Horology help required please?

[brucemillar]

My friends

I have a puzzle and, everybody loves a puzzle.

I am trying to to find out what I can about a "Pocket Watch". In particular, this is an (as marked on the dial) Ingersoll Triumph

The watch is old (as we have some family history showing that it was passed own through my wife's family who all hail from Southern Ireland. Apart from that we know nothing about its history or how it came to be in the family or just what the watch was 'all about'.

It is white metal and very tactile witha really nice patina. It feels warm and soft to the touch.

I love it.

It does not work, but the winder appears to operate. I am loathed to attempt any winding for fear of causing any damage.

The actual watch glass is missing but the bezel is present.

There is a white metal protective case that (I suspect) has been made to fit the watch. This is corroded and has inserted in it's back two swatches of linen one blue, one white but no writing or repairers papers.

The outer case is stamped MARS 22 1/2. The MARS stamp (to my eye) looks to match the Chocolate Maker MARS font and logo?

There are no other visible clues or markings that I can see. I am not a watch maker but a keen enthusiast and lover of tactile pieces.

I can break most things without too much trouble so am wary of introducing it to Mr Screwdriver or Mrs Hammer at this point. I see no way for the back of the watch to come away but suspect that it may be just a matter of a simple watchmakers blade to separate it from the main case. That may reveal more detail.

What would I like to get from this? I would like to get working and with a decent domed face returned to it (I assume it was originally domed?)

So, as much as we can find out really. Mars? The connection to Ingersoll Triumph? There may be o connection as the two cases may well be disparate pieces brought together for convenience?

I will now upload some reasonable pics that may help you to help to me (I hope)

Thank you for looking and hopefully offering some suggestions.

Bruce

Thanks for looking.

 

[Deano1972]

This was made around ww2 ,this was probably English and not an American one as it has triumph on it ,theses were sold around the war time until supplies ran out ,unfortunately not worth a lot of money ,Would of had a chain with it and were made in the thousands

 

[artyman]

This is only a very vague memory, but I think those watches used to be advertised in the back pages of the Eagle comic, that would have been the 1950's, 19/6d I think

 

[brucemillar]

This was made around ww2 ,this was probably English and not an American one as it has triumph on it ,theses were sold around the war time until supplies ran out ,unfortunately not worth a lot of money ,Would of had a chain with it and were made in the thousands

Deano

Thank you. Money/value is not part of the equation here so no worries there. Really it is all about curiosity.


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[brucemillar]

This is only a very vague memory, but I think those watches used to be advertised in the back pages of the Eagle comic, that would have been the 1950's, 19/6d I think

Interesting. What would be the connection (if any) to Mars 22 1/2. ?


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[Deano1972]

Google the History of the ingersoll watch company ,I believe it was 2brothers from America originally that made cheap watches etc but went bankrupt but started up again after ww2 which I believe is when your watch was produced, have a read of there history and this will help you but unfortunately if you take it to auction you won’t get an only fools and horses moment lol

 

[brucemillar]

Google the History of the ingersoll watch company ,I believe it was 2brothers from America originally that made cheap watches etc but went bankrupt but started up again after ww2 which I believe is when your watch was produced, have a read of there history and this will help you but unfortunately if you take it to auction you won’t get an only fools and horses moment lol

Deano

Thank you. No worries on the financials. It is the family/ comfort thing. I shall endeavour to see if we can get it fixed up.


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[artyman]

Interesting. What would be the connection (if any) to Mars 22 1/2. ?


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The only Mars connection I can think of is one of the characters in the Eagle comic strip "Dan Dare- pilot of the future" a space themed weekly story.

 

[Martin 1]

A nice object, with history, keep going. Have a look on t'net for watch makers tools.

 

[grober]

Four Vintage Pocket Watch Protector Cases Mark " Mars 22 / 23. One Silver plated | eBay

MARS 22 1/2 may refer to the case size?

 

[brucemillar]

eBay (oh God) throws up a few of these cases and indeed The Mars 'stamp' is there. I think that Grober has a point in relation to the 22.5 denoting size?

Why Mars?

 

[DSM10000]

So Horology is not a study of "Ladies of negotiable affection" ?

 

[optimusprime]

Bruce i love the old pocket watches . Had a few in the past silver levers .But most of them i have given to members of the family . Only have one silver lever left now in sorry state, no glass but she still works . I have a petrol lighter some place from the Olympic games in London 1948 . The woman next door asked me about this old watch ,and if i wanted it .Looking at it i knew it was worth a few pounds . And i looked it up on ebay it was worth £300 at the time .So i told her the price .It runs well but stops now and then . And also in the same box were 4 silver pocket watches .I told her to take them in to the jewelers .She did, but came home with them after he gave her a low price . And i dont know the name of the watch worth £300 right now but i will find out .

 

[optimusprime]

The watch in question is ex war depot . The watch i was talking about ,i knew it started with an H .So googled it and it was an Hebdomas made in in 1910 with 8 day movement made of gun metal not silver . Might still be going if i ask. this is a virtual picture .

 

[wu56Shoozz]

I think you'll struggle a bit here.. I have one also that came from my late father and like you wanted it restored but after a great deal of searching and placing it in the hands of 3 jewellers who "Promised they could fix/restore it.." once seen however it was "Oh we can't get the parts any more for it.." but it says on your adverts remanufacturing/re engineering.. "Oh but that's for modern watches only.. " hmmm... so for now mine lies in a drawer all cleaned up but still not working..

 

[optimusprime]

Yes may be but nice to own a nice item of the past .

 

[brucemillar]

Apologies for the slow reply here.

It appears that I can get the same watch from eBay complete and working for less than £20. A no brainer should I want to repair/restore the original.

Thank you for all the pointers and help.

Bruce


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[zipdip]

Well Bruce get some cheap watch makers tools have have a go at getting it going,come on you know it makes sense,if you give it a go and it still does not work what have you lost it did not go when you started,I would first get a can of air spray and take the back off and blast it and get rid of all the dust and crud in it, and then give it a couple of winds who knows "he who dares bruce" and it was Dan Dares watch.

 

[grimree]

Just a thought, you say you've had problems getting the back off, I have a Waltham PW, the back actually unscrews, not press fit, try that?