If a lip is present on the back or the bezel, then it is a "snap-on" and not screwed on. This lip usually signifies where to pry with a case knife. Look carefully for a small raised lip on either the back cover or bezel. Under careful inspection there will be a very fine line of separation between the back of the case and the body of the case, and a very fine line of separation between the bezel (which is the ring that holds the crystal) and the body of the case. These types of cases are identifiable by the fact that there are no hinges or raised lip areas. The bezel (which is the glass side of the case) and the back is threaded in place and literally screws right off. This is probably the most common type of pocket watch cases around. I once slit my thumb open nearly to the bone using a sharp pocket-knife. They aren't sharp enough to cut you, but are designed with a nice rounded edge that makes opening a case a breeze, and won't damage or scratch the case of the watch. A case knife can be very helpful in opening many different watches. There are tools specifically made to be case openers. You can try to put a fingernail in the back lip/slot and running it around the edge of the case. Many snap back cased, and wrist watch cases are impossible to open without using a DULL tool. Before putting one of these cases together again, carefully examine the mating surfaces, especially at any "corners." Usually there is a small locating pin, and corresponding hole, to assist in determining the correct rotational position for the back cover. If a lip or notch is not present, the case is probably not a snap back case and no attempt should be made to pry off the case back. Tank wrist watches are almost all snap backs. There will be a raised lip indicating where to place a tool for prying, but nothing else. This is a type of case where the back and bezel (which is the metal ring that holds the glass) are simply snapped in place like a Tupperware container.
#WESTCLOX POCKET WATCH SERIAL NUMBER LOOKUP HOW TO#
I will try to describe all of the ways to open watches, but only from experience will you truly learn how to "crack every nut". Pocket watch and wrist watch cases have been designed in MANY MANY different ways. You can't usually judge a watch by the can be deceiving. This is why it is so important to open the case to see what we have. Once the selection was made, the jeweler would piece the two together very easily, and the customer would be on their way home with their new watch. They would buy a high grade movement not being overly concerned about the case (also to save money). Other customers wanted a reliable quality timepiece. They would spend the extra money to have a solid gold case, but would "cut corners" on the movement to save money. Sometimes the customer would opt for style. The companies would supply watches and cases to jewelers who would "custom fit" a watch for each customer. A standardized sizing system allowed this to be possible. The reason for this is that the watches and the cases were usually made by different companies. Even more common is finding an inexpensive gold-filled (gold plate) case with a fabulous high quality movement inside. It is very common to find an expensive solid gold case with a low quality movement inside. In pocket watches, the case and the movement almost never have anything to do with each other. Any markings to determine the quality of the "movement" (or the actual workings of the watch) will be stamped on the movement. Any markings to determine what the case is made of will be stamped on the case. I should note that "learning" more about your watch starts inside the case. This can be a very tricky and frustrating operation. The first step in learning more about your watch, or trying to repair your watch, is to get the darn thing open.
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