Mr Grandads watch
Discussion
Late last year I lost my Grandfather (he had a great innings and was 93 when he passed away - so no need for condolences!).
For his 90th birthday my Mum bought him a pocket watch, and she explained to me that it was a replacement for his that had stopped working. I never even knew he had a pocket watch, so was interested to hear his story of the broken watch. It transpires that he was in the army between 1943 and 1947 – conscripted at age 19. He was one of 6 brothers that saw active service, and all of them returned. He was with the Royal Army Ordnance Corps, and his company was known as Beach Ordnance. He can remember being in Isle of Bute, Dunoon, and Loch Lomond in Scotland for training. On D-Day Grandad aged 20 - had no idea it was not a training exercise until the leaflets were handed out mentioning the Second Front.
On VE day he decided that he would spend some of the money in his pocket, on something to celebrate. He had always wanted a pocket watch and at the time of the announcement he was in Belgium. He could not remember precisely where it was, but he remembers he walked past a shop and saw the pocket watch shown below, and purchased it. He thinks it was second hand then.
He then proceeded to wind the watch up "like clockwork" every morning, until it stopped working sometime in 2012.
On finding this out and before I moved abroad, I told my Mum to sneak it out of his house, and i'd get it repaired. That was not possible as he still looked at it every morning, even with the working watch alongside it! So I pursuaded him to let me take it to a mate and see if I could get repaired. He told me categorically not to spend money on it, as it was not worth it. I went against his advice, and paid far more money to get it repaired than it was worth. I believe it needed a completely new mechanism, as was beyond repair. Upon his death my Mum gave the watch to me, that had again stopped working, but he had never said anything!
So back to the same watch shop, and a broken spring replaced, I now have my Grandad's watch in working condition, and keeping good time for the past 24 hours I have had it wound.
I am sure it is not worth anything financially (in fact I have found an identical one here), as my Grandad was never a wealthy man, and would not have been able to afford such things, but from a sentimental perspective is my most valuable watch. I did a quick google, and it appears that Roskopf is not an expensive watch, if anything it was the working man's choice of watch. Which shows that to last for nearly 70 years with the original mechanism was quite impressive!
The inscription on the back reads:-
Medaille D'or Roskopf Geneve 1896
Diplome D'Honneur Milan 1906
Here is his watch:-
I have found an interesting link here:-
http://www.worthpoint.com/article/history-roskopf-...
Anyone have one of their own? Any more history worth looking into?
For his 90th birthday my Mum bought him a pocket watch, and she explained to me that it was a replacement for his that had stopped working. I never even knew he had a pocket watch, so was interested to hear his story of the broken watch. It transpires that he was in the army between 1943 and 1947 – conscripted at age 19. He was one of 6 brothers that saw active service, and all of them returned. He was with the Royal Army Ordnance Corps, and his company was known as Beach Ordnance. He can remember being in Isle of Bute, Dunoon, and Loch Lomond in Scotland for training. On D-Day Grandad aged 20 - had no idea it was not a training exercise until the leaflets were handed out mentioning the Second Front.
On VE day he decided that he would spend some of the money in his pocket, on something to celebrate. He had always wanted a pocket watch and at the time of the announcement he was in Belgium. He could not remember precisely where it was, but he remembers he walked past a shop and saw the pocket watch shown below, and purchased it. He thinks it was second hand then.
He then proceeded to wind the watch up "like clockwork" every morning, until it stopped working sometime in 2012.
On finding this out and before I moved abroad, I told my Mum to sneak it out of his house, and i'd get it repaired. That was not possible as he still looked at it every morning, even with the working watch alongside it! So I pursuaded him to let me take it to a mate and see if I could get repaired. He told me categorically not to spend money on it, as it was not worth it. I went against his advice, and paid far more money to get it repaired than it was worth. I believe it needed a completely new mechanism, as was beyond repair. Upon his death my Mum gave the watch to me, that had again stopped working, but he had never said anything!
So back to the same watch shop, and a broken spring replaced, I now have my Grandad's watch in working condition, and keeping good time for the past 24 hours I have had it wound.
I am sure it is not worth anything financially (in fact I have found an identical one here), as my Grandad was never a wealthy man, and would not have been able to afford such things, but from a sentimental perspective is my most valuable watch. I did a quick google, and it appears that Roskopf is not an expensive watch, if anything it was the working man's choice of watch. Which shows that to last for nearly 70 years with the original mechanism was quite impressive!
The inscription on the back reads:-
Medaille D'or Roskopf Geneve 1896
Diplome D'Honneur Milan 1906
Here is his watch:-
I have found an interesting link here:-
http://www.worthpoint.com/article/history-roskopf-...
Anyone have one of their own? Any more history worth looking into?
Please open the internal cover and post a picture of the movement.
You'll get more help on the vintage forum at watchuseek.
With a picture of the movement, you may be able to find more details on Dr Ranfft's website. Google it.
Finally, I can tell you that Roskopf refers to the type of escapement. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pin-pallet_escapemen... .
You'll get more help on the vintage forum at watchuseek.
With a picture of the movement, you may be able to find more details on Dr Ranfft's website. Google it.
Finally, I can tell you that Roskopf refers to the type of escapement. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pin-pallet_escapemen... .
mikeveal said:
Please open the internal cover and post a picture of the movement.
Thanks for the response. Unfortunately the internal movement was beyond repair, and was replaced, and so the internals are all approx. 3 years old. I don't expect to see anything of interest there.Thanks
RichB said:
I like that little stand, that's a good way to display them. I have 3 pocket watches that belonged to my grandfather, father and uncle but I've never know how to show them so they sit in my desk drawer.
You can hang them from some hooks, under a conveniently placed shelf or similar, or you can buy stands, https://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=sr_nr_n_0?fst=as%3A...Gassing Station | Watches | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff