Expert: Melvin Mills - 6/2/2009

Question
I purchased a non working watch at a jewelers that was overwand.($80.00) What was interesting was it appeared to be a very old wrist watch. The face in rectangular and oval at the same time. The face is large,almost 3/4" wide and 1 1/4" long.The green,gray outer edge (very pretty)may be from age and not original(The crystal had a crack in it which has since been replaced and the watch has been put in working order. The watch shop guessed it to be approx 1910. I did not have the face cleaned because I like the old look.)The stem appears to be a real sapphire. The hands are metallic blue.
The white gold band has "Peerless Pat #1.966.063 1-40 12k R.G.P"
The Works has "FonTain Watch Co. 6 jewels Swiss,TWO2ADH & RS(indian arrow pointing down) AF"
The Case has very detailed engraving on the top,sides & back. A star symbol at the top with S.W.C. Co, 14K. ,Gold filled, 25 years & 5993813 all below the star. Hand engraved (I have a 10X loop)is as follows "F6275 below that is F18359,below that 5/9 and lastly 13489.
I find all that interesting but I am clueless as to what it all means. The original box says it came from a Jeweler in Cleveland Ohio. Elmer H. Fox

Answer
Jackie,

I love those old watches.  If they could talk, what a story they could tell.

Since the watch shop actually saw the watch, I would feel confident that they have a fairly accurate guess.

I can tell you what the wording means.

"Peerless Pat #1.966.063 1-40 12k R.G.P"  the 12k R.G.P means that the watch is 12 Rolled Gold Plated.

6 jewels means that there are 6 jewels in the watch movement that help the watch wear less because those points no longer have metal on metal but metal on smooth jewels.  That is for the pivots, where the gears go into the movement plates.

2 ADH means two adjustments.  The watch was made accurate when it was face up and face down.  

The RS/AF is used to make the watch run faster or slower.  RS is french for Retard (slow) and A is accelerate.

The star symbol is from the Star Watch Case Co. which is S.W.C. Co.
14k Gold filled, guaranteed not to wear through to the base metal for 25 years.

The hand engraving is from previous watchmakers.  They put notations on the watch.  Unless you know the specific person's shorthand, no one can figure out what it means.  Each person had his own notation system and it doesn't mean anything to anyone but him.

Kind regards,

Melvin

P.S. If you can, please send a picture.  I would love to see the watch.