Welcome to the Poor Man's Watch Forums - Pocket Watch Conversions

Custom Pocket Watch (2 replies)

Jose5 — Thu, 11 Oct 2012 13:40:14 -0400

Not really a Conversion, but a customization. It started out with a Unitas 6498 movement, but I used that in another project I built, so I had the case, and some extra parts from storage. I built a Marine style Pocket watch in the past with Unitas 6497 and a case just like this one but in Silver. So I decided to build another Custom pocket watch, this one with an Asian 6497 style movement. I like my watches with no logos, and I especially don't like to see the Marina Militaire Logo, so I re-painted the dial. You can see the original markings in the first picture before I painted the dial. I painted over it, and relumed the hands also. The first dial I had would glow brightly initially, but after a few minutes, the dial and hands would fade and you couldn't see them. Glows very brightly now. I've been enjoying using it instead of wearing a watch lately (who woulda thought). Can't wait to set it by my bedside tonight.

Hi all from Spain. (2 replies)

Estraperlista — Wed, 29 Jun 2011 02:25:01 -0400

Hi all from Spain.

I present my creations with Hamilton 912.

A greeting.

Another productive day watch making yesterday! Modem burner! (27 replies)

JohnnyT — Wed, 02 Feb 2011 20:54:13 -0500

I mentioned in my roll call post this morning that I would have something to show later. Here they are. Excuse the poor pics as I don't have time to do a full photo shoot of so many watches, but these will give you a good sense.

Black Classic Special, 921 movement

Original Dial, hinged case, 921 movement

White Classic Special, upgraded 23 jewel 945 movement

White Classic Special, upgraded 12 size 922 movement

And the Koopee dee graaa, a 42mm dressy using the venerable 921 movement

I do believe that if I keep only one PW conversion, this will be it. It is drop dead gorgeous!

That's it. A pretty good day if I do say so myself!

Now they just need to visit Dr. Murphy's spa and house of good repute for a thorough servicing of the movements and they will be good to go!!

Thanks for looking!

subjectsmiley11! subjectsmiley10! Yikes, playing with my Fossil ......... subjectsmiley02! (17 replies)

Robmks — Wed, 05 Jan 2011 10:22:40 -0500

Took the guts out of one watch and put it into the Fossil. A Russian pocketwatch movement with the dial/hands done by Everest Watch Works. It turned to be a great fit. The only thing was I just dropped it off at my watchmaker to switch crowns for me. Hope you like.

Bob

subjectsmiley61! Hamilton Pocket Watch Conversions just took a giant leap forward!! (72 replies)

JohnnyT — Fri, 26 Oct 2012 23:51:14 -0400

You may have read in an earlier post that I was on my way to a watchmaking session to build a few more pocket watch conversions.

Well, I went there with this on my wrist

And am now back home with these in my possession!

The one in the center is the one I already had, but the other four we just built today.

These two get a new dial we designed a few months ago and a fairly conventional case. I wanted the name Hamilton on the dial as these are truly custom made to fit the Hamilton 917 and 921 movements. I considered several other words to use with Hamilton and settled on Hamilton Classic Special as shown. I hope this isn't in violation of any laws or protocols any more than any other after market dial that uses watch names like Seiko on them.

These next two are very eccentric in that they use original dials and hands from the pocket watch and are encased in a case having the stem at 12 o'clock and hinged lugs to accommodate the access to the crown. The cool thing about these is that the only modification was to the stem and a new crown.

As with all of these pocket watch conversions, the crown jewels are the exposed movements as seen through glass case-backs.

Even here, a cool anomaly showed up! Even though all movements are the higher grade, 21 jewel 921's, the one at the top of the previous picture has a different pattern than the others and it has no serial number. I have researched how this could happen and could only find another instance where another Hamilton collector experienced a similar movement. I am 99% sure it is fully an authentic 921.

The unique one, straight decorations, no serial number

A typical one, circular decorations, serial number

Well, all in all a pretty good day. Cool, no?

Thanks for looking!

Hamilton Pocket Watch Conversion Number 4 in the house!! (30 replies)

JohnnyT — Thu, 22 Jul 2010 14:10:47 -0400

It's actually about to leave the house, as this was built specifically for Wade, a fellow that saw our last conversion here on PMWF and came forward to ask Dave and me to build one for him. It has taken us several weeks to pull everything together, but this ships to him today!

