POCKET WATCHES
Skeleton Pocket Watches
Rather whole and transparent? You are a man of value and you go straight to the point? The pocket watch that will highlight this aspect of your personality is undoubtedly the skeleton pocket watch.
Mechanical Pocket Watches
If the pocket watch is still so successful today, it is because it has been able to evolve and reinvent itself to follow current trends and respond to new aesthetic codes.
Quartz Pocket Watches
You are not a big fan of costume jewelry and appreciate the simple and uncluttered beauty with a modern touch. At Bold Time Shop, we consider this precious timepiece as a prestigious jewel and a fashion accessory in its own right. That’s why we offer several collections of quartz pocket watches so that every wearer can find HIS ideal pocket watch with precision.
Open Face Pocket Watches
Discover our new collection specially designed for lovers of authentic open-face pocket watches. We are pleased to present the first type of dial that has emerged from the many models of watches. A much-appreciated gift, suitable for all looks while bringing a unique style.
Hunter Pocket Watches
Discover the hunter pocket watch, the preferred accessory of the Victorian nobility. This timepiece symbolized opulence and luxury in a Victorian era of rapid economic and industrial growth.
Half Hunter Pocket Watches
The half hunter pocket watch is a relatively modern model and not very popular with our ancestors, the reason: its high price because it had to be produced to measure. Today, the half-hunter pocket watch is popular and is worn by both men and women.
Double Hunter Pocket Watches
Modern and elegant, the pocket watch with the double hunter case has two protective flaps that open by pressing on the top of the crown. These bezels serve to protect the glass on the front and back if the latter has one. Although favored for chic occasions, the double clamshell pocket watch can also be worn on a daily basis with lighter, casual outfits.
Double Half Hunter Pocket Watches
Its open-worked flaps serve to protect the glass at the front and at the back if the latter has one. Chic and trendy, the double hunter pocket watch appeals to both men and women. Sophisticated, it can be worn on vests as well as in a trouser pocket or around the neck.
Necklace Pocket Watches
A true jewel of elegance and refinement, a necklace watch will prove to be a very appreciated gift, adapted to all looks while bringing a unique style.
Men’s Pocket Watches
Chic men and modern gentlemen demand perfection. The wardrobe of these men is enough to make fashion-conscious women jealous. The style of dress is always very neat and the dressing room offers a wide choice of suits to look good in all circumstances and all occasions.
Women’s Pocket Watches
This timepiece will find its place close to your heart. If you are looking for the perfect gift for your other half, one of our women’s pocket watches is sure to delight your loved one.
Anime Pocket Watches
Today, the pocket watch is worn as well by collectors as by fans of classic watchmaking not forgetting, above all, the fans of anime, movies, or pop culture.
Pocket Watch Accessories
An ideal accessory, the pocket watch is of great use in everyday life. Discreet and practical, it is indispensable to all those who wish to keep time at hand and in good condition. However, other elements remain inseparable from the Pocket Watch: its Chain, its case, and its stand.
Several centuries ago, in the 14th century to be precise, the mechanical clock made its appearance. Since then, it has continued to evolve and seek to perfect both its aesthetics and its technology. In spite of the latest technical advances, and in particular digital technology, the pocket watch has always maintained its place in the hearts of today’s men and women. There are several reasons for this: its history, its beauty, its elegance, its diversity, and its originality.
A pocket watch is not just a simple instrument for measuring time. It is also a true fashion accessory and a unique identity object. It offers a personalization and a singular charm to sublimate each personality that wears this prestigious object. From the vintage watch to the skeleton watch and the fancy watch, each character, each temperament, and each universe finds a watch that reflects it. This historical timepiece accompanies you on a daily basis to affirm and sublimate your exceptional personality. This is why the pocket watch has had fervent admirers for centuries.
Even today, prestigious antique watches are sold at a high price. Some have been lucky enough to receive this priceless jewel as an inheritance. Wearing this irreplaceable timepiece every day, it is a whole part of the memory of the loved one that the cover of the pocket watch contains. A timeless symbolic object that allows us to keep an eternal link with our loved ones, to preserve the feeling that they are still there, close to us, sharing our moments of life.
Our watches are made of stainless steel. This is the choice we have made to offer you the impeccable quality you deserve. This metal is very malleable to give its forms and engravings all in smoothness. The charm of the old is totally preserved for some, while for others modernity has been able to make a place of choice. Steel has many advantages because, despite its versatility, it is solid, robust, does not blacken, and does not rust. It is therefore a jewel that you can keep for life.
The choice of your pocket watch, or the one you are going to offer to a loved one, is not as simple as you might think. The pocket watch has a particular history and an aestheticism that is just as much. That’s what makes it so charming. You will find here a complete guide to help you make your choice and to accompany you in the daily or exceptional wearing of this jewel of yesteryear. You will discover each part of the most mythical timepiece in the world, but also how to wear it or maintain it. Bold Time wishes you a very good discovery.
