Expert: Melvin Mills - 5/14/2009

Question
My grandmother recently passed away and left a couple of watches. This one says "Rockford" on the face. It appears to have had a glass over it, which is missing. No other cover seems to have been there such as the flip-down cover as is on the other watch. The back of the case screws off to reveal the works. Inside says "R.W.Co. ROCKFORD ILL. 17 JEWELS." It also says "ADJUSTED" and has a serial number 530503. There is some engraving in the works, too, and there are letters that say "F" and "S" which may be to adjust the fast/slow of the watch? The case also seems to have a separate serial number, 5206696, and it says "ORESILVER" and what looks like "No 1" and "FAHYS". No idea whose watch this was. Sigh.

Answer
Ms. Jennifer,

The Rockford Watch Company, located 93 miles from Chicago on the Rock River, began operation in 1873 using equipment purchased from the Cornell Watch Company. Two of Cornell's former employees, P. H. Wheeler (Wheeler's Patent, etc) and C. W. Parker became key employees of Rockford. Their factory building was built in 1875-76, and was located on the 300 block of South Madison in Rockford (parts of the original factory building were later used by Rockford High School).


Their first watch, a key-wind, 18-size, full plate with expansion balance was placed on the market on May 1, 1876. By 1877, the company was producing its own 3/4 plate nickel movements that fit standard size cases. The highest grades of early Rockford watches were signed "Ruby" or "Ruby Jewels" which later became a stylized letter "R" engraved next to the jewel-count. Rockford watches were quite popular with railroad men, as 3 railroads went through Rockford, and the company advertised heavily to them. Many of the later Rockford watches are signed "RG" for "Railroad Grade" The company had financial difficulties in 1896, and after reorganization the name was changed to Rockford Watch Co. Ltd. They finally closed their doors in 1915.

The "F" and "S" stand for fast and slow.  The metal bar that is between them is how one will regulate the timekeeping.  

Fahys is the name of the case maker.  Oresilver is the metal alloy of which the case is made.

Kind regards,

Melvin