Gold pocket watch

Mintberrycrunch

Mintberrycrunch

Sr. Member
Mar 13, 2016
487
564
Michigan
Detector(s) used
At pro
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting

Attachments

  • image.png
    image.png
    1.1 MB · Views: 266
  • image.png
    image.png
    1.2 MB · Views: 256
  • image.png
    image.png
    1.2 MB · Views: 282
Upvote 30
Wow thats nice!!! Congrats I got one this year too. Its a thrill isn't it. Incredible man!! Great work. Im going with real deal.
 

If I had to guess I would say not gold, high vdi and it looks like you can see some of the base metal. That said it's still a great find congrats
 

It may not be real gold, but is a real find! Got your heart going didn't it ? lol Way better than rusty nails and pull tabs ! ��
 

If that baby was ten inches deep and cleaned up that nice I would say real gold. I have found many plated gold items deep too, but you can see plating falling off,that's a sweet find for sure man congrats to yah....:occasion14:
 

I'd be ordering a gold test kit.
 

I would suspect that the little iron pin in the hinge has rusted. I'd use a lot of care in getting it open, just in case.

Nice!
 

Looks like it was manufactured by the Hampden Watch Company. They made some very nice gold watches, but they also made gold filled watches as well. The company went belly up in 1930, so the watch is at least 87 years old.

My opinion is that it's real gold, but you'll have to get it it open or test it to be sure.
 

Trapperart hit it. Your machine told you what it was. Had it hit like a big old nickel then we would wonder if it were 10k or 14k.
 

I held with the 10k acid. I wasn't sure if I might get a false reading of sorts Since gold filled has a lot more gold than just plated. I might just get the hammer and screwdriver out. I'm sure no value in the guts of this thing
 

no matter what, super awesome find! does seem pretty high for solid gold but I would still be stoked to find that baby!
 

After inspecting your "cleaned" up picture of the back it appears there is wear visible and a "base" metal showing beneath the gold plating. If you look closely at the edges of the leaves and flowers you should see the discoloration as the gold is worn off from those higher spots. Not a professional opinion just an honest observation. That being said this is one heck of a cool find regardless of it's actual content. I'd certainly have it tested for sure. Nice diggin' there mate.:headbang:
 

A beautiful find and well worth your excitement! We are all anxious to hear more, so let us know! :icon_thumleft:
 

Real gold or not, that is a very nice find! Congrats!

Also could be silver, and then gold filled. If that was the case, the plating would hold up very good underground. I found a few silver, gold plated jewelry.
 

Freebird is right! It's a Hampden watch co. movement.

The gold part? I don't think it is. I think it's gold filled based on the case look and design. But can't be 100% sure...It might even be a Dueber case. You won't know till you get it open. From looking at the pic, it's doesn't look hinged, The back should unscrew off.

Cool find!!!
 

Last edited:
Mintberrycrunch said:
I held with the 10k acid. I wasn't sure if I might get a false reading of sorts Since gold filled has a lot more gold than just plated. I might just get the hammer and screwdriver out. I'm sure no value in the guts of this thing
Click to expand...

NOOOOOOO!! That case might still be usable! Don't get the hammer out!!!

Gold filled will show as gold. You have to file into it to check. But that kind of ruins things unless done in a place that can't be seen.

If you can get it open. The case words and marks will tell for sure. It cleaned up way too nice to destroy. It could possibly even be a swing out. If you can take a pic of the side, maybe I or someone on the site can help you get it open. If the back screws off, you will see a seam, it will be small. There will also be one for the front bezel. if you only see one for the front bezel? It may be a "swingout", which I doubt , but is possible.

You could actually....Rebuild that to what it was if the front bezel isn't trashed. Movements are fairly cheap depending on what model is inside but you could put a lot of different ones in there. I have hundreds. or more.
 

Last edited:
Got it. It's a bust but im still happy with it sure did make me wonder when it cleaned up so well
 

Attachments

  • image.png
    image.png
    1.3 MB · Views: 179
  • image.png
    image.png
    1.2 MB · Views: 133
Mintberrycrunch said:
I held with the 10k acid. I wasn't sure if I might get a false reading of sorts Since gold filled has a lot more gold than just plated. I might just get the hammer and screwdriver out. I'm sure no value in the guts of this thing
Click to expand...

Surely you aren't serious about destroying your gold watch mate!:o:nono::protest::icon_pale::stop: Whew! That was a close call. Glad you got it open. That's the nicest looking dug watch I've ever seen. Mine are always bit's and pieces or rusty nasty looking.
 

Last edited:
Mintberrycrunch said:
Got it. It's a bust but im still happy with it sure did make me wonder when it cleaned up so well
Click to expand...

You could put another Mc.Kinley movement in it(or other). ...If you wanted to take it that far.

Still a cool find, And if you don't keep your finds you could sell it on Ebay, someone will buy it for the Gold filled or for the case.
 

You must log in or register to reply here.

Couple o cool little bits

⬅️ Previous Thread

C-III-ME-------Eighteen Fifty Three, not so virgin site in Woodstock, NY

Next Thread ➡️

Top Member Reactions

Users who are viewing this thread

Total: 2 (members: 0, guests: 2)
Metal Detecting Stuff

Latest Discussions

Back
Top