Identify Pocket Watch: Wilh. Schwender

[ptyrrell001]

This is probably a typical story for everyone here but I inherited a pocket watch from my grandfather. My online research hasn't turned up anything and I was hoping someone might be able to help me out. The watch has "Wilh. Schwender" and Durlack or Durlach on the face. The movement doesn't have any information on it but there are two covers over the movement and on the second are a series of circular stamps, too small to make out. some of which slightly overlap each other. The watch is a silverish color and very heavy for it's size. It keeps excellent time. Any help would be most appreciated. Regards, Patrick

[Ray MacDonald]

Thanks for posting and welcome to the forum.
We really can't do much to ID the watch without photos of the movement dial and case. Have a look at our sticky thread on Watch ID for more information.
If the caseback has hallmarks or other info that will also help. The name on the dial may simply be that of the jeweler who sold the watch - this is a fairly common occurrence.

[ptyrrell001]

Thanks for the quick response Ray! I will take photos of the watch and the markings and post them. I have discovered that Durlach was a city in Germany and that in 1938 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1938) Durlach was incorporated into Karlsruhe. There seem to be plenty of people with the last name Schwender there so I will follow your lead about it being the jewelers name. -patrick

[Ray MacDonald]

There is your first clue Patrick . Probably prior to 1938. ;-)

[JohnF]

Hi -

Not necessarily, as many small towns continue to use their name even after being incorporated into larger townships. While I live technically in Oberursel, my neighbors immediately correct me when I say that, since we live in Oberstedten. Local identity is very, very strong in Germany, and that can be a real pain when trying to figure out where a town is: people in Rödelheim, where Sinn and Guinand are located, deny that they live in Frankfurt, even though they are within the city limits (technically).

But identifying the town is a good start. :-)

I agree with Ray: it's probably a jeweler's timepiece.

JohnF

[Ray MacDonald]

Same thing here in small town Ontario although most regional consolidations occurred after 1970.
I used to live in the former town of Georgetown, now part of "Halton Hills." Now I'm in the former town of Almonte, now part of "Mississippi Mills."
The problem is that the new town names are so generic that nobody wants to use them. The classic example of this was in western Ontario where the historic towns of Galt, Preston and Hespeler were incorporated as the regional municipality of Cambridge. This in spite of the fact they were all on the Grand River and there was no Cam River anywhere in the vicinity. Go figure.