Ok, thank you so much!

You are most welcome.
Stay safe.
David

Hello David,

I do have a question regarding your appraisal of this Revue G. T pocket watch. How is it determined the case is gold filled?

Again, thank you for your helpful information.

Jeff

Hi Jeff,
Thank you for your question, one I encounter on a daily basis. The answer can be both subjective and/or objective. When it comes to pocket watches I use a simple subjective approach which divides the gold colored metal cases into two major categories.
1 - There are the solid gold cases, essentially 9 karat, 14 karat and 18 karat as well as yellow, white and multicolored gold cases. By law, the major countries making gold pocket watches, e.g. USA, Great Britain, France Germany and Switzerland were required by laws dating in some of these countries back to the 15th and 16th centuries to mark their product as to the quality of solid gold or silver or platinum. When marked, it is easy to identify in several ways. The Swiss use a profile of Helvetia (Helvetia is the female national personification of Switzerland) inside a shield shaped cameo for 18K gold and a squirrel for 14k gold. The French use the head of an eagle for solid gold. The Germans use a crown within a circle for solid gold. In the USA the solid gold marks are applied by the various watch companies, most commonly along with a quality mark such as ‘14k U.S Assay, Warranted’. (This is just a very brief overview and it becomes quite complicated when one realizes that countries around the world each had their own markings.
2 – There are the gold colored cases that have a base metal core and metallurgical alterations are utilized in applying a layer of gold to each. (I separate the hallmarked gold cases from all others.) The 'others' fall into three groups. I lump the three groups together since the value of a pocket watch with a case done in any of the three objective groupings vary little in pricing:
a) - Gold-filled—For something to be considered gold filled, the gold content must exceed or equal 5%. This percentage is the minimal amount needed to legally stamp your jewelry with "1/20 14KGF." If you see that hallmark, your piece would be 5% gold. However, most antique jewelry that is gold filled has significantly more gold than that. The gold content might be upwards of 100,000 times thicker than gold plate.
b) - Rolled-gold—The term rolled gold is used interchangeably with the term gold filled with antique jewelry, but nowadays, rolled gold indicates that the jewelry has less than 5% gold content. These pieces have significantly more gold than gold plated items but not quite as much as gold filled items. An example of a hallmark you might see on a modern day rolled gold piece might read something like 1/40 14KRG. That item would have a gold content of at least 2.5%.
c) - Gold-plating - This was originally done by spraying or dipping in gold to provide a layer of gold over base metal of 2-3 microns of gold. Today, the most common method of gold plating is electroplating. For most gold plating, a microscopic layer of gold is adhered to a base metal using an electric current. This current carries positively charged gold ions and adheres them to a negatively charged base metal.
COMMENTARY:
When I look at the markings on the inside of a case, I first look for the name or logo or initials of a casemaker, then check the hallmarks. In your pocket watch there are no markings other than the circular damascening of the inside of the covers and a case number. That immediately tells me that I cannot identify the casemaker and the case is not made of solid gold. If tested for gold, it would test positive since the outer layer of the case is a microscopic layer of true gold. In the specific instance of your case, the decision was made easier, by observing in one of your photos of the outer cover, at least five or perhaps six spots of rust. Gold does not rust, but the underlying base metal does. I cannot tell the difference by simply looking at a photo of a gold colored watch case as to whether it is gold filled, gold plated or rolled gold. So, I use the terms subjectively and interchangeably since they have no real impact on value when one considers the three terms.
Another extremely subjective aid for me is that over the years of doing this work, I find that the owner is usually quick to tell me about his gold watch in his initial write-up. Not mentioning the word ‘gold’ is a clue for me. My real problem occurs when I am told that a 'gold watch' is to be appraised. Often the client does say ‘gold watch’ when his or her watch is not solid gold. Then I might provide two sets of values if I cannot separate the facts by looking at the photos supplied for the hallmarks as described above.

I hope that this is of some help in answering your question.
My best,
David

Just to be clear, my watch case is silver, not gold. Are you saying my watch is gold filled even though it is silver?

Jeff,
When I look at the photos of the inside of the covers they appear to be a gold color. If that is true in any part of your case then the answer is your watch was originally gold filled/plated or rolled gold and all of the gilding on the outer cse has worn off. If However, the color of the photo is misleading and the color of your case is "silver" then I will alter my appraisal to reflect that your case is either nickel or coin silver, both of which appear to be silver in color, but carry no hallmarks.
If you case was genuine silver it would be properly hallmarked for silver (Swiss made silver would have a standing bear or other animal if not of Sterling silver grade, English silver would have a lion, German silver would have a crown in a circle and a crescent moon, etc.)
So, let me know if you would like me to alter the write-up to reflect the fact that this case has no gilt coloration anywhere on the inside or outside of the casing. It will not affect the pricing.
David