Waltham · 23 jewels · 16s
Waltham Premier Maximus
Waltham's 1911 booklet calls the Premier Maximus by far the finest watch movement ever constructed, and the spec list reads like it. It's a 16-size movement with 23 diamond, ruby and sapphire jewels, three pairs of diamond caps, and the balance, pallet and escape pivots all running on diamonds. It has jeweled mainwheel bearings, a steel escape wheel with a gold hub, and a winding indicator on the dial that shows how many hours the watch has run. Waltham adjusted it to temperature, isochronism and five positions and sold it complete in 14k or 18k solid gold open-face cases, priced well above any Riverside Maximus in the same booklet. It isn't in the 1901 catalog, where the Riverside Maximus is still the top watch, so it arrived sometime between 1901 and 1911. Another Waltham booklet pitched it at astronomers and explorers. Confirm the engraving before you trust a listing.
Spec at a glance
- Maker
- Waltham
- Grade engraved
- Premier Maximus
- Family
- Maximus
- Class
- High-grade dress
- Jewels
- 23 jewels
- Size
- 16s
- Adjusted
- 5 positions
- Setting
- Pendant set
- Era
- Golden Age (before 1920)
The grade
What the Premier Maximus engraving tells you
Premier Maximus sat above the Riverside Maximus as Waltham's top movement. Compared with the Riverside Maximus it had three pairs of diamond caps instead of two, diamond pivots for the pallet and escape wheel as well as the balance, and a winding indicator on the dial. Waltham later put Premier on dials and cases across its line and also made an Appleton Tracy & Co. Premier grade, so confirm Premier Maximus is engraved on the movement itself.
What to check
Many listings use Premier loosely, because Waltham marked later watches across its range with that word. A missing or broken winding indicator is worth asking about, since it's part of what defines this grade.
- 01Movement engraving: Ask the seller for a clear photo of the movement. It should be engraved Premier Maximus, which a Premier dial or case doesn't prove.
- 02Winding indicator: Ask the seller to wind it a few turns on video. The indicator hand on the dial should move.
- 03Cap jewels: Zoom in on the balance, pallet and escape wheel in the movement photo. Each should have a cap jewel in a raised gold setting.
- 04Jewel count: Read the jewel count on the plate. It should say 23 Jewels.
- 05Case: Ask for a photo of the karat stamp inside the case. Waltham sold this grade in 14k or 18k solid gold open-face cases.
- 06Serial number: Look up the serial number in a Waltham database. It should come back as a 16-size Premier Maximus.
Find one on eBay
We haven’t been through this watch’s listings yet. Search eBay for the grade and run every listing through the checklist above. Ask for a sharp photo of the movement showing the grade and serial number, and a short video of the watch running, and pass on any listing that won’t show them.
Search “Waltham Premier Maximus pocket watch” on eBay ↗eBay searchRelated watches
Waltham · Riverside
High-grade dressWaltham Riverside Maximus
16s · 21 jewels
- Grade engraved
- Riverside Maximus
- Years
- 1890s into the 1910s
$1,025–$1,250 typical ask
Waltham · Vanguard
Railroad gradeWaltham Vanguard 23 Jewel
16s · 23 jewels
- Grade engraved
- Vanguard
- Years
- by 1911 to the mid-1950s
$370–$525 typical ask
Hamilton · 950
Railroad gradeHamilton 950
16s · 23 jewels
- Grade engraved
- 950
- Years
- 1910–1935
$1,050–$1,750 typical ask
Howard · Bridge model
Railroad gradeHoward Series 0 23-jewel
16s · 23 jewels
- Grade engraved
- Series 0
- Years
- 1900s–1920s
$1,125–$2,025 typical ask