Wednesday, February 17, 2010

Vintage Thingies Thursday: Vintage Pocket Watches

Welcome to this weeks segment of Vintage Thingies Thursday. Thursday is the day to showcase your vintage treasures and to share your special things with everyone. If you are visiting and would like to join us, please do. It is very easy!
To participate, all you have to do is:

* * * * Please everyone, follow these guidelines!

(1) do a post about something vintage.
(2) Visit all the participates and leave a comment.
(3) Link in with the link at the bottom of this post, please use a perma-link to link in with, that way, anyone can refer back to your post if they can not get to it on Thursday.
(4) Be sure to refer back to my blog so everyone can see who is participating today, and if you like include the VTT button in your post. Please be sure to have your post up before linking in.


REMINDER:
We have several new friends linking in for Vintage Thingie Thursday. I want to remind everyone that the link for VTT goes up on Wednesday evening and will run through Friday morning (early) then the link will be closed. I know it is hard to get in the habit of posting earlier than later, but try and get your link in before early Friday morning. I have to close the link to keep spam out of the link. Thanks!! And I know Wednesday is not Thursday, here...but it is Thursday for our friends who live on the other side of the globe!!

This week, I am going to share my husband's vintage pocket watches. I happened to notice that he has three of these watches, so I have to tell him.....that three of anything makes a collection! My husband is not a big collector of things, but since today 2/17 is his birthday, I decided to show off a few of his treasures.


These two watches are protected by glass domes....or better known in blog land as a cloche...I'm not too sure how he would feel knowing he has two cloches that he deems sissy when I show him these on blogs....LOL....Oh, well....it is what it is......Both of these belonged to special people in his life.

This one is a Elgin watch and belonged to his step dad. It is really a nice quality. I believe his mother gave him the watch many years ago.

This is an old railroad watch. My husband's grandfather worked for the Burlington Northern Railroad, and this was his watch he wore while working. It has the original watch fob, and is stored under glass to protect the watch and fob. A real family treasure to be sure.

This watch has a bit of a story...which is so typical of anything I buy.....I purchased this watch for my husband off of Ebay several years ago for Christmas. The draw to me was the fact that it said Cripple Creek and Victor, and well, we all know how I love that place....it was listed as a railroad watch. Consequently, with all important finds on Ebay, someone else wanted this watch as bad as I did......

I ended up paying more for this watch than I had originally said I was going to spend. I think it cost me around $275.00 and knowing I would need to have the watch checked out and cleaned before Christmas was going to be another expense. No matter, I wanted this watch for my husband, it did not matter the price.

When I picked this watch up from the shop a few days before Christmas, the jeweler told me it was indeed a railroad watch, and J. Freshman was the original owner. The company was Cripple Creek & Victor railroad. This was most likely a gift from the company to the original owner. The Cripple Creek and Victor tracks are still there today in the mountains, they run a tourist train between the two cities today. I love to fantasize about the watch being on a railroad worker all of those years ago, the same watch we now own, and we have been on the same tracks so many times throughout the years.. The jeweler told me to be sure and have the watch insured for a minimum of $3500.00. Wow was all I could think driving home that day, excited to wrap this up and put it under the tree.....not bad at all.

I'd like to wish my wonderful husband a very Happy Birthday. He deserves far more than what he gets from this life, our families and his job. I try and make up for all the short comings and hurts he experiences from our extended family members. I just hope I do make a difference every day...not just on special days. I love you Steve.....our vintage years will be the best!

I hope everyone has a great Vintage Thingie Thursday and a wonderful weekend. See you guys and girls next week!




48 comments:

  1. I thought $275 was a lot until I saw what the jeweler said about insurance!

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  2. What a sweet story and some great pocket watches!

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  3. My second attempt to post a Vintage Thingy Thursday and I still messed up. I got last week's to open correctly because a 'friend' gave me the link to put in last week. But she forgot to tell me that after 02/ I was supposed to put the title of my post! I think I might get it right next week. I thought when you linked to McLinky, it would tell me what to put. Mybe it does, I new at this, but I am having so much fun! So, please bear with me because I will not stop until I get it right. Love your blog.

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  4. Suzanne, you won my give-away so I'll be looking forward to getting your address and shipping you the bunny. I also mentioned you on my prev post this week because I thought of you when I bought a vintage looking Val bag topper set. DeniseMarie-Bloomin

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  5. Hi Suzanne,

    What a wonderful collection of watches! Wow, and the one you gave hubby is just wonderful. what a treasure. I'm sure he will cherish it. Thanks for hosting this for us. I look so forward to it each week!

    Debbie from NJ

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  6. Beautiful watches and wonderful family heirlooms. I love the story of the second railroad watch and the floral filagree is spectacular.

    Wish Steve a Happy Birthday!

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  7. Gorgeous watch!!! How thoughtful of you. I love heirlooms like that.

    Happy birthday to Steve!

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  8. All of your vintage blogs have been great. However, for me, this is by far one of the best. All these watches are worth a mint. The one you bought Steve is very pretty. The best birthday present for him today is your final words.

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  9. Sweet Suzanne,
    I betcha he thinks that having you in his life is so wonderful as to make up for all that some might impose on him...I think you're luckier than you know to have each other. Sometimes the love of my husband is all that gets me thru.. Will you wish your husband Happy Birthday for me..I hope it's filled with blessings,love and happiness.
    I love that gorgeous watch..and I also love that area of Colorado..as a matter of fact..if I could,it's where I would spend the rest of my life. What a treasure this watch is...it needs to be under glass. I think it's beautiful.. Happy VTT

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  10. wow...these watches are great! I like the Freshman one, with the blue numbers!!!

