Knickerbocker (unmarked) 16S 1J "dollar watch" pocket watch, nickel full plate movement with a proprietary balance bridge that is formed from the plate and has engraving to define the image of what would traditionally be a separate piece, delicate engraving on the unmarked plate and a pink ruby endcap jewel on the "bridge", porcelain enamel dial with fancy Arabic numbers, a black-marked outer minute register and a black-marked seconds register at 6 o'clock has a few faint hairlines, blue steel spade style hands.
Heavy white base metal (WBM) friction fit case with crisp engine turning across the back cover behind the elaborate floral engraving surrounding the blank monogram shield, long heavy pendant, oversized heavy bow and a thick glass crystal, case is showing normal wear with some light smoothing to the engraving at the edges and some small patches of discoloration from wear, measures approx. 53mm in diameter x 77mm in length x 17mm thick (crystal included). This watch winds as expected compared to other pocket watches however in order to set the time, the crown is pushed in towards the watch and held in that time-set position while the crown is turned to set the time; releasing the crown returns it to the winding position. An attractive dollar style watch with some higher quality finish options from the early 1900s in excellent overall condition!
- Year Made: early 1900s
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Company:
Knickerbocker
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Movement Size:
0616S
- Jewels: 271J
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Setting/Movement Type:
pendant set
- Movement Finish: nickel
- Dial Material:
porcelain enamel
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Hand Style:
spade
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Case Style:
friction fit
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Case Material:
Base Metal - Silver/White
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Case Details:
thick glass crystal
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Case Width/Diameter:
53mm (2.09 inches)
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Case Length, bow included:
77mm (3.03 inches)
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Case Thickness:
17mm (0.67 inches)
- Crystal Material: glass
- Country of Origin: United States
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Condition:
Excellent
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Gender:
Gentlemen's
This watch is in good running condition, unless otherwise noted in the description. This means that on receipt, pending any item-specific running conditions noted in the description, you can expect the watch to be winding and setting properly and to run smoothly while keeping reasonable time. We consider "reasonable time" to meet these basic guidelines:
- Railroad Grade Watches will be keeping +/- 5 minutes per day
- Pocket and Wrist Watches with 15 or more jewels will be keeping +/- 10 minutes per day
- All key wind watches and watches with 14 or fewer jewels will be keeping +/- 15 minutes per day
The above guideline is the lowest standard in which we would ship out a watch, however in most cases, you will see much better timekeeping. Most of our watches have been in storage for many years, so if you plan on carrying/wearing them everyday, you should consider having them cleaned and oiled soon, and then once a year thereafter to keep them in top running condition. If the watches will be for occasional use or display, they should be cleaned and serviced every 3 to 5 years depending on use.
As of July 23rd, 2026, we are not offering a cleaning and service option through PM Time Service. While we do hope to offer this again in the future, we are unfortunately unable to meet customer requests for watch servicing at this time. Please note that, unless otherwise mentioned within the "Full Description" tab, this watch is being sold in good running condition and is ready to wear or carry on arrival.
This watch comes complete with an appropriate, intact glass crystal; however, on request PM Time Service can replace the current crystal on this pocket watch for you. We offer a number of new and vintage crystal choices for pocket watches; you can select your desired choice from the dropdown menu below.
Please note that the average turnaround time for all pocket watch crystal replacements will be two days from the placement of the order.
Contact us with any further questions or for an estimate on any shipping delays.
Please note: if you add this watch with a crystal and/or band exchange option to your
shopping cart but later change your mind on the crystal and/or band selection type, you'll need to remove the watch from the cart in order to make a new selection. Once that is done, you can return to this page and add that new crystal and/or band combination to the cart. We apologize for the limitations to our system that prevent you from making that change within the shopping cart.
Unlike modern quartz watches, most vintage watches need daily winding in order to keep the watch functioning for timekeeping. Additionally, there are a number of different ways to set the time other than simply pulling the crown away from the watch body. We are happy to provide an overview of each of the different setting types on our
"How To Use" page, where we also provide information on proper winding techniques for each style and some suggestions for the proper long term care and storage of your watch.
The production of dollar watches (which, by 1896, did actually cost exactly $1.00) began in the 1870's in an effort to offer a more affordable watch that nearly anyone could purchase. These watches often utilized dials made of inexpensive materials, utilized fewer parts, were non-jeweled or single-jeweled movements and often were simply finished with no damaskeening, engravings, etc.
Due to the manufacturing process, if this style of watch is damaged and needs repairs, it is often cost prohibitive to locate the parts (and a willing watchmaker) to make the attempt. During the design process, it was not a high consideration to accommodate repairs and in many cases, movements were completed with spot-welds instead of screws and it is nearly impossible to disassemble these watches without damaging them.
While a lower overall quality than most of the jeweled movements of the other American watch companies, with proper care a dollar watch can be expected to be in use for decades. We offer this overview of the potential repair issues so that a new owner can make an informed purchase and be aware that this style of watch should be treated with a little extra care when in use.
For your gift giving convenience, please find a consolidated overview of the information on this item, with no reference to the price, on this
printer-optimized page.
