gold watch

[dfx willy]

well i went out hunting in the woods today with a friend of mine and i had one great find!!! a gold pocket watch. its small about the size of a half dollar or a little smaller and it has like dimond chips in the back. how you see it is how it came out of the ground. i need some id! inside it says LAMARCHAND A RENNES. theres 2 serial numbers to date it but i dont know were its from . im thinking french? theres a dimond inscribed inside with a s and a g im guessing that stands for solid gold. any one see one of these befor? willy.

 

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[RPG]

That's a beautiful watch and in great shape. Sorry no help on where or when.

Congrats.

Randy

 

[treasurefiend]

WOW my friend, that is an AWESOME find!!!! We don't hardly see whole watch on here, I hoping someone can help with the make and age. Great find and I'm gonna vote for the banner!!! Keep poundin that spot for more goodies!!!

 

[PBK]

I would agree that it is French. Rennes is a city in northwest France.

 

[Mackaydon]

LAMARCHAND may have been a watchmaker or jeweler in that town.

 

[1491]

That's an awesome find and deserves to be on the BANNER!

Jim

 

[BuckleBoy]

That is a Beautiful find! Can you share the serial numbers with us? Perhaps someone can date the watch.

I'm not convinced that "s.g." is an abbreviation for "solid gold" in French. solide is o.k but d'or ("gold") starts with a "d" or an "o" ("or").

Killer find there.


Best Wishes,



Buckles

 

[shaun7]

That is a lovely pocket watch

I bet whoever lost that was heartbroken!

 

[N.J.THer]

That is a really nice pocket watch. You don't see too many pocket watches come out of the ground in that kind of condition. Congrats.

How deep was it?

NJ

 

[dfx willy]

ya the hallmark on the case has a s then a skelleton key then a d or a o inside a diamond. thanx willy. serial number 91428. i thought there was another one but what i saw was the other side thanx willy.

 

[DMN]

That is incredible you found the watch in such clean condition. Is there any way you can get a picture of the hallmark and serial # on the inside, as well as the mechanicals? Sometimes you can identify a watch by the way the innards are configured.

No matter, the watch looks good enough to see if it could be repaired. Then you could use it with one of the fobs you may have dug up on the gold chain you may have found.....

Nice find and banner-worthy.

 

[davest]

wow, that is outstanding. a great looking watch.


Do you happen to know anyone with a computer and access to google? They might be able to help you out.

 

[dfx willy]

I FOUND THIS BUT IT WAS FOR A RINGThe mark you describe could be a British registry mark. These marks were sometimes on the outside of the item instead of the usual inside marks. It's difficult to match up since there are so many - the S could stand for shefield or it could be a Registry Month Mark for 1849. These usually were inside a diamond shape or circle. WILLY.

 

[Mackaydon]

"After 1838, a maker’s mark in a lozenge (diamond shape with four equal sides) was also required on French gold, silver and platinum." That might give you the oldest date possible.
Source: http://www.modernsilver.com/basichallmarks.htm

 

[Alchemy]

When doing your searches, try using Le Marchand, instead of all connected, or just Marchand

http://www.cowanauctions.com/past_sales_view_item.asp?itemid=19909

Beautiful watch

I used to collect and sell pocket watches in my shop years ago.
I had a few reference books, but sold them years ago

Edited:

I wanted to add, I realize the watch in the link and this watch are not the same, I just wanted to point out the maker Marchand. That, and with the similarities being applied applied jewels (though, that was fairly common practice)

 

[PBK]

It's also worth pointing out that until around 1920, it was a common practice to buy a watch movement made by your manufacturer of choice, and then purchase a case for it made by another manufacturer— for example, an Elgin movement and a Dueber case.

 

[baspinall]

That is a sweeeeeeet! Find! Nice going.

 

[Narthoniel]

That is an amazing find! Definatly deserves to be on the banner, can you take some better photos? I am willing to take them if you are in southeast VA. Way to go!!
Anthony

 

[myfantasia1]

Gorgeous watch.

 

[mlayers]

very nice looking watch sure hope it turns ot to be gold....Matt