Using Serial numbers American Waltham watches to date them.

Accurately dating Waltham Watch companies watches isn't an exact science but the best way is from the serial numbers. The serial number corresponds to the approximate date the movements were made. Don't go by the hall marks as invariably only the movements were made in the factory and may have been made at a different date.

Serial Number	Date		Serial Number	Date		Serial Number	Date
50 400 1,000 2,500 4,000 6,000 10,000 15,000 20,000 30,000 45,000 65,000 110,000 180,000 260,000 330,000 410,000 460,000 500,000 540,000 590,000 680,000 730,000 810,000 910,000 1,000,000 1,150,000 1,350,000 1,500,000 1,670,000 1,835,000 2,000,000 2,350,000 2,650,000 3,000,000 3,400,000	1852 1853 1854 1855 1856 1857 1858 1859 1860 1861 1862 1863 1864 1865 1866 1867 1868 1869 1870 1871 1872 1873 1874 1875 1876 1877 1878 1879 1880 1881 1882 1883 1884 1885 1886 1887		3,800,000 4,200,000 4,700,000 5,200,000 5,800,000 6,300,000 6,700,000 7,100,000 7,450,000 8,100,000 8,400,000 9,000,000 9,500,000 10,200,000 11,100,000 12,100,000 13,500,000 14,300,000 14,700,000 15,500,000 16,400,000 17,600,000 17,900,000 18,100,000 18,200,000 18,900,000 19,500,000 20,000,000 20,500,000 20,900,000 21,800,000 22,500,000 23,400,000 23,900,000 24,100,000 24,300,000	1888 1889 1890 1891 1892 1893 1894 1895 1896 1897 1898 1899 1900 1901 1902 1903 1904 1905 1906 1907 1908 1909 1910 1911 1912 1913 1914 1915 1916 1917 1918 1919 1920 1921 1922 1923		24,550,000 24,800,000 25,200,000 26,100,000 26,400,000 26,900,000 27,100,000 27,300,000 27,550,000 27,750,000 28,100,000 28,600,000 29,100,000 29,400,000 29,750,000 30,050,000 30,250,000 30,750,000 31,050,000 31,400,000 31,700,000 32,100,000 32,350,000 32,750,000 33,100,000 33,500,000 33,560,000 33,600,000 33,700,000 33,800,000 34,100,000 34,450,000 34,700,000 35,000,000	1924 1925 1926 1927 1928 1929 1930 1931 1932 1933 1934 1935 1936 1937 1938 1939 1940 1941 1942 1943 1944 1945 1946 1947 1948 1949 1950 1951 1952 1953 1954 1955 1956 1957

[SOURCE: Shugart & Gilbert, Complete Price Guide to Watches, 1997]




So there is a guide to the date of your watches, remember the lower the serial number generally the older it is and the more highly sought after too. Although such things as design, quality and condition maybe a factor.