their functionality and accuracy are more valued.
The cost of Soviet-made pocket watches ranges from 150 rubles. up to RUB 20,000
Women's accessory made of silver can be purchased for at least 10,000-20,000 rubles. For a copy covered with artistic enamel, you will need to pay from 60,000 rubles. and more. The most expensive will be models of the Victorian era, dressed in a case of gold. You can buy them for 150,000-300,000 rubles. These amounts are not the limit, but remember that when buying such a watch, you do not spend money, but invest it in a work of art.
Tips on how to wear a pocket watch
This accessory is far from a relic of the past. Many fashionistas today consider themunique highlight. A pocket watch can be combined with both a business suit and frivolous jeans. Girls wear them with trousers, dresses, shorts, hiding them in their pockets or, conversely, leaving them outside.
First of all, you need to pay attention to the chain that holds the accessory. It must be made from the same material as the watch itself. The tone of the metal from which the body and holder are made must be the same. If this is difficult, then it is better to replace the chain with a leather strap, which will look modern. The watch is always worn on the opposite side of the working hand.
Traditionally, a special pocket was made for them on clothes. And today you can buy such a vest or jacket. The carabiner of the chain needs to be fixed on a loop just above the pocket, and the watch should be put in it. Thus, a beautiful bend of the chain will come out. The carabiner can also be attached to the harness of jeans, and the accessory itself can be placed in a small pocket. Don't make the biggest mistake! Do not attach a carabiner to a button. It should only be fixed on the loop.
If the accessory is equipped with a long chain, then you can fix it in an unusual way. The carabiner clings to the opposite pocket. In the middle, the chain wraps around the button. The watch itself is sent to the opposite pocket. This way of wearing is worthy of a real dandy!
Female options
There are models of antique pocket accessories for ladies in silver or gold, covered with colored enamels. A decent option will cost about the same as Apple's smart watch. The latter will become irrelevant after 5 years, andantiques will only increase in value over the years. This is a real investment, because the accessory can be inherited. It is not difficult to buy it, there are a lot of shops that deal with antiques. You can also participate in auctions.
There is no need to hide watches in special pockets. Ladies can wear them as a decoration around the neck, as a pendant on a purse or on a dress. Such accessories are often a real masterpiece!
If you inherited an old pocket watch, then do not keep such we alth "locked up", but "walk" periodically. Retro style is in fashion today. Be unique!