Two Types of Pocket Watches: Open Face and Hunter Face

If you want to buy a high quality timepiece that will stand out from the crowd, then look no further than a pocket watch. Pocket watches declined massively in popularity once the first wrist watch came on the scene. Today though, there is a revival of interest in pocket watches because of a trend in fashion to bring back good ideas from the past. Whether you buy into this ‘retro-fashion’ theme or you just like the quality and timeless design of a great pocket watch, this article will hopefully answer some of the questions you have.

There are two main pocket watch types. These are the hunter-face and open-face types. A hunter-case type pocket watch is hinged and opens to reveal the watch face. The lid can be very ornate or plain and this is reflected in the cost of the watch. The benefit of a lid is that it protects the glass that covers the watch face from scratches. On the other hand, some people prefer a watch without a lid as it is possible to tell the time more easily and quickly. For people like this, the open-face design of pocket watch is more suitable. As the name suggests, these watches lack the lid that is found in hunter-face types of pocket watch.

As well as these two design types there are also many different watch movements which are often unique to specific manufacturers. Again, an elaborate and beautiful movement will cost far more than a simple mechanism and so the movement you choose will largely be dictated by your budget. Crown-set movements were devised by Patek-Phillipe in the mid 19th century. These are the most common movements that you will find on the market today. Key-set movements require a watch key to wind the watch as well as to set the correct time. As well as the two movement types mentioned there are several other less common movement types that are mainly found in antique watches.

Most pocket watches movements will be jeweled. However, the jewels that are used can vary from something as plain as glass, right up to diamonds, rubies and sapphire. The purpose of jewels is to provide a smooth, friction free mechanism to reduce wear and maintain the accuracy of a watch movement.

Today, you can buy new pocket watches for anything from $30 right up to many $1000′s of dollars. If you are on the market for a pocket watch, set yourself a budget and enjoy the process of choosing a watch. It should prove to be a worthwhile investment and will hopefully give you a lot of joy.