THE POCKET WATCH MOVEMENTS
The movement is to the timepiece what the engine is to your car. It is the movement that produces and stores the energy to make each organ of your pocket watch work. There are different types of movements. Each of them is highlighted by a certain aestheticism of the gusset clock.
A. THE MECHANICAL MOVEMENT OF POCKET WATCHES
The mechanical movement has the particularity to be declined in two possible variants: the manual and automatic mechanical movement. Each of these movements has its own technical specificities.
1. THE MECHANICAL HAND-WOUND MOVEMENT
A. THE ORIGINAL MOVEMENT
This is undoubtedly the oldest and most appreciated by the purists of the traditional pocket clock. Very often, this type of mechanism is visible through the case back of the watch. The visual is unique and almost magical. The cogs are mixed with the gears to power all the organs of the timepiece. The movement of the hands, but also the watch complications with which it is equipped as :
- The chronograph
- An annual calendar
- The perpetual calendar
- The double time zone
- The phases of the moon…
are all functions powered by mechanical movement.
B. HOW HAND-WINDING WORKS
Energy must be created in the mainspring of the watch by the wearer in order to power the various movements of the watch.
To do this, you must turn the crown several times to “wind” the mainspring and store energy. Then, the precision mechanics of the great watchmakers operate alone. The accumulated energy will be transferred to the hands and complications of your pocket watch.
Each watch model has a winding interval defined by the watch manufacturer. This is commonly known as the “power reserve“. Some pocket watches have a power reserve of 24 hours, the most elaborate can go up to 8 days.
2. THE SELF-WINDING MOVEMENT
A. A NEW TECHNOLOGICAL ACHIEVEMENT FOR THE POCKET WATCH
Great names in watchmaking have brought pocket watches into the luxury watch category through their studies and technological prowess. This is notably the case of Abraham Louis Perrelet who initiated the mechanical watch with automatic winding, followed closely by Breguet who improved this concept by allowing the torque of the oscillating weight to be distributed over two barrels.
B. SPECIFICITIES OF THE SELF-WINDING MOVEMENT
Just like its cousin, the manually wound mechanical pocket watch, the self-winding watch must be wound to store energy. The proper functioning of the watch depends on it in order not to lose precision. But here, the wearer does not need to wind it daily.
The automatic watch is designed with an oscillating weight. This “turns” with the movements of the wrist, which therefore allows the spring to be tightened to store sufficient energy. It is your daily movements that give life to your pocket watch. A unique object that is no longer defined as a simple accessory, but as a true extension of yourself. This jewel is an integral part of your own personality.
B. THE MECHANICAL MOVEMENT OF POCKET WATCHES
1. THE GREAT DISCOVERY OF THE PIEZOELECTRIC EFFECT OF QUARTZ
We owe this technological feat to two great physicists: Pierre Curie and Jacques Curie. It is thanks to them that the watchmakers will discover the piezoelectric effect of quartz in 1880. Much later, in 1927, the Bell Telephone factory designed the first battery clock, but it was not until 1967 that Swiss watchmakers succeeded in miniaturizing this mechanism to install it at the heart of the first quartz watch.
This was a dazzling advance for the watchmaking world. The low cost of this technology coupled with the rise of the large manufacturers and the minimal maintenance of a quartz watch contributed to its instantaneous rise.
2. HOW DOES THE QUARTZ MOVEMENT WORK?
The watch requires a certain amount of energy that it will transfer to the different organs of the clock itself. In a quartz movement, it is the battery that will generate an electric current on the stone. The gemstone then reacts to this current through mechanical vibrations which are transmitted by the different cogs to the motor to give movement to the hands.
The precision is remarkable, only 1 minute difference after 1 year, that is to say only 1 second per week.
C. MECHANICAL MOVEMENT OR QUARTZ MOVEMENT?
Each wearer has his own preferences. If you are looking for a precise and easy-to-use watch, the battery pocket watch will probably satisfy you. Many of them are equipped with this movement to preserve an authentic and vintage spirit but are also more whimsical to suit everyone.
If you want a watch that preserves the wonderful watchmaking history of the vintage timepiece at its heart, then automatic or manual winding will be more appropriate. The pleasure of wearing such an object is indescribable. It will sublimate your personality and perfect your look without any hesitation.
THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF CASES OF POCKET WATCHES
As we mentioned earlier, the pocket watch has been able to diversify to meet all expectations with a multitude of possibilities. This is the situation for its many designs and the aesthetics of the watch itself, but not only. The opening of pocket watches is very variable depending on the model.
The gusseted watch models offer different types of openings. Depending on your taste, but also the use of your pocket clock.
A. THE POCKET WATCH WITH OPEN FACE CASE
One of the first cases to see the light of day is the open face. Thereafter, many changes will be made to the housing and the mechanics itself to evolve with the users and the new needs of modern society.
1. HOW THE OPEN FACE POCKET WATCH LOOKS LIKE
The first of these watches was designed with an open face to facilitate the reading of the time. The glass dial is visible and encircled by the bezel. A winder at 3 or 12 o’clock allows you to wind your watch and set the time. Depending on the model, the box is more or less elaborate and comes in different materials: silver, gold, or more solid and durable but just as noble: stainless steel. The time display is analog with Roman or Arabic numerals depending on the aesthetics and design desired.
