Pocket Watch Database

Keystone Watch Case Co. Boss Patent
Watch Case Marking for Keystone Watch Case Co. Boss Patent: [Crown and Scales]

Note: Case manufacturers modified markings over time. As a result, the image above is simply a representation of one particular marking used by the company. Your case marking may differ based on the production era and other parameters.

Boss Patent

James Boss was originally granted a patent for his process of manufacturing gold-filled watch cases on May 3, 1859 (U.S. Patent #23820). Reese Peters was the first manufacturer to utilize Boss' patent to create gold-filled cases, guaranteeing the cases for twenty years. At the time, these cases were referred to as "stiffened gold" cases. In 1871, Boss sold the rights to his patent to John Stuckert (Philadelphia). From 1871 to 1875, Stuckert manufactured gold-filled cases using the "J. Boss" name. Following Stuckert's death in 1875, the firm of Hagstoz & Thorpe purchased the factory and the rights to the "J. Boss" name and patented process. According to advertisements published in trade magazines by Hagstoz & Thorpe, the company introduced an improved Boss case in 1879, featuring a thicker layer of gold. A few years later, in 1883, Hagstoz withdrew from the company, and soon after, the company was renamed the Keystone Watch Case Company. Under the management of the Keystone Watch Case Company, the "Boss" cases became the most popular gold-filled cases in the country. Cases manufactured after 1883 will feature the Keystone Watch Case Company logo in addition to the "Crown and Scales" mark (or other marks later introduced to indicate quality).