Here are a couple of pics with its brother, the one staying in my collection.

For this one, we used the 21 jewel Hamilton 921 movement and a brushed case. Dave manufactured a couple of parts to make it all work, modified a set of hands then built this 45mm stunner. I then outfitted it with a custom made JsTrap, exactly to Wade's specifications.

A big shout out to Wade for allowing us to make this build for him and an even bigger one to Dave, for his exacting, high quality work at every step of the way. Me, I'm just happy to be along for the fun ride!

Thanks for looking!

subjectsmiley61! Oh no!! Not another Hamilton Pocket watch conversion!! subjectsmiley11! subjectsmiley11! (25 replies)

JohnnyT — Wed, 19 May 2010 10:11:56 -0400

I don't have an appropriate 22 mm strap right now, so for now I am playing around with stuff in my strap drawer.

Of course, one of the compelling features of these conversions is to be able to enjoy a full view of the movement, and only one of the temporary straps does that. So, unless you can make a persuasive argument for one of the others, this is the one that goes on the wrist for now.

One of my contacts from the local NAWCC chapter put this together for me. I like the overall vintage look of the case and dial, even though I will have to do some research to see if there was ever a dial quite like this. I doubt it as it looks very much like an Omega and a Le Coultre that he also did. We used the original gold hands of the Hamilton 921 movement to tie back a bit to the patina'd color of the numbers. In person and to scale, they look pretty cool, but I don't like how they look magnified in these pictures, so I may play around with other color hands. I love their shape. Case is shiny and 45.2mm in diameter, w/o crown. Lug width is 22mm

I sometimes believe that I am having way too much fun with these things, but I guess I will just have to live with it! :D!

Thanks for looking!

Pocket watch conversions, part three (29 replies)

JohnnyT — Fri, 01 Jan 2010 15:51:14 -0500

You all remember my interest in converting PW's to wrist watches. For review, here are the ones you have already seen

Vintage Waltham, purchased in Albuquerque, Movement hacked up, never to be returned to PW form BAD!!

American Waltham, dropped in to wristwatch case intact and completely reversible back to PW form. Good

And now this one

15 jewel Waltham, retained in original case, lugs welded to original case, back replaced with see-through. Check it out

It's big at 48mm...

But it wears very well

One of the beauties of this form of conversion is that in a matter of minutes, I can pop out the movement, complete with dial and hands, and pop another one in. Bwala, brand new look. In fact, this movement stopped advancing the hour and minute hands sometime last night (Notice on the pictures that they haven't moved, while at the same time the seconds hand is spinning along merrily, doing its job) and if I have time today, I just might pop in another movement.

There are a few pros and cons to this type conversion, but on the whole, I think it has some possibilities. What do you think?

subjectsmiley61! Hooya, my goal to get one of these by year-end has been met!! (59 replies)

JohnnyT — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 13:56:57 -0500

For the past several months, I have had a burning obsession to convert a pocket watch into a wrist watch. Those old movements are so beautiful that I have wanted to encase them in wrist watch cases so I could enjoy them in that form. Well, while this still isn't my ultimate conversion, I think it is a darn cool one and one that will keep me for a while. Welcome to the transformation from this

To this ...DRUM ROLL!!!!!!

And the coup de grace

This started out as a 00 size Waltham housed in a gold filled Hunter style case. It fit nicely in a 38mm case that is not only beautifully sized, but it actually wears like a much larger watch as it is all dial.

I love the black Roman numerals and thin hands on the white face, all original from the PW. Andrej if you are reading, don't you think this is somewhat like your Stowa? I see a resemblance.

Finally, this is a straight swap-out, no alteration to the original movement or case. The importance of this is that if I ever go purist and decide to go back to all original, that option can be exercised in about 90 seconds flat. I have a little problem with how the crown and stem align, but that is only a small issue that will be resolved very easily.

So, this is but the beginning of what may turn out to be the next phase of my collection. Stay tuned folks, there are some cool things in the oven!! ;)!

I LOVE MY LIFE!!

Thanks for looking!