Altersbestimmung von Uhren ab 1700 mit "10 Punkte Bewertung" nach Schmeltzer - Sammler-Uhren

Age determination of watches from 1700 onwards with "10 point rating" according to Schmeltzer

Age determination of pocket and wrist watches

Bernhard Schmeltzer

Age determination of pocket watches according to the "10-point system"

1.) Check all 10 points in comparison with the antique clock and note the left and right year if they match.

2.) Cross out the 9 oldest numbers on the left and the 9 youngest numbers on the right.

The determined age of the watch being checked lies between the left and right remaining year numbers.

To ensure the clarity of the "10-point table," all technical features that are unrelated to the period of manufacture or are rarely encountered have been deliberately omitted. Pocket watch replicas produced after 1970 can be easily identified by their shock protection. Age estimates for watches with unusual escapements, special complications, or modifications can only be determined by an expert in antique watches.

The 10 test points:

Production period rounded to 5 years

1. Elevator.

Key lift

before 1700 - 1885

Crown winding and side pushers

1850 - 1930

Crown winding without side pushers

1890 - present

2. Temple shape (if crown winding)

around

1850 - 1910

oval

1890 - present

square

1910 - present

3. Inhibition.

Verge escapement

before 1700 - 1845

Cylinder escapement

1790 - 1925

Pin lever escapement

1870 - 1975

Chronometer escapement

1775 - 1915

Pointed-tooth lever escapement

1800 - 1900

Piston-tooth lever escapement (straight lever)

1840 - 1900

Swiss piston tooth lever escapement

1855 - present

Glashütte piston tooth lever escapement

1850 - 1945

4. Balance wheel (in conjunction with stone anchor)

Balance wheel rim without screws

1840 - 1885

Compensation balance, bimetal

1820 - 1945

Monometallic balance with screws

1875 - 1970

Balance wheel rim without screws (shock-resistant)

1965 - present

5. Spiral (in conjunction with stone anchor)

Breguet hairspring (blue)

1820 - 1945

Breguet hairspring (white)

1920 - 1955

Flat spiral (white)

1920 - present

6. Pointer.

hour hand only

before 1700 - 1725

only hour and minute hands (verge clocks until 1845)

1700 - 1775

Hour, minute and second hands (common after 1800)

1750 - today

Pointer very fine, thread-like

1830 - 1880

7. Dial.

Relief metal leaf, hour number ring or 12-hour enamel cartridges

before 1700 - 1725

Relief metal dial, hour number ring and minute track 5, 10, 15 etc. up to 60

1700 - 1800

Metal dial, engraved

1775 - 1875

Metal dial, silver-plated or gold-plated, without engraving

1905 - 1945

Metal dial, lacquered

1940 - today

full enamel leaf, strongly curved

1720 - 1810

full enamel leaf, slightly curved

1800 - 1835

full enamel sheet, flat

1825 - 1945

full enamel leaf, recessed leaf center

1875 - 1925

colored enamel dial with floral painting and/or gold minute dots

1875 - 1915

luminous material

1915 - present

8. Numbers.

Roman numerals (without minutes)

before 1700 - 1725

Relief metal dial, Roman hour numerals and Arabic minute numerals 5, 10, 15, etc. up to 60

1700 - 1800

full enamel dial with Roman hour numerals and Arabic minute numerals 5, 10, 15 etc. up to 60

1725 - 1800

full enamel dial with minute lines, hour numbers (or Arabic minute numbers 5, 15, 45, 60)

1775 - 1830

full enamel dial with vertical Roman numerals

1785 - 1815

fine thread-like Roman hour numerals and small Arabic minute numerals 5, 10, 15 etc. up to 60

1830 - 1880

Roman, normally proportioned hour numbers

1875 - 1900

full enamel dial, flat, Arabic hour numerals

1895 - present

red hour numbers 13, 14, 15 etc. up to 24

1900 - 1925

9. Clock stones.

framed

1700 - 1945

pressed in

1925 - present

Shock protection

1945 - today

10. Special works.

Pocket stopwatch

1825 - present

pocket chronograph

1875 - present

Repeating mechanism on bell

before 1700 - 1820

Repeating mechanism on gongs

1780 - 1940

Source and developer: Bernhard Schmeltzer

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