Chrome-plated cased pin-pallet lever wrist-watch with black leather strap, presentation box and guarantee

Description — British Museum

Wrist-watch. Movement with brass plates and pin-pallet lever escapement. Painted grey dial with red minute circle and red Arabic hour numerals; portrait of Hopalong Cassidy. Red painted hands. Chromium-plated case with snap-on back. Black leather wrist-strap with white-painted pictures of steer, hat, cactus and horse-shoe; 'Western' style buckle and strap-end; complete with presentation box and guarantee.

Curator's comments — British Museum

Comment from Richard Good, Catalogue of Watches in the British Museum. Vol. V (Unpublished manuscript) TIMEX U.S.A., c. 1960 A wrist watch with 'HOP ALONG CASSIDY' on the dial and a pin pallet lever escapement. Signature: 'US TIME' on the case back in a rectangular cartouche. Case: A two piece tonneau case with a chrome plated front and a stainless steel back. On the back of the case is stamped 'Luck from Hoppy'. A dark brown leather strap with on the front Indian signs in silver and the original price tag '6.95 dollars PLUS TAX'. Nickel silver fittings to the strap all stamped decoratively. A red topped presentation box in card with on the top 'HOPALONG CASSIDY WRIST WATCH' and Indian symbols and a picture of Hopalong. On the box top sides are: 1: 'This Hoppy Watch is Produced in Texas' 2: 'REGULAR SIZE LIST 495' with this number crossed out and in ink 595 3: 'This watch Autographed with HOPPY'S Personal Greetings' 4: 'MANUFACTURED AND GUARANTEED BY THE UNITED STATES TIME CORPORATION'. More Indian symbols adorn the box sides. Also in the box is a leaflet with a message from Hoppalong Cassidy, instructions on caring for the watch and a guarantee. Of interest are the two addresses given by the Corporation for their customer service department; namely 'Abilene Texas Box No. 2278' and 'Waterbury Conn. Box No. 1879'. Within the box is a support piece for the watch also in red with another picture of Hopalong but this time with his horse. Dial & Hands: A silvered metal dial with red Arabic numerals and minute circle. Above the centre is 'HOPALONG CASSIDY' with below the centre a picture of him. The dial is retained by four tags. Red painted hands. Movement: Ebauche Marks: None. Frame: Full plate movement with a gilt finish. Barrel and Mainspring: The barrel without a cover, the back plate retains the spring. Going Barrel: I diameter 9.4 mm., height 2.0 mm. Mainspring: height 2.0 mm., thickness 0.11 mm. Barrel Arbor: diameter 2.4 mm., not snailed. The arbor is steel with a brass head. Hooking: Pressed in from the barrel wall. Train: The brass wheels gilded, the centre, third and fourth wheels with four crossings. The escape wheel with three. Jewelling: No jewels. Cone bearings to the balance working in steel cups, that in the front plate adjustable. Escapement: An obtuse angle layout, pin pallet lever escapement with short lever, effectively a double roller with a round steel pin set in the balance arm. A brass lever with steel pins. A brass escape wheel with three arms. An equal impulse escapement. No. of teeth embraced 3½. Balance & Spring: a monometallic balance with a plain rim. Balance diameter 8.10 mm., thickness 0.5 mm. A blued-steel flat spiral spring with 12 turns. Means of Regulation: An index on the back plate registers against a divided scale with 'F' and 'S' stamped on the back plate. Train Counts and Beat Rate: Great wheel 68 (barrel) Centre wheel 64 pinion 10 Third wheel 60 pinion 8 Fourth wheel 72 pinion 8 Escape wheel 15 pinion 8 Beat rate: 16,200 Motion work: cannon pinion 8 minute wheel 24, minute pinion 8 hour wheel 32 Winding System: Stem set rocking bar keyless work. Dimensions: Box dimensions: Length 175 mm., width 97 mm., 21.2 mm. Case width 23.1 mm., length over the lugs 33.7 mm. Movement length 24 mm., height 6.3 mm. Provenance: Donated by the Heron Corporation in 1983.