Expert: Melvin Mills - 9/6/2008

Question
I have been searching the web for information about my grandfathers pocket
watch,
but I find nothing at all. He was a conductor on trolleys in Toledo Ohio in the
first half
of the 20th century. It is an A. Wagner & Bros. Standard (Monroe, Michigan)
railroad
style watch, although it has roman numerals. it is in a Fahys Oresilver No. 1
case. How
can anyone estimate a value on a watch that there is no information on?

Answer
Ron,

Wagner & Bros. Standard is most likely a jeweler, but it is not the manufacturer, of the watch. The first step would be to look at the movement itself and see who made it.  Then you can compare the value to other watches by that same manufacturer.

If there is no name on the movement, your next step is to determine how many jewels are in the movement. If it is not written on the movement, you will have to count them manually.

Once you know how many jewels, you will look for watches that are the same (same jewel count) with the case made of similar material to your watch. You can estimate the value based on that information.

In addition to that, search for a company named Wagner & Bros. Standard from Monroe, Michigan.  

To summarize, try to determine the manufacturer, jewel count, and material (which you already know) and look at the value of similar items.

Look on eBay or antique stores. You can go to an antique store and tell them you are in the market for a Wagner & Bros. Standard watch and ask them what it might sell for.

Kind regards,

Melvin