2. A LITTLE HISTORY
One of the most prestigious of these was designed by Breguet and commissioned by Marie Antoinette, the wife of Louis XVI. It has two dials, one in white enamel and the other in rock crystal. The 18-carat gold, sapphires, nothing is too beautiful for the Queen of France. She wanted the most complex watch ever conceived, and the Marie-Antoinette watch met her expectations even though Her Majesty never got to wear it or even admire it with her own eyes. Nearly 40 years of work to achieve a sensational watch with 23 integrated horological complications.
- Minute repeater
- Complete perpetual calendar (day, date, month, 4-year cycle)
- Equation of time
- Power reserve
- Metal thermometer
- Independent big second at will
- Small second hand
- Anchor escapement
- Gold spiral
- Double drop guard
It is now preserved in a box at the Château de Versailles.
3. THE OPEN DIAL GUSSET WATCH: FOR WHAT USE?
If you want a watch that is easy to use and can read the time easily, this is without a doubt the pocket watch that you need. The “open face” watch comes with different movements: mechanical or battery, and different styles: vintage, fancy…
The glass is not however safe from scratches and glass breakage. You must define your use before choosing this type of model. Occasional or festive use is recommended unless you have a sedentary activity that allows daily and regular use in complete safety.
Most open faces are gold or silver, but some of them might surprise you. If you wish to mark your identity through your passion and you like originality and the beauty of nature, a wooden watch would be able to link these different universes in all simplicity for a most authentic result.
B. THE COMPLETE HUNTER CASE: AN ABSOLUTELY UNIQUE POCKET WATCH
The pocket watch evolves to adapt to the activities of the time. One of them was particularly risky for it: fall, scratch, ball impact…
1. THE HUNTER CASE: PROTECTING THE WATCH FACE WITH THE CLAMSHELL SYSTEM
Watchmakers quickly realized that hunters, because of their activities, needed an opening system that would protect their measuring instrument while not losing sight of the primary purpose of telling the time.
The case is therefore designed with a metal cover on a hinge. To read the time, simply press the crown like a button. The front flap then opens onto the watch face. Usually, the crown is then located at 3 o’clock to allow easy opening and reading when you hold your pocket watch in the palm of your hand.
2. THE HUNTER CASE: FOR WHAT USE OF THE POCKET WATCH?
Of course, depending on your activities (for sportsmen for example), it is an ideal timepiece to be worn serenely without fear of damaging the glass dial.
It also has another advantage. These two claps allow for infinite customization. Engravings, iconographies of your passions, engraved texts, or even photographs inside the front flap… It is the ideal gift for all the original and passionate personalities of today.
To double the security of your watch if you are sporty for example, make sure you choose your chain carefully to avoid bad falls.
C. THE CHARM OF A GOUSSET WATCH WITH A HALF-HUNTER CASE
1. THE AESTHETICS OF POCKET WATCHES TAKES A NEW TURN
The pocket watch was widely used at the time and defined a certain social status. Every man had a pocket watch on his vest or pants. Many Kings of France and their wives also inspired the fashion of the time. Prestige and luxury were found in wearing pocket watches. This social movement is also very clearly seen in the Peaky Blinders series. The gang of the 20s proudly wears their pocket watches, almost theatrically. The pocket clock asserts a form of virility and a certain power.
This is why the great watchmaking firms work on this jewel to give it a new splendor. Numerous technical feats, such as the Lépine caliber or Breguet’s new inventions, gave the watch a new lease of life. But aesthetics are also becoming increasingly important. This is particularly true of the half-hunter pocket watch.
It offers optimal security and easy reading of the time thanks to its Half Hunter cover. You can open the case with the crown to see the entire glass dial. But you can also simply take a look at the front of your watch. The Half Funter clamshell is very often adorned with Arabic numerals around the glass that let its hands show through.
2. WHO IS THIS TYPE OF OPENING SUITABLE FOR?
Half Hunter pocket watches are for people who want to combine elegance with reliability. You can easily wear it with a shirt or in your jeans pocket without fear of scratching the dial. The clock can be read at a glance.
If you are looking for a watch with a sleek or sophisticated design, but need to tell the hours quickly without having to do any special handling, the half hunter pocket watch is for you.
It comes in several variations and styles. You’ll easily find what you are looking for thanks to the magnifying glass in the search tab on Bold time.
D. THE DOUBLE HUNTER WATCH FOR A DOUBLE USE OF THE POCKET WATCH
1. THE UNIQUENESS OF DOUBLE-HUNTER POCKET WATCHES
Double-hunter pocket watches have the particularity of having a double flap. Each side opens with a simple push on the crown. You keep the protective and ornamental spirit of the hunter case while having an unobstructed view of the heart of the mechanism on the front and back of the watch.
This case design also allows for a different way of wearing the watch. You can attach it to your jacket or trouser pocket, but also put it completely open on your desk or a sideboard like a picture frame. It can thus have a triple use: time measuring instrument, fashion accessory, and decorative object.
