Howard 16S 21J LS adj. 5p Series 11 Railroad Chronometer #1182714 pocket watch, YGF Howard case

Howard 16S 21J LS adj. 5p Series 11 Railroad Chronometer #1182714 pocket watch, YGF Howard case

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Howard 16S 21J lever set (LS) adj. 5p Series 11 Railroad Chronometer #1182714 pocket watch, handsome nickel movement with unusual plate layout and brushed finish, impressive porcelain enamel dial with bold fancy Arabic numbers and subsidiary seconds register, no hairlines however it looks that the seconds register has been worked on, it is very slightly uneven to the main dial, matte black steel spade style hands, heavy yellow gold filled (YGF) smooth polish Howard swing out case with coin edge front bezel and French-style bow is showing only normal light wear, measures approx. 52mm in diameter x 14mm thick (crystal included). An impressive high grade triple signed Howard in excellent+ condition!
  • Year Made: 1913-1914
  • Company: Howard
  • Movement Size: 0416S
  • Jewels: 0721J
  • Setting/Movement Type: lever set
  • Adjustments: 5 positions
  • Model/Grade: Series 11 Railroad Chronometer
  • Serial #: 1182714
  • Movement Finish: nickel
  • Dial Material: porcelain enamel
  • Case Style: swing-out
  • Case Material: Gold Filled - Yellow
  • Case Width/Diameter: 52mm (2.05 inches)
  • Case Length, bow included: 71mm (2.80 inches)
  • Case Thickness: 14mm (0.55 inches)
  • Crystal Material: plastic
  • Misc. Info: triple signed Howard
  • Condition: Excellent +
  • Gender: Gentlemen's
The E. Howard & Co. watch business was founded in 1858 in Boston, Massachusetts and produced watches until 1903.  This early company was distinctive for early high grade watches, many innovations in watch construction, and their unique sizing system for their movements, which were marked as "E. Howard & Co."  In 1902, the Edward Howard name was purchased by the Keystone Watch Case Company, and the resulting Howard watches from this new era were then marked as "E. Howard Watch Co."  These later Howard watches are often referred to as "Keystone Howards."

As an additional resource, we've posted a Serial Number Production List which includes information for E. Howard serial numbers and dates of manufacture.
The NAWCC also has an article about the earlier E. Howard Co., as well as an article on the later history of the company after the purchase by Keystone.
You may browse all of our men's pocket watches from this manufacturer at our Vintage Men's Howard Pocket Watches category.
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.

We do have a professional watchmaker that does all of our cleaning and repair work for us.  To have your watch serviced before shipping, simply add this Cleaning/Service Agreement to your shopping basket.  The cleaning and timing service is $95, and depending on the time of the year, has a turnaround time of 1 to 3 weeks.

Please note that we provide this service in addition to the listed purchase price of our watches.  If you do purchase this option and later decide to return the watch, this fee is non-refundable.
This is considered a "railroad-grade" pocket watch.  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
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.

For more information, visit this Wikipedia article on railroad chronometers or this Smithsonian National Postal Museum article on the influential train wreck tragedy that resulted in the establishment of railroad watch standards.

Our entire collection of such timepieces may also be viewed at our Railroad Grade Watches category.
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.

For additional information on gold colors and how they are classified, please check out this helpful Wikipedia article.

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  • Understanding Our Descriptions
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We process a very large number of watches and accessories each year for sale via our web site, eBay and local avenues.  We attempt to offer descriptions and photos that are as complete and clear as possible on each item, and we always encourage you to write us with questions if something is not addressed in the description!

In each description, we attempt to note the following things:
<maker><size><jewels><setting><adjustments><grade/model><serial number>, <movement information>, <dial information>, <hand information>, <case information>, <misc. information>, <overall condition and comments>

Taking an example of a watch already described, we've bracketed the different sections and ordered them as above:
<Ball-Hamilton> <16S> <21J> <LS> <adj.> <Official RR Standard> <#B651197>, <nickel movement with gold jewel settings and concentric circle damascene pattern, should be noted that the gears on the movement may not be all original however watch is running strong and not affecting running condition>, <porcelain Ball marked dial with Arabic numbers has very faint hairline (not distracting)>, <blue steel hands>, <beautiful YGF SB&B Ball marked case with engraved bezels and blank monogram shield showing normal even wear (no brass)>, <fancy bow>.  <High grade Ball watch in very good condition, perfect to carry everyday!>

We also provide a List of Abbreviations that we use in our descriptions, as well as a Pocket Watch Sizing Chart that explains numerically and graphically the various sizes of pocket watches that we offer.
We offer a 30-day return period beginning the day you receive your items for all PM Time Service merchandise.  To receive a full refund, the item must be return in "as shipped" condition, with no new personalized engravings or end-user adaptions.  Items damaged in transit will be eligible for the full refund pending the application of the insurance claim on the damaged watch or item.  Please see our Shipping & Return Policy page for full details.
Holiday & Vacation Dates - Unless otherwise noted on our holiday page, you can expect an order placed to be processed and shipped out within 2-3 business days, often much sooner.  If you need an item quickly, please do double check our holiday page to make sure we will be in the office!

Please use the "Estimate Your Shipping" button on the Shopping Basket page to get a specific quote on your current shipping fees.  The estimate will be available once you have added at least one (1) item to your shopping cart.

In order to provide a fair and secure shipping experience for our customers, we require full insurance for the total value of your order with all items purchased.  You can view the amounts required to cover full insurance on your order on our Shipping Overview page, and it will also update automatically on the shipping estimator.  At this time, we do not allow for a customer to opt-out of insurance on their shipments.

We are happy to accept PayPal, as well as checks and money orders, for payment on all orders.

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