Fine 19thC E Howard Pocket Watch w/18K Railroad Case

This auction is for: a very good 19thC E Howard 18 size pocket watch featuring an 18K tri-color gold case-a case unlike any I have seen before. I just found this last night in an estate buy-out, and have not figured out how to wind it. Even trying to set the time is tough, because the stem seems tight when I turn it. I can move the hands OK, but not as easily as they should. So I am not going to force it, or fool with this watch in any way for fear of breaking the movement. When I quick-twist the movement in my hand to get the wheel turning, it ticks for about 30 seconds or less, then slowly stops. The case closes tight, and is sound in every way. The dial has a line near the "III" as shown in my pics. The watch is very heavy, approx. 6.1 ounces (or 173 grams). Most of this weight is the gold, because the movements are usually 1-2 ounces at most. This case would probably scrap pretty high, but I doubt this one would ever see a scrapper.

Thanks for looking!  I'VE BEEN SELLING SINCE 1998, OVER 10,000 COMPLETED, HAPPY AUCTIONS.

ALL OF MY AUCTIONS INCLUDE A FULL MONEY BACK GUARANTEE, FOR ANY REASON, PERIOD. ALL I ASK:  AN IMMEDIATE EMAIL FROM YOU UPON RECEIPT OF THE ITEM, AND THEN: THE ITEM'S RETURN WITHIN 7 DAYS. IF IT'S MY FAULT (MISSED A CHIP, ETC.), RETURN SHIPPING IS ON ME, OTHERWISE YOU PAY THE RETURN SHIPPING.

WE SHIP ALL ITEMS WITHIN 2-10 BUSINESS DAYS OF RECEIVING PAYMENT. 

To see my other mostly estate found objects-click the link right below:

Check out my other items

IMPORTANT READING:

USA: We ship within 2-10 BUSINESS days of our payment receipt.

AK, HI, PR, & APO/FPO: The S&H price shown will not apply to you. The invoiced amount will be more. The processing time is longer.

INTERNATIONAL SHIPPING: WE ARE UNABLE TO SHIP OVERSEAS AT THIS TIME.

CANADA SHIPPING: WE ARE UNABLE TO SHIP TO CANADA AT THIS TIME.

E-mails answered M-F 9-5 EST by chance. Except Holidays. Usually on Mondays and Weds. We go for many days at a time without looking at a computer because we are buying/clearing an estate. IF WE DO NOT ANSWER AN EMAIL WITHIN 24 HOURS, PLEASE DO NOT PANIC.

THANKS FOR LOOKING.

Measured across the front of the watch from left to right (9 o’clock to 3) the outside of the case measured 55mm.

Here are some measurements: with the case closed, measured straight across the front: 54 mm, from the VERY top to the very bottom: 82 mm, from the top of the winder to the bottom: 72 mm. With the cover opened, measuring the edge of the gold crystal ring: 49 mm dia, measuring the gold crystal ring covering the movement: 45 mm dia. With all covers closed, the case thickness is approx. 15-16 mm.

The gold train on the cover features a mine cut diamond in it's headlight, when you look at the diamond with a high powered jeweler's loupe, you can see the upper left side has a chip. When looking without a loupe, it appears fine. Looks to be the original diamond.

The thick gold train on the cover is an exceptional piece of jeweler's art. It's amazing when you look at the work, and realize it is all hand chased. And, with a loupe, you can see in the engineer's window a tiny tiny faint head with a hat. Simple design-circle(s) with dots and a line. It is obviously the work of the maker, done when the trailing smoke was chased, and the simplicity of the head seems to suggest the head is an inside joke the artist shared with the other jeweler's employed by the case maker. A very beautiful detail I admire is the detail shown within the two borders of alternating acanthus leaves-both white and yellow gold- hand formed and applied with tiny gold rivits. Amazing work. The flowers as well are hand formed and applied onto a background that includes chased leaves. One of the nicest cases I have ever seen, and certainly the best I have outright owned (even if for less than a month).

I have had requests from some people to try to pull out the stem and set the time, or try to wind it up, but it is just too tight. It's either overwound or needs oil or something. It had been sitting for quite some time, and I acquired this from the original family, so it has not been in the hands of a dealer before now. And this dealer has learned the hard way about "leaving things unknown alone". This watch needs a pro to get the movement out and oil it up and get the thing going, and I want to state again that I am not that pro. I'd only break it.