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Vintage Railroad Grade Watches

Select items in this group are on sale for our Halloween Featured Products promotion! Through November 1st, 2021, we are offering 10% off in-stock products in this group (tagged below with a red "SALE" flag). Please see our Sales page for full details, or browse our Items Currently On Sale category to view all of the discounted items together.

In this section, you will find our vintage pocket watches that are considered "railroad grade." In order to ensure the accuracy of pocket watches used by railroad employees, with the ultimate goal of preventing train accidents, the General Railroad Timepiece Standards Commission published a set of guidelines for railroad companies and watch manufacturers in 1893. These guidelines, which specified the criteria for a railroad-grade watch, were prepared by Webb C. Ball, the general time inspector of North American railroads and founder of the Ball Watch Company.

To be a railroad grade watch, the following criteria must be met:

  • be 16S or 18S
  • have 17 or more jewels
  • be lever set
  • be in an open face case
  • be adjusted to 5 or more positions
  • have easily-legible Arabic dial numerals

For further information, examples, photos, and notes on how to wear our various styles of watches and watch accessories, please visit our How-To-Wear Guide.

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FILTERS:

Price
Availability
Year Made
Company
Movement Size
Jewels
Setting/Movement Type
Adjustments
Model/Grade
Case Style
Case Material
Condition
Gender
Hand Style
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