Featured Watch chains, not sure about one

I think these are silver, neither are marked and one has probably brass endings. I'm not sure if the plaited one is a watch chain, it does just about go round my neck, it's 13and a half ins long, the other is 16 ins long. I'm not sure of the dates either. I suspect the plaited one is Victorian as they plaited a lot of hair which looks similar to this metal, but the other one I don't know. The pic of the whole chain won't load, sorry. Any help please? Thanks.

 

I can't help this these pics...only to say.....I'm wearing a gold chain right now like the 1st one...only the rings are still round....and the 2nd, Mom had a bracelet just like it with gold dots every 5 braids.....that my daughter has now !

 

There's a huge amount of work in these, especially the first one. I can hardly see the soldered joints. I suppose I could wear the first as a necklace too!

 

If they were watch-chains, they'd have teardrop clasps at one end and T-bars or ring-clasps at the other.

I'm not seeing either, apart from on the 2nd picture.

 

Yes the second pic that wouldn't fully load does have the T bar on the other end so I'm pretty sure that's a watch chain. It's the date on that one I hope someone will know. The chain links are unusual.
The other plaited ones use is a mystery.

 

Well they're definitely long enough to be a watch-chain, and one of them certainly is.

If they are silver, then they'll be hallmarked on the T-bars, on the drop-clasps, or somewhere along their lengths (in some cases, every single link in the chain is marked).

 

this is close to my ' triple rope chain'....yours has more elongated rings..

 

The T bar and teardrop are a different metal to the rest of it.Ive cropped the pic, hopefully you can see there's a difference. May be cobbled together many years ago. The links are slightly squashed in the middle where I suspect a heavy watch was suspended. I'll probably have to get it tested somewhere. Thanks

 

Yes, mine is less well made I think.

 

In the old days (pre-1900), men used to carry what people in the 20s and 30s used to derogatorily call 'woodburner' pocketwatches. BIG chunky 18, and 20-sized pocketwatches which were really thick and heavy and bulky.

They went out of fashion in the late 1800s/early 1900s, when smaller 16 and 14-sized pocketwatches (closer to the sizes available today) started being made.

 

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your links all show some deformation.....but I'd say from years of use....and the notches at the ends show they were always elongated and never round..

 

We have personally had and sold 3 outrageous silver pocket watch cases. They were 18 size. We have had a 7,8, and a 10 oz silver case. Add in almost to 2 oz for the movement and you could kill someone swinging those. A quality early silver hunter case is 4 oz which is still substantial . I have heard of 12 oz cases even. That is really taking the "woodburner" to the extreme. BTW the railroad watches continued to be 18 size. They were cased in thinner open face cases bringing the size down from the big silver hunter cases though and I believe the movements became thinner as the craft advanced.

 

If you have not cleaned tarnish from them they are likely nickel silver IMHO.

 

I haven't cleaned them, theres a watch seller nearby who is always on the lookout for Albert chains, I'll give him a visit. Thanks everyone.