American machine-made pocket watches first appeared in the 1850s and were so well-made that by the 1890s they had come to dominate the international watch market. The secret of their success was the range of standard sizes and readily interchangeable parts, plus the facility to be easily customized to suit the pocket (pun intended) of every purchaser, so that the man who could only afford the nickel case could be as confident as the wealthy one who chose the solid gold case that his timepiece was accurate and reliable.
These very popular watches sold in their millions and have stood the test of time (pun also intended) so that they are still readily available. Many people will have inherited an American pocket watch that sits gathering dust in a drawer, but these may only need a really good clean and some minor repairs to get them working again.
Christopher Barrow has received several requests and queries about American models over the years from readers of his first two successful guides to the repair and maintenance of the pocket watch, The Pocket Watch and The Verge Pocket Watch, and now this concise and beautifully illustrated step-by-step guide to the intricacies of American models will allow the enthusiastic amateur to rescue an old watch and perhaps pass it on to the next generation in full working order.
