#BALL RAILROAD POCKET WATCH SWISS SERIAL#
Most American made watches have a serial number, and the databases are now available online. Hamilton 17 jewel pocket watch movement.
![ball railroad pocket watch swiss ball railroad pocket watch swiss](https://s.ecrater.com/stores/84347/50756b940b38e_84347b.jpg)
A watch (such as the one pictured above) will have “Ball official standard Cleveland” on the dial but would have a high quality 21-23 jewel movement from a maker such as Waltham or Illinois inside. Ball was not a manufacturer but provided standards for railroad watches. Davis of Northampton in a “Jewelers Circular” dated Jan. As chance would have it, I happened upon a reference to Frank E.
![ball railroad pocket watch swiss ball railroad pocket watch swiss](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/D6YAAOSwJ~5b9JJA/s-l300.jpg)
Davis.” When we open the back of the watch up, it indicates that it is a Hamilton watch, but the jeweler cased it at the shop and had several dials made with the shop name. The images below show an example of a private label watch with the jeweler’s name “Frank E. In some instances, the name on the dial was not a recognized maker but displayed a private label.
![ball railroad pocket watch swiss ball railroad pocket watch swiss](http://www.railswest.com/images/Ball999_1904_s.jpg)
Early verge fusee pocket watch movement with maker engraved on the plate.