My Great Uncle's Watch

[Fyrefox]

I inherited after my mother's death a 14k gold pocket watch from the late 19th century that belonged to my great uncle; it's beautifully engraved, and still runs! I never met my great uncle, who had died long before my birth, and spent most of his life in England; all I knew of him was the occasional story. I took the heavy watch to an appraisal event, and was offered $1,000 for it on the spot; however, the appraiser wanted it only for its gold content, and would have melted the watch down. Not especially rare, its value as a collectible item was only a fraction of its gold value.

i could have lived with the watch going to a collector who would have valued it for its beauty and preserved it, but to melt it down for its gold seemed barbaric. It was the last piece of my great uncle still in existence on Earth. While I could have used the thousand dollars, I rejected the offer and took the watch home where it sits in a drawer, a link between a man I never knew and myself. After my own demise, this watch will probably be seized by an uncaring relative and destroyed, but I know I have at least kept the faith with a little known gentleman who was part of my family, and I feel the richer for that.

 

[bluebreezes]

That's a lovely sentiment, Fyrefox and clearly you made the right decision. To help with what happens to it after you die, you could put in your will a specific bequest for it so it would go to someone who would care for it and appreciate it the way you do.

 

[SeaBreeze]

Glad you kept it Fyrefox. I might have sold it to a collector who would have cherished it, but to melt it down for gold is heartless, IMO too.

 

[fureverywhere]

I don't know about your family situation. I have two very much estranged daughters. I only had two pieces of valuable jewelry. I didn't want to die suddenly and have those daughters get either piece. One was my Mom's TIffany anniversary band. The other my grandmother's diamond earrings. I gave the earrings to my niece shortly before her wedding. My daughter in law gave me my grandson and she has the ring. I feel good the jewelry will continue to be passed in the family.

 

[Carla]

I agree, I wouldn't have sold it either on that condition. There are people that collect antique watches, not for their metal content. Do you know of a relative that would treasure it that you could will it to? It seems a shame today that people only value things for monetary worth. Suggestion--if you know this uncle's name, or whatever is known about him, write it down and store it with the watch. You could have it appraised by a reputable jeweler, someone not interested in buying it to get a real idea of it's value.

 

[fureverywhere]

I might add I wrote a long note to my niece about the history of the earrings so she could appreciate them all the more. My grandmother had pierced ears. Unusual for women born around the turn of the century. She wore diamond studs until the end of her life. She passed in 1962 and somehow they disappeared. She wasn't buried with them...they were just gone.

Fast forward to the mid 70's. My grandfather was becoming feeble enough that his house had to be sold. He really hadn't emptied things out since my grandmother died. My parents had to attack rooms with leaf bags to empty so very much stuff. I remember sitting on the edge of the bath tub. I was very young, but there was a walk in bathroom closet, I was watching Mom empty it.

So much in the way of bath stuff, zillions of pill bottles. As she was throwing in whole shelves one bottle caught her eye. It was stuffed with toilet tissue. She opened it and out tumbled her mother's diamond earrings. My Mom considered piercing barbaric, maybe she was just afraid of needles? A giggle is I'm the age she was now and have more than ten tattoo's.

Anyway, so Mom had the earring diamonds set into a ring. When I graduated high school she had them turned back into earrings...the one's I passed onto my niece and she will pass to her daughter...with the backstory too I should hope

 

[Victor Meldrew]

I love pocket watches. Always have. Pestered my mom to get me a cheap one from the Monkey Wards catalog when I was a kid. I've currently got a couple of modern era, quartz movement pw's as well as my own grandfather's old railroad pocket watch tucked away myself.

It isn't gold and it's not running. Possibly worth about a hundred bucks to a collector. The brand name is Knickerbocker. The company was located in midtown Manhattan in the late 1800's until around 1930 when they went out of business. They were known for cheap but dependable, no-frills working man's watches, particularly for railroad employees who were required to have accurate watches. The case is nickel, I believe. Big, heavy thing with a thick crystal.

But like you, I keep it for sentimental reasons and to have a connection to a man I never met.