It is also a precious timekeeper that, thanks to its reliable and solid design, can last in time. You can pass it on to a loved one as a symbol of your love and bond with your loved one. If you choose it according to your personality and character, it is a small part of yourself that you are bequeathing to those around you.
2. WHO IS THE RIGHT PERSON TO WEAR A DOUBLE HUNTER GUSSETED WATCH?
Very often, this type of watch is worked in a luxury vintage look. It is, therefore suitable for modern men and women who want to combine elegance and refinement to enhance their clothing style. The practicality of the opening can allow a different use of the watch depending on the work environment.
It is also perfectly suited for exceptional, festive, or decorative use thanks to the many possibilities it embodies with this type of exceptional case.
E. THE UNPARALLELED BEAUTY OF THE DOUBLE HALF HUNTER POCKET WATCH
1. THE SPECIFICS OF THE DOUBLE HALF HUNTER GUSSET WATCH
This is undoubtedly one of the most charming and hypnotic gusseted watches. Often worked with great finesse in the engravings, the double half hunter watch has two openwork covers. The first cover allows you to read the hours without having to open the watch.
The bewitchment is on the second cover. It allows, thanks to its open heart, to have an unobstructed view of the mechanism itself. The gentle clicking of the seconds ticking away is enchanting. The moving gears that create this melody of time are wonderful and fascinating.
2. THE MOST BEAUTIFUL DOUBLE HALF HUNTER POCKET WATCHES
The Double Half Hunter pocket watches, and the Phoenix Pocket Watch model is a beautiful sample. The engravings are fine and elegant, the gold contrasts with the black to gain charisma. The reverse side of the watch is just as prestigious, the cogs are visible and gears sublimate. The magic of time becomes a work of art.
What is quite astonishing in the front cover is the magnificent legendary bird chiseled in the alloy to let the fairy tale wander on the dial. It thus evokes through its design the legend, but also the watchmaking world in all its splendor. The white hands stand out very clearly on the dial. No doubt that the display of the clock is facilitated, but it also makes the work more singular.
The back cover offers of course a visual of the complexity of the watch mechanism in all its splendor.
When you press the crown of the winder, you discover the dial of your pocket watch. This one is much more refined than the clappers, which harmonizes the whole. It is nevertheless very precise with the graduation and display of minutes, hours, and seconds.
TO EACH HIS OWN MODEL OF pOCKET WATCH
The enchantment of the pocket watch lies in its infinite possibilities. The aesthetics of this jewel has been reinvented by many watchmakers to finally seduce everyone. It allows asserting one’s own identity. A self-affirmation that echoes natural beauty, that of your unique personality.
To choose the ideal watch, you must take into account different characteristics of the pocket watch: the movement and your clothing style.
A. CHOOSING A POCKET WATCH BASED ON THE MECHANICAL MOVEMENT
Before considering the look, you should take the time to think about the type of movement you are looking for. At Bold Time, each universe offers both mechanical and quartz movements.
1. THE MECHANICAL POCKET WATCH
Even though there are mechanical watches with automatic winding, the current trend is to prefer manual winding movement. The charm of the watch is more authentic. But don’t think that the watch is “old-fashioned” or difficult to set.
The power reserve (time between two windings) is increasingly important. Some watches need to be wound daily, while others can wait up to 5 days at least.
What pleases these watch models is their authenticity. It is designed in the purest watchmaking tradition of the past. It is a symbol of a time that you carry with you every day. Today’s mechanical watches have brilliantly succeeded in blending the watchmaking myth of the past with the modernity of 21st-century watches.
Take a look at the Aristocrat Pocket Watch. Isn’t it impressive? You can clearly see the engravings and Roman numerals in a perfectly accomplished vintage look. The watchmaking tradition lives on thanks to its hand-wound mechanism.
But modernity also sounds like the hours and minutes. The blackish elements are very successful and give it a very captivating visual. They stand out perfectly from the heart of the watch. Gold is also present in the mechanism at the center of the work. On the back, the wheels are sublimated by the open-worked clapper. The whole is simply unique and charismatic. The pocket watch becomes a work of art in itself.
2. THE QUARTZ POCKET WATCH
Quartz is without any measure the simplest and most reliable movement. The precision of this type of movement is unmatched. The only maintenance you’ll need to do every two years or so is to change the battery.
If you are looking for a practical, reliable piece of jewelry with no constraints on use, the quartz watch is ideal.
You’ll find many different styles in this type of movement. Some models are inspired by vintage, while others leave room for fantasy. You can find pocket watches with the effigy of your movies and series, your passions, or even watches with humorous messages.
The quartz movement is so miniaturized that it also allows the watch to be reworked in other forms. It can leave its round ceremonial outfit for more eccentric shapes like the rectangle or the ball to be worn as a pendant for example.
B. CHOOSE YOUR POCKET WATCH TO ENHANCE YOUR STYLE
The pocket watch is a fashion accessory in its own right. It completes the outfit for a casual, trendy, rock, or even elegant and refined look. There are a thousand and one models of pocket watches, but almost as many ways to wear it to adopt a really unique touch.