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  11. I'm so glad to know that only Three makes a collection. I'm going to have to re-evaluate a bunch of my stuff including 'watches'. Very nice Watch Collection and stories. It's so exciting to find out you got so much more than you bargined for. I bought a 'Head Vase for $25 and years later found it in the Collectors Book listed at $2400.00! I'm so enjoying VTT...Thanks so much for hosting!...Sue

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  12. His own vintage collection, and 2 cloches to boot; what a lucky guy! Happy birthday to him, his greatest gift is his wonderful wife!

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  13. Happy Birthday to Steve! And loved seeing the watches - such interesting history they must have!

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  14. I love vintage pocket watches!! Just add them to the list. Great display idea. We have some from relatives..but my husband wants to sell them. You do what you gotta when you're unemployed. But..i've held back for some reason. Now he's employed again..maybe i can hold on to them!

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  15. Happy Birthday to Steve---He is a great find too---but better than the watch.

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  16. Happy Birthday Steve!!! Suzanne, I messed up my link??? Great post on the watches. Love them.

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  17. what a lovely post and what beautiful watches! btw i love the history of the cripple creek watch..good for you for buying it and to discover it's worth!

    Happy Birthday Steve..love your watch collection lol!!!

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  18. Hi Suzanne!

    first off..............HAPPY BIRTHDAY STEVE!!!

    Steve has a wonderful collection. I really love the Illinois Bunn Special! The silver is so beautiful!

    Thanks for hosting. I hope you have a great day!

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  19. Suzanne your hubby's watches are wonderful! It certainly is a great collection ;-)

    Jocelyn
    http://justalittlesouthernhospitality.blogspot.com

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  20. Great watches, and what a neat story with that last one. You done good! Happy birthday to your hubby! Cheers!

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  21. Hi Suzanne,
    Happy Birthday to your hubby. Those watches are lovely. Thanks so much for hosting vintage Thursdays.

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  22. What wonderful stories you have with all your vintage treasures. Happy Birthday to your dear husband!

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  23. Very nice post Suzanne. The intricate works of pocket watches are so interesting. Happy B'day hubby!

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  24. Thanks for sharing your husbands watch collection with us! They are all very special. Happy Birthday to your honey!

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  25. Great story with a happy end! The watches are all beautiful. - Happy Birthday to your husband!

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  26. The watches are really nice.. Remind me of my childhood, seeing my pawpaw with his...

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  27. Wonderful, love all your clocks!

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  28. I also love old clocks, your's are beautiful and happy birthday to husband Steve!

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  29. Happy B-Day Steve! May you have a fabulous year!

    I love old watches. I have one from my great-grandmother and I should definitely put it under a cloche!

    The eBay watch was an amazing find, you have quite the eye!

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  30. I love the watches hanging in the domes! I don't think it's girly at all *L*

    Happy Birthday to your husband =)

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  31. Fabulous watches. I bought my husband a pocketwatch an 1880's Elgin years ago for Christmas. I too spent more on ebay than I intended, but I had to have it. It did work but then I took it to clock repairman to be serviced and that did not go well. Apparently he sends out watches to be repaired by some other mystery company. Well the watch never worked again. :(

    Thank you for the beautiful post and ofcourse for hosting.

    -brightest blessings-
    Karina
    http://thasnifty.blogspot.com/

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  32. Suzanne you have the most interesting things! And stories :) And $3500~ wow~

    Tracy

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  33. Aw, how sweet! Great history of those fine timepieces. Love those blue numbers, too!

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  34. What a great post, I'm sure you're husband thinks you are just "the cream of the crop". What a thoughtful gift you bought for him. It's so nice to know how much it is really worth, even though you would never part with it.

    Ann
    tin and sparkle

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  35. Hi Suzanne, Thanks for Hosting. This is my first post here. Fun visiting all the sights of those who posted!

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  36. Pocket watches always remind me of my granddad!! He always had a pocket watch :)

    Blessings!
    Gail

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  37. Love all the watches! Thanks again for hosting VTT!

    Blessings, Grace

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  38. Love your watches! You followed your instincts and boy you did great!
    I'm pretty new to blogging and this is my first Vintage Thingie Thursday. It's a privilege to participate, and I get to see so many nice things (and find great blogs) too.
    One question I have - what is "permalink" and how do I do that? I put in the title of my post (abbreviated)- does that do it?
    Thanks again!

    Beth

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  39. The vintage watches you shared today are so very special. I love that one of the railroad watches belonged to your husband's grandfather and what a wonderful story behind the one you got from Ebay, what a great deal too!

    I hope your husband has a wonderful birthday!

    Kat :)

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  40. What a special gift and what a great find. The watch is truly beautiful. I'd love to have it myself.

    Suzanne, forgive me for always posting so late on Vintage Thingies Thursday...I'll try harder next time!

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  41. Happy Birthday to your husband!

    (Sorry I messed up the protocol for participating today.)

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  42. I love the watches! There was one that was featured this past Monday on Antiques Roadshow. So fascinating. I love to hear the stories. Thanks for sharing!

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  43. I love the way your DH has the watches displayed. They are great watches and have great stories with them. By the way, kudos for the great deal you got on eBay.

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  44. Happy Birthday to your husband! Wonderful watches (and cloches!).

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  45. Wow, what a find that watch was - good eBay purchasing.

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  46. Hey, Suzanne: Just an FYI: You are mentioned in an article about me on Faerie Dust Dreams.
    http://faeriedustdreams-michelle.blogspot.com/2010/02/etsy-spotlight-elizabeth-bogardus.html

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  47. Vintage watches are just one of my most endearment in life to collect aside of all others vintage stuff like shoes, jewelries and even cars.

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Sometimes someone says something really small, and it's like it fits into this empty space in your heart!

Thank you for stopping by and leaving your thoughts here, they really mean a lot to me!

Suzanne

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