Seth Thomas Pocket Watch Models 10 - 13

Seth Thomas Century Series is represented in the Ehrhardt American Numbered Drawings as Model 10 EA 813 (top left), Model 11 EA 814 (top right), Model 12 EA 813C (bottom left), and Model 13 EA 814A (bottom right); and can be identified through the use of the drawings below:

Century Grade Private Label Pocket Watches

The Old and New Century grade models, including 6-size Century Model 18, stand apart from the Eagle Series and all individual models in that they contain no watches that bear the Seth Thomas signature. Every Century grade pocket watch is a private label pocket watch manufactured by the Seth Thomas Watch Company for a wholesale or retail company to sell as part of its own product line. Private labels within the Century grade include Adonis, Athabasca, Century U.S.A., Colonial U.S.A., Corona Watch Co., Countess Janet, Criterion, Edgemere, Engine Special, Knickerbocker Watch Co., Lake Shore, Liberty U.S.A. Pan-American, Peerless Watch Co, Republic U.S.A., R.R. Special, Rex, Sentinel U.S.A., Stratford U.S.A., Toronado Watch Co, Trainmens Special, Tribune, Waldorf U.S.A., and Wyoming Watch Co.

The 1904 Seth Thomas Watch Material Catalog clearly states, about the Old Century Model and the New Century Model, that “These movements are not numbered”.

Since we know that some of the New Century Model 12 and Model 13 movements that we collect ARE numbered; we are able to know that the numbered Model 12 and Model 13 movements were manufactured after the 1904 Seth Thomas Watch Material Catalog was written.

Century - Old Model

Model 10 and Model 11 are grouped together as they were presented in the 1904 Seth Thomas Watch Material Catalog No. 650 as the Century Old Model. None of the Model 10 nor Model 11 movements are numbered on the top plate. They were all manufactured as lever set movements, with either a gilt or nickel finish, 7 jewels, a plain/simple regulator, and a flat hairspring.  They were the original Seth Thomas factory named grade Century movements.

Click these link to open the Model 10, Model 11, Model 12, or Model 13 Photo Albums in a new tab.

Model 10 open-face movements were manufactured with a gilt finish or nickel finish and 7 jewels, a plain/simple regulator, and flat hairspring at Seth Thomas factory named grade Century  [*1.g].

Model 11 hunting orientation movements were manufactured with a gilt finish or nickel finish and 7 jewels, a plain/simple regulator, and flat hairspring at Seth Thomas factory named grade Century  [*1.g].

Century - Old Model - Private Labels

The most prolific and well-known private label in the Century grade, Century U.S.A., got its start in the Old Century Series as a private label for Sears, Roebuck & Company for sale in their mail order catalog along with the Pan-American private label; but they were far from alone in the ranks of Old Century private label pocket watches. Model 10 and Model 11 also included Colonial U.S.A., Corona Watch Co, and Peerless Watch Co private labels.

Through the “Century Old Model Series” notes on page 17 of the 1904 Seth Thomas Watch Material Catalog, the Seth Thomas Watch Company informs us that “We also made a large number of special movements of this series, named Corona Watch Co., Pan-American and Colonial.

Below are depictions of the Model 10 Century U.S.A and the Model 10 Pan-American from the 1898 Sears, Roebuck & Company Catalog, photographs that I took in April of 2024 of a Model 10 Colonial U.S.A. while visiting the American Clock & Watch Museum in Bristol Connecticut, a photograph of my Model 10 Corona Watch Company movement, and an advertisement for the Model 11 Peerless Watch Co movement found in the 1900 Brooks Optical Company Catalog.

Century - New Model

Model 12 and Model 13 are grouped together because Models 12 and 13, the New Century Models, were the replacement for and based closely upon the design of Models 10 and 11, the Old Century Models. Models 12 and 13 movements initially (1903-1904) had no serial numbers on the top plate just as none of the previous Model 10 or Model 11 movements had any serial numbers on the top plate [ *1.g ]. Despite there being partial serial numbers on the pillar plate of their mechanisms, there is currently no reliable way to state exactly which early “un-numbered” Model 12 and 13 movements were manufactured before any others.

The New Century Model 12 and Model 13 movements are thinner and have smaller balance bridges than the Old Century Model 10 and Model 11 movements [ *1.g ].

Model 12 open-face movements were manufactured as lever set or pendant set, with a gilt, nickel, or two-tone finish and 7 jewels, and flat hairspring at Seth Thomas factory named grade Century  [*1.g]. 

Model 13 hunting orientation movements were manufactured as lever set, with a gilt, nickel, or two-tone finish and 7 jewels, and flat hairspring at Seth Thomas factory named grade Century  [*1.g].

Century - New Model - Private Labels

The Century New Model Makes its Debut

In the Spring 1904 Sears, Roebuck & Company Catalog No. 113

Page 18 of Spring 1904 Sears, Roebuck & Company Catalog No. 113

Seth Thomas Model 12 Edgemere & Trainmens Special

Page 18 of Spring 1904 Sears, Roebuck & Company Catalog No. 109

Seth Thomas Model 12 Edgemere

Page 18 of Spring 1904 Sears, Roebuck & Company Catalog No. 109

Seth Thomas Model 12 Trainmens Special

Century U.S.A. movements were phased out of the Sears, Roebuck & Co. Catalog product line starting in the Fall of 1901 with the introduction of the Edgemere line; and Century was gone in the 1902 Fall catalog.  Century movements were then seen for sale in the catalogs of A.C. Becken, Brooks Optical, Butler Brothers of New York, N. Shure Company, John M. Smyth Company, Holsman & Alter, Lapp & Flershem, Moore & Evans, W.H. Lasselle, and Otto Young & Company. This new 1913 Centennial version of Century U.S.A. hasn’t popped up in any of the period catalogs that I’ve explored; but I really haven’t had an opportunity to explore very many.

