Antique Silver Aurora Watch Co Pocket Watch, 1885

Antique silver Aurora Watch Co pocket watch, 1885.

The watch has a stem-winding movement which is working nicely. The movement is signed Aurora Watch Co and it has the serial number 31560 which dates it back to around 1885. The movement is also signed with the original retailer’s name, C A Webster, Weeping Water, Nebraska.

Charles A Webster was the proprietor of the leading jewellery and book store of Weeping Water, Nebraska, also carrying a fine line of stationery and fancy goods. The company was established in the winter of 1881-82, first as a jewellery store, and was the first of its kind in the Weeping Water. It grew gradually from a modest beginning but subsequently enjoyed a constantly increasing patronage. Mr Webster was regarded as a thorough business man, a master jeweller, and classed as one of the stirring and enterprising men of his community (Usgennet.org).

The watch measures 60mm diameter excluding the winding crown and the loop. The case was made by the American Watch Company of Toronto. It is stamped Coin which indicates that it is coin silver, which is usually 90 percent pure silver and 10 percent copper. It has the smallest amount of silver in a metal that can legally be marketed as silver in the United States.

A little more unusually, there are rose gold highlights which give the watch a very handsome appearance.

The case is in good condition. One 5mm scratch to the bezel, and a couple of marks to the back where the loop has pressed in.

The glass lens has a 7mm scratch but otherwise is in good condition.

The signed dial looks good to the naked eye. If viewed through a jeweller’s loupe, there is a short faint hairline underneath the sub seconds dial. Some nibbling to the edge but mostly covered by the bezel. Lever set hands.

The watch comes in a new presentation box.

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All of our watches are checked over before listing, and are also checked for accuracy which is usually within around +/- two to three minutes over 24 hours (unless otherwise stated), which is considered respectable for a vintage watch.

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