1. THE CHARM OF ANTIQUE POCKET WATCHES
The “antique watch” style would enhance your elegance. The antique watch favors noble materials such as gold, brass, or silver. The bezel is engraved with clean lines to bring a classic and authentic finish to the whole.
Traditionally, the dial is white, while the numbering can be Roman or Arabic. Some watch complications very often complete the watch with an independent second hand at 6 o’clock.
The railwaymen’s pocket watches, which were also called regulators, are a fine example of this vintage charm. They are full of history and this is what makes them so beautiful.
With such a jewel, it’s hard not to step back in time. Can you imagine the station master on the platforms? His work suit, his straight pants, his jacket, and his cap? A few stars remind you of the rank of this employee of the railway company without forgetting the pocket watch that lights up his jacket pocket.
The spirit of this pocket watch and its technical characteristics have been studied to fulfill a very particular mission: to avoid train accidents on the tracks.
When you wear this jewel, a whole part of our history is echoed in the gentle clatter of time measurement.
2. THE UNIVERSE OF THE STEAMPUNK GOUSSET WATCH
Steampunk is a literary current that can be found during the 19th century. Our country is then in the full industrial revolution. The steam engines and the use of coal allow new technical prowess. These machines (steam vehicles, diving suits…) give life to new appearances: fanciful characters, time machines, space, or the depths of the ocean. It is as if everything became possible: the discovery of the world had no more limits.
A. THE LITERARY TREND INSPIRES FASHION
Even if this trend is initially more easily present in literature, cinema, music or even drawing quickly takes it over. A “Do it yourself” movement was launched in parallel to make all this overflowing imagination and these unique creations concrete and alive. People who are passionate about the phenomenon have imagined costumes, accessories, and decorations to give life to their characters. The costumes are truly impressive. It is in this spirit that the steampunk pocket watch was born. This universe has inspired clothing designers, but also jewelers, and watchmakers for their creations.
One of the great authors of this genre is Jules Verne. In the manga universe, we also find the Fullmetal Alchemist saga with “mechanical grafts” or in the cinema Wild Wild West with the mechanical spider.
B. THE MOST BEAUTIFUL STEAMPUNK POCKET WATCH
Bold Time always offers the most beautiful watches! But we must admit, the best pocket watch is this Steampunk Gunmetal pocket watch is particularly well designed. The evocation of machines is brilliantly illustrated with the cogs and gears. The whole is harmonious and charismatic, worthy of the most beautiful characters of this artistic movement. The measurement of time is very precise to evoke the technology and technicality of the machines. The watch is doubly open-worked since one can see the mechanism of the watch in the center of the work on the front. A little wonder!
3. SKELETON POCKET WATCHES FOR AN AUTHENTIC ROCK LOOK
The pocket watch is not reserved for the refined and distinguished. Rockers with a thirst for freedom and a casual look also have their pocket watch! It’s just worn differently, more often in the pocket of a pair of jeans for example. But it’s always a great look!
For the record, did you know that Levis Strauss, the founding father of jeans, designed the little inside pocket that you find in the front of your favorite jeans especially to accommodate pocket watches?
To showcase a bit of a rock style, different models of pocket watches can be suitable depending on the movement and opening you want.
As an example, in this state of mind, the Golden Skeleton Pocket Watch is absolutely sublime! You won’t find a watch that advocates freedom more than this one. The entire mechanism is completely visible. There is nothing to obstruct the view and the beauty of the mechanism. There are no flaps or dial to speak of. Only the bezel comes to encircle the whole with a very successful metal chasing. All in stainless steel, it is worked with great taste. Each piece is magnified by those around it. A masterpiece quite astonishing in a singular style perfectly successful!
4. THE ORIGINAL POCKET WATCHES
In this style, you’ll find many hunter case watches that allow more fantasy. You’ll find all sorts of icons, images, or messages to characterize your personality.
An animal you are passionate about, a character trait, an activity you practice, or a state of mind you claim, the pocket watch becomes an extension of yourself and an integral part of your personality.
These models can be worn on your jacket, shirt, or pants pocket. They lend themselves easily to all your outfits for everyday use. They can also be worn with a chain to enhance a pretty summer dress or a casual style.
5. THE PENDANT VERSION OF THE POCKET WATCH
The necklace pocket watch is becoming a very trendy fashion accessory for women to complement all their outfits. They come in all shapes and styles. The necklace can also lend itself to a more masculine version for a trendy look.
You’ll find glamorous shapes and the use of rhinestones, polished steel, gold, pink, and copper colors to highlight femininity and your natural beauty.
TAKING CARE OF YOUR POCKET WATCH
A. HOW TO OPEN A GOUSSET WATCH?
To maintain your pocket watch, you’ll have to pull the cover to perform some manipulations like a battery change for quartz watches or a gasket. It all depends on the opening system of your case.
