Expert: Melvin Mills - 12/3/2008

Question
I love watches and my mom recently gave me my great grandfather's pocket
watch and chain. It is from the Columbus Watch Co. and the serial number in
the 30,000's dates it back to 1884 from my online research. The case is a
beautiful gold with a wonderful engraving including a bird. The case is not
stamped anywhere on it that it is real gold or gold filled. I am assuming gold
filled since the only marking on the inside of the outer case it  a "B II" with a
crown in between and the word warranted under it with a serial number
453426. I will never tell her that it was not solid gold as she thought if this is
true, but thought that you could confirm this for me as with no "K" marking
anywhere, I find it hard to believe.

Answer
John,

Wow, what a wonderful family heirloom.  You can hold the same watch your great grandfather held and used.  Very few people have a connection to their past like you do now.    

I would like to suggest that you write down everything you can about all the owners of this watch (name, birth date, occupation, where they lived etc.).  That will make the watch that much more valuable when you pass it down to the next generation.

The word "warranted" is a dead give away that the watch is gold filled.  Only 5% of watches were solid gold.  Still a great watch though.  


Kind regards,

Melvin