Costume Jewelry Collectors Int’l
presents
an original publication by RCJ and Dorothea Stringfield

Vintage Lapel Watches by Dotty Stringfield

I had never given much thought to lapel watches until my good friend Cynthia Fore Miller started a collection. You do know that you have a collection if you have more than 2 or 3 similar items! Since Cynthia had gathered a “large” collection of 8 watches, I decided that others might enjoy the beauty and creativity that went into their design.

Since Cynthia’s “large” collection only had 8 watches, I’ve asked others to donate pictures of interesting lapel watches they own. If you have some you think would make good additions to this gallery, please send pictures of the front and back to me at jewels@illusionjewels.com.

A Bit of Watch History

The first watches appear to have been made during the early 1500’s, but were not reliable at keeping time. They were more of a status symbol worn by the wealthy. Queen Elizabeth I and members of her court wore watches on chains or ribbons around their necks as fashion accessories. They were usually elaborately decorated or often enclosed in elaborate cases. Some early watch cases were in the form of animals or other objects with the watch hidden inside.

In 1785 George Washington had a watch and chain made for his wife Martha. Also, late in the 1700’s watches were often worn suspended from chatelaine pins. Ladies’ “pocket” style watches continued to be worn on chains or suspended from “watch pins” through the early 1900’s. A 1902 catalog shows ladies’ enameled lapel “pocket” style watches on matching enameled fleur-de-lis pins. Enamel ball watches appeared as early as 1915, as did ring watches. The first true lapel watch, meant to be worn upside down, that I found was in a 1915 catalog.

From Carolyn Sunday: All antique watch cases marked “14K” are not necessarily solid gold. Many marked 14K are gold filled and were marked so before regulations were in place about karat marking. The Complete Price Guide To Watches has guides to hallmarks that tell which companies used these hallmarks. Another very good resource is the website of NAWCC – The Association of Watch And Clock Collectors.

Also, from Carolyn Sunday: “The Elgin (courtesy Lee Lowe) and the Lady Elgin (courtesy Lilly, Vittetow) in the album are referred to as ‘transitional watches’. The reason that they are looped at the bottom is because they were transitioning between the popularity of the lapel watch up to around 1920, to the coming fashion of the wrist watch. These usually came with wrist strap attachments so that they could be worn both ways. After 1920 many watch manufacturers were stuck with lapel watches that were no longer fashionable, and this was there way of transitioning into the new market of the wrist watch. Typically the straps were grosgrain ribbon with snap fittings at the wrist.”

Cynthia wrote:

Antique lapel watches caught my attention when I fell in love with one I won in an auction. It is the Bennett lapel watch shown in this collection. With this watch I learned some great facts to know about antique watches per my friend, Carolyn Sunday of sundayandsunday.com, who specializes in antique period jewelry. I learned the watch is an original old Edwardian to Deco transitional piece, circa 1920-1940. The tiny hand at the bottom that counts off seconds is referred to as a subsidiary seconds hand. The crystal is domed glass. The blued steel hands are blued in the same process used to do gun bluing. The watch was in poor shape and did not run, but I had it restored. The oil had leaked into the crystal and it was hard to see the copper colored face.

Antique watch repair is costly so if you want to collect these you must be willing to invest. Parts are hard to come by and also it is difficult to find someone who wants to repair them. This statement is from Carolyn who advised me on the restoration, “One caveat with any vintage watch that you may have restored. It’s really important afterwards to faithfully keep it wound up (all the way as far as it will go, not just a few wimpy winds) on a regular basis. That’s true for all wind ups, but ESPECIALLY for ladies watches, which are notorious for needing frequent cleanings. Just like an old car, if you let it sit in the garage for months on end without ever ‘turning it over’, it will not run properly. A watch that just sits after a cleaning with out being wound will eventually start to run erratically, sluggishly, or stop completely. This is because the oil will begin to congeal on the balance and throughout all the moving parts through which the oil circulates. So if you are going to invest in “COA” clean, oil, and adjust, make sure that you faithfully pull it out at least once every couple of weeks and crank that puppy up!”

Dorson’s Sailfish Lapel Watch marked “DO”

Back

Imperial Watch hanging from an unmarked Sailfish brooch

Back

Dorson’s DO Creations case holding a Cort Swiss watch

Bulova Floral Lapel Watch

Back

Akron Lapel Watch

Back

Bennett Lapel Watch

Back

Dorsons Imperial Lapel Watch “DO” mark for Dorson’s by David Ornstein

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Forem Quartz Watch Mother-of-Pearl Face

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Dorson’s Lapel Watch

Cort Lapel Watch c. 1940

Watch is also free-standing

Hilton Lapel Watch c. 1940

Watch is also free-standing

Bucherer Enamel Lapel Watch Courtesy RC Antiques at Ruby Lane

Back

Courtesy RC Antiques at Ruby Lane

Croton El Watch hanging from a Carl Art brooch

Back Courtesy Sandy Lisnak

Gotham Lapel Watch Courtesy Sande Kattau.

Dorson’s DO Creations case holding a Lion Watch Co. works Courtesy Christia

Back

Benson Electra Lapel Watch Courtesy Elaine Kula

Bird Watch marked West Germany, Medana Courtesy Lorna Breshears

Watch face marked Neiman Marcus, Swiss Probably made of Eloxal

Croton Lapel Watch c. 1930-1940 Courtesy Carolyn Sunday

Guilloché Enamel back

Crawford Sterling Lapel Watch c. 1940 Courtesy Robin Deutsch

Back Marked Crawford Watch Co.

Elgin Watch hanging from a “watch pin” Courtesy Lee Lowe

The loop at the bottom would allow the watch to be worn upsidedown

Back Courtesy Lilly Vittetow The watch was her grandmother’s.

EVKOB Lapel Watch Courtesy Elizabeth Watson

Back Courtesy Lilly Vittetow The watch was her grandmother’s.

Louvic Lapel Watch Courtesy Illusion Jewels

Louvic is a generic Swiss watch company name

Face marked Leora; works marked Helbros Watch Co.

Courtesy Carrie Pollack

Geneva Lapel Watch Courtesy Carrie Pollack

Emerson Lapel Watch Courtesy Carrie Pollack

Gotham Lapel Watch 17 jewels; Sterling; 925

Back Courtesy Adrienne Shivers

Greyhound Lapel Watch Bucherer Lucerne Swiss– all marcasites

Back- “C.B.”; 925 Courtesy Adrienne Shivers

Rare EMKA Lapel Watch 17 jewels; 925, “METALL”

Back of watch marked “METALL” Courtesy Adrienne Shivers

EMKA Lapel Watch Courtesy Marlaine Hysell

Purchased in antique store in Curacao, Netherland Antilles in 1985

Gotham Watch Courtesy Jo Sullenger

Marks on back EZP (a line drawing of a crown)18K 0.750

C. F. Tissot & Sons Ladies Lapel Watch Courtesy Elaine Kula

c. 1855, hangs from black enamel/diamond watch pin

Courtesy Pam Kirch

Back

Courtesy Eva Roldan 1960’s Sheffield

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Face marked Leora Courtesy Chewchewluver

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Marked Misalla Courtesy Shirley VanOverbake

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Marked Gotham; dorsons 1/2 12K GF Courtesy JoAnn Crampton

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BIBLIOGRAPHY

Time Telling Through the Ages by Harry C. Brearley c. 1919
Vintage catalogs on Morning Glory Antiques website – owner Jane Clarke

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Background courtesy Pat Hamm of Granny’s Jewelry Box