1. OPENING A REMOVABLE CASE
This kind of housing is very easy to open as long as you have the necessary tools. The watchmaker’s knife is ideal for this operation. It has a handle and a beveled blade. Thanks to this precious tool, you’ll be able to access the heart of the mechanism of your pocket watch.
On the back of your watch, a cover closes your watch. On one side of your cover, you’ll see a small hole. This is where you’ll be able to insert the tip of the blade of your watch knife. Use your knife as a lever, push the blade into the hole and lift the cover without forcing it.
Remember to work on your pocket watch in a clean and uncluttered environment to avoid losing any parts. After opening, you’ll be able to carry out your maintenance serenely. Then, simply replace the cover and press hard on it so that it clicks back into place.
2. OPENING A HOUSING WITH A SCREWED BOTTOM
To open a case with a screwed bottom, you must be equipped with a case opener. It comes with a rectangular handle for a better grip. At the other end, you’ll find two distant pliers. Between these pliers, there is a knob, it allows you to manage the distance between the two pliers.
To open your hood, after preparing your work surface, you must use the knob to open it to a distance greater than the diameter of your hood. Next, you’ll see that the cover of your case is designed with several small recesses that go around your cover. Insert your case opener into two diagonal recesses. Using the knob, tighten your pliers so that they can have an effect on the hood. Turn your pliers counterclockwise, and you’re done!
Well, almost! Now you need to do your maintenance with the clock face down and your watch flat so you don’t risk losing or misaligning your mechanism. Then, proceed in the same way to screw back the cover of your case. You can blow, the operation is finished!
B. HOW TO WIND A POCKET WATCH
To wind a mechanical watch, there are two ways to proceed depending on the model of watch you are wearing. https://www.youtube.com/embed/EIUNt_41cww?feature=oembed
1. POCKET WATCHES WITH A KEY
If you were wondering what the small hole on the back of your watch case at the inner cover is for, you now have the answer. It is the hole that will allow you to wind your pocket watch. To do this, you need a key, which is why this kind of winding is called “key winding“.
When you have your key in hand, insert it into the hole provided. The mechanism is now visible for you to service.
2. POCKET WATCHES WITH CROWN
Depending on the movement, the crown can be used to wind the watch or to readjust the time for a winter or summer time change for example.
A. THE MECHANICAL POCKET WATCH WITH CROWN
Winding your mechanical watch with a crown is very simple and requires no special tools. If your watch is a hunter or half hunter model, first pull your box to see the dial. Then turn the crown counterclockwise until you feel a slight resistance. This is the signal that the spring has stored enough energy to power the various organs of your pocket watch.
B. THE QUARTZ POCKET CLOCK AND THE USE OF THE CROWN
Even if the time changes in winter or summer easily confuse us, it is still necessary to consider setting your watch so that you are not late for work! In this case, you need to pull the crown slightly. You should hear a small click. The mechanism is then stopped and the hands are no longer turning. You’ll be able to turn your crown clockwise, or counterclockwise if you have gone a little too far, to fine_tune your timepiece. When the time is set, don’t forget to push the crown back in to restart the mechanism.
3. HOW TO TAKE CARE OF YOUR POCKET WATCH?
A. CLEANING THE CASE AND DIAL
Like all jewels that you hold so dear, a little maintenance to preserve your watch from the uses of time is always advisable so that it preserves all its beauty and charm of the first days.
The dial is one of the parts that get dirty quite easily, especially if you have an open-face pocket watch. Fingerprints easily grease the glass. Besides the aesthetic aspect, the glass becomes opaque and makes it difficult to read the time.
Avoid abrasive cleaning products, a simple damp microfiber cloth is more than enough to restore your precious timepiece to its former glory. Rub lightly, insisting on the dirtiest parts, then dry your dial well.
Your enclosure can also get dust through the small hole that serves as an opening, for example. To prevent dust from accumulating inside your watch and therefore the precious mechanism it contains, you can dust it from time to time.
You don’t necessarily need to pull your case to do this. A small, fine brush allows you to easily sweep the smallest nooks and crannies of your case by inserting a few bristles into the hole. You’ll remove all the accumulated dust with a few brush strokes.
B. THE WORK OF THE WATCHMAKER
THE MASTER WATCHMAKERS
The watchmaker is a precision mechanic. Thanks to different magnifying devices to improve his working environment, he can work on infinitely small parts such as springs, calibers, balances, gears…
He will assemble certain components when he creates a watch, but he can also service and sell different watch parts. If you have the slightest doubt about your ability to change a battery, a gasket, or particular maintenance, do not hesitate to call on his services.
CHANGE THE BATTERY OF YOUR GOUSSET WATCH
To change a battery, as we have seen, a watchmaker’s knife can open almost all pocket watches. But not all of us have the patience and skill of Mother Nature.
For the more clumsy or less confident, you can ask your nearest watchmaker to perform the manipulation for you. For a small handful of euros, your pocket watch will be fit for service again for several years and perfectly adjusted.
MAINTAINING YOUR POCKET WATCH
If you have little or no knowledge of watch mechanics, especially of mechanical watches or antique watches, trust your watchmaker and don’t take any risks. The heart of the mechanism is delicate and complex, a simple little mistake in handling can compromise the functioning of your watch.