Adonis U.S.A.

EA 821 – Adonis U.S.A. – 6-size – Model 18 – Serial# 991674 – 7 Jewels - Factory Named Grade Century

Athabasca

EA 813C – Athabasca Made in U.S.A. – 18-size – Model 12 – Serial# 1050460 – 7 Jewels - Factory Named Grade Century

EA 813C – Colonial U.S.A. – 18-size – Model 12 – STF Serial# COLONIAL12A – 7 Jewels - Factory Named Grade Century

Colonial U.S.A.

EA 821 – Athabasca Made in U.S.A. – 6-size – Model 18 – Serial# 3252273 – 7 Jewels - Factory Named Grade Century

EA 813C– Corona Watch Co. New York U.S.A. – 18-size – Model 12 – Serial Number CORONA12E – 7 Jewels - Named Grade Century

EA 814A– Corona Watch Co. New York U.S.A. – 18-size – Model 13 – Serial# CORONA13B – 7 Jewels - Named Grade Century

Corona Watch Co. New York U.S.A.

EA 821 – Countess Janet – 6-size – Model 18 – Serial# 966625 – 7 Jewels - Factory Named Grade Century

Countess Janet

Criterion

EA 813C – Criterion – 18-size – Model 12 – Serial# X – 7 Jewels - Factory Named Grade Century

EA 813C – Edgemere – 18-size – Model 12 – Serial# 1003934 – 7 Jewels - Factory Named Grade Century

EA 814A – Edgemere – 18-size – Model 13 – Serial# EDGEMERE13A – 7 Jewels - Factory Named Grade Century

Edgemere

Engine Special

EA 813C – Engine Special – 18-size – Model 12 – Serial# 1091017 – 7 Jewels - Factory Named Grade Century

*References

 1.     Bailey, Chris H.; Seth Thomas Watches 1885-1915; 1981; Published by American Clock & Watch Museum, Inc.; Printed by The Bond Press, Inc., Hartford CT  06106; ISBN 0-930476-09-3

1.a 1885 R. & L. Freidlander Jobbers In American Watches Illustrated Price List, 65 & 67 Nassau Street, New York NY

1.b 1890 Illustrated Catalogue of Seth Thomas Clocks No. 495

1.c 1892 Illustrated Catalogue of Seth Thomas Clocks No. 531

1.d 1890 & 1895 Illustrated Catalog of Tools Materials, Finding and Supplies, Lapp & Flershem, 98 State Street, Chicago IL

1.e 1895 Illustrated Catalog of Tools Materials, Finding and Supplies, Lapp & Flershem, 98 State Street, Chicago IL

1.f  1896 Illustrated Catalog of Watches, A. C. Becken, 103 State Street, Chicago IL

1.g 1904 Seth Thomas Watch Material Catalog No. 650

1.h 1904 Seth Thomas Watch Material Illustrated Price List No. 671

1.i 1905 Seth Thomas Watch Movements Illustrated Price List September 15, 1905

1.j 1908 Seth Thomas Watch Movements Illustrated Price List September 1, 1908

1.k 1909 Seth Thomas Watch Movements Illustrated Price List October 1, 1909

1.l 1913 Seth Thomas Watch Movements Illustrated Price List Centennial Edition September 1, 1913

1.m 1914 Seth Thomas Clock Company Supplement No. 705 to Catalog No. 700 Illustrated Price List September 1, 1908

1.n Catalog of Seth Thomas Watch Models and Grades, compiled by Daniel J. Gaenger

1.o Seth Thomas’ Watches: Thirty Years of Manufacture, by Chris H. Bailey

1.p United States Patents granted to Herman A. T. Reinecke and Charles T. Higginbotham for watch features utilized by the  Seth Thomas Company

  

2.     Criss, David; Collectors Price Guide to American Pocket Watches 1976 Edition; 1976

  

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18.            Field & Company, Marshall; 1896 Illustrated Catalogue of Jewelry & Fashion; 1896; Adams, Quincy, Franklin, 5th Avenue, Chicago

  

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20.            Lapp & Flershem, The Busiest House in America – 1889 Illustrated Catalogue; 1889; Chicago Illinois, USA

  

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22.            National Association of Watch & Clock Collectors

22.a The Railroader’s Corner – A Forum for the Discussion of Railroad Pocket Watches; Standard Watches of the Seth Thomas Clock Company; December 1998; National Association of Watch and Clock Collectors.

  

23.            Oskamp, Nolting & Co.; The Great American Jewelry Catalog; 1905; Cincinnati Ohio

 

24.            Pocket Watch Database

  

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35.            Seth Thomas Clock Company; Seth Thomas Clocks No. 531;1892-1893; 49 Maiden Lane, New York New York.

  

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40.            Shure Company, N.; The Shure Winner Pricelist; 1909; Chicago Illinois

  

41.            Smyth & Company, John, M.; Dictionary of Economy - No. 62; 1909; Chicago Illinois

  

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