Database ID:PWDB-399
Case Grade:Boss Patent
Material:Gold-Filled
Gold Content:14K
Guarantee:20-Year
Introduced:1883
Discontinued:July 1889
Note:This case was offered in a single grade until July 1889, when the Keystone Watch Case Company expanded the line and this grade was repaced by the "14K/20YR" designation instead of "Boss Patent."
Patents:#23820
Marking Variants:
(Not Intended to be Comprehensive)
Catalog Sources: 1877DFC 1878CYC 1880GHR 1880JAB 1880NHW 1882SFM 1883GHR 1883UNK 1884LSS 1885OY 1886HMS 1886RA 1887BHIA 1887LAM 1888BA 1888OY 1889BAM 1889EVR 1890AP 1890BA 1890CHK 1890JC05 1890OY 1890SFM 1891RR 1891SAC 1892ACR 1892BAC 1892CPS 1892WES 1893BFNA 1893BHIA 1893MCE 1893SAC 1894BA 1894BATM 1894NRC 1895OY 1895SFM 1896MF 1896OY 1897BB 1898MLMF 1899ACB 1899BHIA 1899SAC 1900BA 1900BHIA 1900LMC 1900NHW 1901BAC 1901OY 1902ACB 1902BATM 1902BB 1902MF 1903ACB 1903BAC 1903FDW 1903N76 1903ON 1904ACB 1904BA 1904LB 1904PWC 1905ACB 1905BAC 1905DH 1905FNCS 1905ON 1906ON 1906SRC 1907ACB 1907JVF 1907NAC 1907NBC 1907OY 1907SFM 1908ACB 1909BAC 1910ACB 1911NG 1911OY 1911WJJ 1912COC 1912HA 1912NG 1912SFM 1912WJJ 1913FDW 1914ELD 1915ACB 1915ON 1915PWE 1916LCM 1917BA 1923CBN 1923ON 1925ASJ 1925CPS 1928ON 1932ON 1942WAG
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2 Admirations
Serial No.: #734499
Manufacturer:Hamilton
Grade:975
Size:16s
Model:1
Jewels:17j
Setting:Lever
Finish:Nickel
Est. Date:1909
Case Model:J Boss
Case Material:Goldfilled
Gold Karat:14
Guarantee:25
Case Serial:5325504
Added By:Rickglick1 Profile Image Rickglick1
2 Admirations
Serial No.: #16074222
Manufacturer:Waltham
Grade:P.S. Bartlett
Size:16s
Model:1899
Jewels:17j
Setting:Pendant
Finish:Nickel
Est. Date:1907
Case Material:Goldfilled
Gold Karat:14
Guarantee:20
Case Serial:5326021
Added By:mjdevo31 Profile Image mjdevo31
0 Admirations
Serial No.: #6736357
Manufacturer:Elgin
Grade:154
Size:16s
Model:6
Jewels:17j
Setting:Pendant
Finish:Nickel
Est. Date:1897
Case Material:Goldfilled
Gold Karat:14
Case Serial:5327691
Added By:Aczar27 Profile Image Aczar27
2 Admirations
Serial No.: #385855
Manufacturer:Hamilton
Grade:990
Size:16s
Model:1
Jewels:21j
Setting:Lever
Finish:Nickel
Est. Date:1907
Case Model:J Boss
Case Material:Goldfilled
Gold Karat:14
Guarantee:25
Case Serial:5341974
Added By:fourleaf57 Profile Image fourleaf57
3 Admirations
Serial No.: #B247132
Manufacturer:Ball - Waltham
Grade:Official Standard
Size:16s
Model:1899
Jewels:21j
Setting:Lever
Finish:Nickel
Est. Date:1910
Case Model:Ball Model
Case Material:Goldfilled
Gold Karat:14
Guarantee:20
Case Serial:5362402
Added By:Joerealtor Profile Image Joerealtor
4 Admirations
Serial No.: #1205394
Manufacturer:Hampden
Grade:Special Railway
Size:18s
Model:3
Jewels:23j
Setting:Lever
Finish:Two-Tone
Est. Date:1898
Case Model:J.Boss
Case Material:Goldfilled
Gold Karat:14
Guarantee:25
Case Serial:5378654
Added By:redjms Profile Image redjms
0 Admirations
Serial No.: #27665896
Manufacturer:Elgin
Grade:387
Size:16s
Model:7
Jewels:17j
Setting:Pendant
Finish:Nickel
Est. Date:1925
Case Material:Goldfilled
Gold Karat:14
Guarantee:20
Case Serial:5386990
Added By:Duanne Profile Image Duanne
2 Admirations
Serial No.: #24464705
Manufacturer:Elgin
Grade:454
Size:16s
Model:15
Jewels:21j
Setting:Lever
Finish:Nickel
Est. Date:1922
Case Material:Goldfilled
Gold Karat:14
Guarantee:25
Case Serial:5392865
Added By:TWW369 Profile Image TWW369
9 Admirations
Serial No.: #1523685
Manufacturer:Illinois
Grade:Sangamo
Size:16s
Model:5
Jewels:23j
Setting:Lever
Finish:Nickel
Est. Date:1900
Case Model:J Boss 20 Years
Case Material:Goldfilled
Gold Karat:14
Guarantee:20
Case Serial:5402968
Added By:aconner Profile Image aconner
3 Admirations
Serial No.: #B236958
Manufacturer:Ball - Waltham
Grade:Official Standard
Size:16s
Model:1899
Jewels:17j
Setting:Lever
Finish:Nickel
Est. Date:1909
Case Model:Ball Model/ J Boss
Case Material:Goldfilled
Gold Karat:14
Guarantee:25
Case Serial:5407058
Added By:Rickglick1 Profile Image Rickglick1
4 Admirations
Serial No.: #13482667
Manufacturer:Elgin
Grade:360
Size:16s
Model:13
Jewels:21j
Setting:Lever
Finish:Nickel
Est. Date:1908
Case Model:J Boss
Case Material:Goldfilled
Gold Karat:14
Guarantee:25
Case Serial:5426908
Added By:Rlegg6 Profile Image Rlegg6
5 Admirations
Serial No.: #1114582
Manufacturer:E. Howard Watch Co. (Keystone)
Grade:Series 1
Size:16s
Model:1907
Jewels:21j
Setting:Lever
Finish:Nickel
Est. Date:1911
Case Model:J Boss EXTRA
Case Material:Goldfilled
Gold Karat:14
Guarantee:30
Case Serial:5435880
Added By:Rickglick1 Profile Image Rickglick1
7 Admirations
Serial No.: #1395476
Manufacturer:Hamilton
Grade:992
Size:16s
Model:2
Jewels:21j
Setting:Lever
Finish:Nickel
Est. Date:1920
Case Model:Boss Scale Crown 14k/25yr
Case Material:Goldfilled
Gold Karat:14
Guarantee:25
Case Serial:5442112
Added By:tctimepieces Profile Image tctimepieces
Serial No.: #1358470
Manufacturer:Hamilton
Grade:992
Size:16s
Model:2
Jewels:21j
Setting:Lever
Finish:Nickel
Est. Date:1919
Case Material:Goldfilled
Gold Karat:14
Guarantee:25
Case Serial:5456529
Added By:cbfixesall Profile Image cbfixesall
2 Admirations
Serial No.: #1043166
Manufacturer:Hamilton
Grade:978
Size:16s
Model:1
Jewels:17j
Setting:Lever
Finish:Nickel
Est. Date:1913
Case Material:Goldfilled
Gold Karat:14
Guarantee:20
Case Serial:5458627
Added By:v3ngence Profile Image v3ngence
3 Admirations
Serial No.: #11057313
Manufacturer:Waltham
Grade:Vanguard
Size:18s
Model:1892
Jewels:19j
Setting:Lever
Finish:Nickel
Est. Date:1901
Case Material:Goldfilled
Gold Karat:14
Guarantee:25
Case Serial:5520439
Added By:strikeph Profile Image strikeph
4 Admirations
Serial No.: #154483
Manufacturer:Hamilton
Grade:936
Size:18s
Model:1
Jewels:17j
Setting:Lever
Finish:Nickel
Est. Date:1901
Case Model:JBOSS
Case Material:Goldfilled
Gold Karat:14
Guarantee:25
Case Serial:5523264
Added By:Gimparoo Profile Image Gimparoo
2 Admirations
Serial No.: #13666267
Manufacturer:Elgin
Grade:336
Size:18s
Model:5
Jewels:17j
Setting:Pendant
Finish:Nickel
Est. Date:1909
Case Model:J. BOSS
Case Material:Goldfilled
Gold Karat:14
Guarantee:20
Case Serial:5536331
Added By:Wizardmaster Profile Image Wizardmaster
2 Admirations
Serial No.: #10937954
Manufacturer:Waltham
Grade:No. 620
Size:16s
Model:1899
Jewels:15j
Setting:Pendant
Finish:Nickel
Est. Date:1901
Case Material:Goldfilled
Gold Karat:14
Guarantee:25
Case Serial:5537222
Added By:Elguapowho Profile Image Elguapowho
9 Admirations
Serial No.: #14187028
Manufacturer:Waltham
Grade:No. 845
Size:18s
Model:1892
Jewels:21j
Setting:Lever
Finish:Nickel
Est. Date:1904
Case Material:Goldfilled
Gold Karat:14
Guarantee:25
Case Serial:5537960
Added By:kansasbeals Profile Image kansasbeals