The watchmaker has the skills and tools to easily perform the various maintenance of your pocket watch or change a worn part.
THE POCKET WATCH, A REAL FASHION ACCESSORY
A. HOW TO WEAR A GOUSSET WATCH ACCORDING TO YOUR OUTFIT?
For each outfit, its own pocket watch! You’ll see through these lines that the gousset watch is a fashion accessory in its own right and that it can be tastefully combined with most of your wardrobe. You just need to have the right advice. And that’s just what Bold Time offers you. Follow the guide!
1. WEAR A POCKET WATCH WITH A SUIT
Very often, the pocket watch is worn with a suit. Because of its history, it is a luxury accessory for special occasions. Here are two ways to wear it according to your desires of the moment.
THE POCKET WATCH ON THE VEST
This is the most classic and oldest way of wearing the pocket watch. It’s elegant, refined and looks great on a 3-piece suit. Whether you are a fan of this formal look for the office, or more casual for a wedding, for example, the pocket watch finishes your outfit and it will leave no one indifferent. The charisma it exudes is always appreciated.
To wear it on your vest, you need an Albert-type chain. One end is attached to your watch and the other to one of the buttonholes on your garment. Don’t tie it too tightly, the chain should be a little loose and visible without revealing the beauty of your watch at first glance. Sometimes you have to cultivate the mystery!
THE POCKET WATCH WITHOUT A VEST
Many people mistakenly think that a pocket watch can only be worn on a vest. Indeed, it is a very popular style tradition, but it is not the only possibility. If you prefer to wear a suit with a shirt without a vest or jacket, you can, still with an Albert chain (in the same color as the watch to harmonize the whole) attach your watch to the buttonhole of your shirt.
Another variation is to attach it to your belt loop. Specific chains for trouser belts exist to attach your pocket watch with a simple gesture. The look without a vest with a pocket watch is therefore quite feasible and even very classy!
2. WEAR A POCKET WATCH IN A CASUAL WAY
You love the style of the pocket watch and you don’t dare to wear it every day because you like the casual look. You’re wrong, the pocket watch is just as sublime when worn over jeans. Here are our tips:
WEARING THE POCKET WATCH ON YOUR BELT
If you wear your jeans with a belt, you can use two types of chains:
- The clasp chain
- The belt chain
The first one can be attached directly to the buckle of your belt, while the other one can be attached to the strap. It all depends on the pendant you are looking for.
If you use a clasped chain, the pendant is a little less visible from the buckle to the pocket and is located further forward.
If you are using the belt chain, the bar attaches from the top down. You then slip your pocket watch into the front pocket of your pants. In this situation, the pendant is highlighted while remaining secure so you don’t lose your precious!
THE ATTACHMENT TO THE PANTS OF THE POCKET WATCH
If you are one of those who can’t stand the belt, you still have the right to wear your pretty jewel and please wear it on your pants!
To do so, nothing could be simpler, simply hang your chain on the belt buckle and attach the ring to the loop of your pants. Choose the loop that will give the best counterpart.
The attachment to the pants allows some fantasy. You can opt for a leather cord and attach your pocket watch to the loops of your jeans. The result is superb, especially on light denim.
B. HOW TO WEAR YOUR GOUSSET WATCH ACCORDING TO YOUR STYLE?
1. THE DANDY STYLE
For a perfect dandy lifestyle, wear it with a shirt, a jacket, or a vest, even if it is also very nice to wear it with pants.
Make sure to highlight the chain of the watch, do not hesitate to exaggerate the pendant so that the watch becomes an accessory of the outfit in its own right. Then, keep in mind a certain harmony in your ensemble. The chain, the pocket watch, and the suit should match. If you decide to slice your outfit with very intense colors, know that gold goes much more easily with this type of color. Black and silver are best worn with dark colors (black, gray) or white.
With the dandy style, you can afford any extravagance, as long as it is synonymous with luxury and refinement.
2. THE CASUAL STYLE
For a casual look, you should prefer to wear it with pants. Albert-style chains lend themselves very well to the game, as do leather cords. Either you want to keep it discreet and attach your watch to a loop close to the pocket, or you want to emphasize the wearing of your pocket watch to highlight your look and in this situation, you can move the attachment point away to have a more pronounced counterpart.
Rather for women, necklace watches are always refined! You can wear a pendant pocket watch with a dress, a casual touch, or even a sophisticated outfit for your outings with girlfriends.
With a casual look, a little top, and pants, you can let your pendant fall quite low (between the chest and the navel). The pendant necklace highlights your femininity and the pocket watches your personality for an ultra-personalized look.
3. ASSERTIVE PERSONALITIES
If you’re more of an extravagant personality, enjoy humorous or whimsical tips, or are die-hard fans of manga, movies, and TV shows, a pocket watch with the image of your favorite characters can go everywhere with you!
