Hello Jeremy,
Thank you for sending in your pocket watch to mearto.com for an appraisal. I shall try to help you with that today.
TITLE:
Gent’s gold plated, stem wound and stem set open face pendant watch, made by the Medora Watch Company, Buren, Switzerland circa 1914-1920.
DESCRIPTION:
CASE – The pocket watch is shown in a micrometer as measuring 19 millimeters in diameter, a very small jewel size watch, yet you say it belonged to your grandfather. So, I company watches were made in size 12 and size 16 watches with either 15 or 21 jeweled movements. The back cover is not shown but the watch has a fluted suppressed ball gilt pendant and oval bow placed at the twelve position. The inside of the cover is marked as being guaranteed for 25 years and refers to the warrantee that the gilt finish would last at least for 25 years. The inside of the cover bears the logo of an Arrow with circle in the center filled with the letters, ME, and stating ‘Arrow Quality’. This is most likely a Swiss or German made case (see historical notes).
DIAL: Triple sunk dial with bold black enameled Arabic hours, bar minute track with red Arabic markers placed every five minutes, sunken subsidiary seconds dial @6, sunken dial center marked Medora and steel Spade hands.
MOVEMENT – Typical Medora Watch Company, Swiss made movement with half plate having exposed ratchet and crown wheels, three small curved fingers bridges, bimetallic balance wheel and index Swiss made regulator marked in both English and French initials for faster and slower.
The movement is marked Medora, Medora Watch Co. Swiss, 15 jewels, and 2 adjustments (one for temperature and one for position).
CONDITION:
Case – Back cover not shown but assumed to be in good condition.
Dial – good with some speckling and scuffing on the dial.
Movement – Fairly typical Medora movement, looks original, genuine, clean and functional.
HISTORY:
1)-The trade name Medora was first registered in 1914 by Ariste Calame Fils (which means "son of Ariste Calame) of Le Locle, Switzerland (one of the three most famous Swiss watchmaking towns). Calame is a famous name in Swiss watchmaking, and I assume that Ariste was one of the descendants of that family. That company must have been bought out, because the name was registered next in 1914 by Medora Watch Co of Buren, Switzerland, then again in 1948 by Meyer & Studeli/Roamer Watch Co of Solothurn. The name was also registered by Peter Munster KG of Darmstadt, Germany in 1950, and he may have been a distributor in Germany for the brand.
2) - Katherine Pritchard, in her textbook “Swiss Timepiece Makers 1775-1975”, lists the Medora Watch Company of Buren Switzerland, first listed or advertised in 1923. She says that by 1966 is was a brand of the Roamer Watch company (Meyer & Studeli)
3) - The trademark of the word "arrow" with an arrow going through it belonged to the AD Haas and Co. of Bienne Switzerland. They advertised making "good standard quality watches ... in American sizes" (from a 1916 ad).
4) – Despite no. 3, however, many other companies used the Arrow mark both in Germany and in Switzerland. The ‘ME’ in the circle at the center of the arrow likely indicated the name of the casemaker, one which I am unable to identify.
COMPARABLES:
https://www.liveauctioneers.com/item/6584528_47-medora-w-co-23j-16s-swiss-pocket-watch (sold for $40)
https://www.auctionzip.com/auction-lot/Medora-Watch-Company-Swiss-made-pocket-watch-size_41D45A0B08/ (sold for $50)
https://www.icollector.com/Vintage-Pocket-Watch_i23525864 (Sold for $50)
https://www.liveauctioneers.com/item/60163088_3-pocket-watches (three watches sold for $50)
PRICING:
I suspect that you have a size 12 or size 16 pocket watch rather than a jewel size watch and that your micrometer is not set to read millimeters. Medora watches were the low end of medium grade Swiss watches. Many have been found in American made watch cases, but this appears to be a case made on the European Continent. Value at auction would be in the $40-$60 range if the watch runs and half of that value if not functioning.
Nice looking open face watch but not of significant value in today's marketplace.
Thank you for using mearto.com.
My best,
David

Dear Jeremy,

Thank you for contacting Mearto with your appraisal inquiry. So that I may best assist you, can you please upload some good quality images

Thanks,
David