Whether it’s an effigy of your passions or an illustration of your most singular character traits, the fancy pocket watch allows you to mark your identity and assert your personality. More than a simple timepiece, it is a true extension of yourself. A personal fetish object that accompanies you on a daily basis to enhance your unique personality.
4. THE TREND FOR WOMEN
The woman is not forgotten in the world of the pocket watch, on the contrary, it knows how to make itself feminine and glamorous to sublimate your natural beauty.
Mounted as a necklace, the pocket watch becomes a real jewel that embellishes your neckline and your bust. It adapts effortlessly to all styles.
Women can also wear their watch with a vest or pants just like men. To make the chain a little more feminine, jewelers have thought of everything! The chain’s snail-like links with their curves and swirls are feminine and tastefully crafted to the delight of the ladies.
THE DIFFERENT CHAINS FOR POCKET WATCHES
A. ALBERT CHAINS FOR GOUSSET WATCHES
1. THE ALBERT-T CHAIN
The Albert-T chain is undoubtedly the best known and most popular chain for pocket watches. It consists of a clip at one end to attach to the watch and a T-shaped bar at the other. This bar must be passed through one of the buttonholes of your vest or jacket.
To wear it well, the chain should be a little loose. This is how it is best displayed and can enhance your outfit. To be in perfect harmony with your watch, Bold Time offers different metal colors: silver, gold, or bronze. In order not to make any mistake in taste, the chain should ideally be of the same color as the bezel.
For each of the watches of the boutique, Bold Time offers you to match your pocket watch with the chain of your choice.
2. THE DOUBLE ALBERT-T CHAIN
The double Albert-T chain is a variant of the Albert chain. It is designed with a single T-shaped clasp and two chains.
The usefulness of this kind of clasp is the possibility to wear two pocket watches together, but you can also make the chain your own by giving it another use. You can attach a medallion or a Swiss Army knife for the more adventurous.
To avoid scratching your pocket watch, you can slip it into the small pocket of your pants and slide the other object into the larger pocket. https://www.youtube.com/embed/l0w7X_24rpI?feature=oembed
B. THE VARIATIONS OF CHAINS FOR POCKET WATCHES ACCORDING TO THE DESIRED WEAR
1. THE BELT CHAIN
This kind of chain is specifically designed to be worn on the belt of your pants.
You simply attach the slide fastener to your belt strap from the top down. To keep your mind on wearing the pocket watch, you can attach your chain a little forward near the buckle of your belt and slip your watch into the front pocket.
The belt chain is most often used on casual pants or jeans, but can just as easily be worn on the belt of your suit pants.
2. NECKLACE CHAIN
This one was created especially for women and worn as a necklace even though it satisfies the modern men of the 19th century just as well. Women like to adorn themselves with beautiful jewelry that enhances their natural beauty and the pendant lends itself well. Femininity is honored.
The sautoir allows the watch to be placed between the chest and the navel, like a pendant. The pocket watch becomes a real jewel and a fashion accessory to perfect the outfit. It highlights the passion, gentleness, kindness, and love of women.
3. BOLT RING CHAINS
There are two types of clasp chains a ring or lobster clasp. One as the other allows especially the port to the pants.
C. THE LINKS OF POCKET WATCH CHAINS
Chains can be designed with different types of links depending on the desired effect:
- Curb links:
These are large and tight links for a manly and charismatic look. - Snake links:
Very tight ring links, the thickness can vary depending on the desired look, rather discreet and feminine or robust and masculine. - Venetian mesh:
Very tight cubic meshes, give a sleek and sophisticated effect. - Knitwear forçat :
Rings entangled in one direction and then the other, this type of chain is very popular as it suits all styles of pocket watches and especially vintage watches. - Snail links:
With these swirls, it is undoubtedly one of the most feminine of all.
Bold Time has proposed this overview of the pocket watch in order to improve your knowledge on the subject and to help you choose your next pocket watch.
But the field is so vast that there is still so much to say. Unless it is because we are passionate that we become talkative on the subject!
It must be said that for centuries, several generations of watchmakers have put all their know-how at the heart of this majestic mechanism so that this time-measuring instrument became the exceptional object as we know it today. It has been modernized and has inspired numerous films, series, and manga.
It has had a glorious past with the nobles of the world through the centuries, it has accompanied the railwaymen on the tracks, the military in their war operations, and even great aviators. It was thanks to one of the latter that the wristwatch was born.
Great names in history have proudly worn their pocket watches like Winston Churchill or the greatest president of the United States of America, Mr. Abraham Lincoln. In France, many kings of France and their wives have also created the latest fashion trends in jewelry, which inevitably includes gusset watches.
It is still today the ultimate fashion accessory to enhance an outfit and achieve a singular and authentic look. The pocket watch is unique! A prestigious timeless timepiece that affirms an extraordinary personality: yours.
Bold Time is a team of passionate people who wish to offer you the choice and the quality. It is also a whole team behind your screen. If you have the slightest doubt about your choice if you wonder if the chain is adapted or the mechanical watch made for you, do not hesitate to contact our team. We’ll be happy to assist you in your search for the ideal pocket watch.
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