Pocket Watch Accessories

A pocket watch is a complete object in its own right, but the right accessories can transform it from a loose piece in a drawer into a finished, wearable, displayable thing with presence. A period Albert chain, properly fitted, is not an optional extra — it is part of what the watch was designed to be worn with. A good display case takes a collection from a heap in a drawer to a curated exhibition. This guide covers what to look for and what to avoid across the full range of accessories.

Pocket Watch Chains

The chain is arguably the most important accessory for a pocket watch. Watches were designed to be worn on a chain — the bow (the loop at the top of the case) serves no purpose without one — and a period-correct chain completes the object both aesthetically and functionally. A watch sliding loose in a pocket is at serious risk of damage; a watch on a chain is secured and ready to be drawn out smoothly.

Chain Type	How Worn	Historical Period	Suitable For
Double Albert	Bar through waistcoat buttonhole; two chains running to opposite vest pockets. One end holds the watch; the other typically a fob, seal, or key.	1840s–1920s (Victorian & Edwardian)	Full-dress use; period costume; large hunter or half-hunter watches
Single Albert	Bar through buttonhole; single chain to one vest pocket with the watch.	1840s–1930s	Everyday formal or semi-formal use; most antique pocket watches
Fob chain	Short chain without bar — attached to a belt loop or waistband buttonhole. Watch drops into trouser or fob pocket.	1880s–1940s (also contemporary)	Workers' watches; modern casual wearing; no waistcoat required
Vest chain (US style)	Similar to Albert but often with spring clip attachment to buttonhole rather than a T-bar.	1880s–1950s (American)	American-style wearing; railroad watches; open-face watches
Nurse's watch chain	Pin-on brooch clip at top; watch hangs inverted from breast pocket or lapel.	1890s–1960s	Nursing fob watches; medical watches; small open-face watches

Chain length and weight

A standard Albert chain for a full-size (18-size or 16-size) pocket watch typically runs 12–14 inches from the T-bar to the watch bow clip. For smaller lady's watches, 10–12 inches is more appropriate. Weight should be proportional to the watch — a heavy 18K gold Albert on a thin sterling silver watch looks wrong in both directions. Ask sellers for both length and the metal used before buying.

Watch Fobs & Seals

The second chain of a Double Albert traditionally ended not with another watch but with a fob — a decorative pendant that also served practical purposes. In the eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries, the fob often incorporated a wax seal for sealing letters. By the Victorian era, fobs had become purely decorative, though the term "fob watch" is still used to describe any small pocket watch worn on a short chain.

Period fobs are collected seriously in their own right. Common types include:

• Seal fobs — carved intaglio in stone (carnelian, bloodstone, onyx), ivory or glass, set in gold or silver mounts. The carving is reversed so it stamps correctly in wax. These are the oldest and most valuable type.
• Lodge fobs — bearing Masonic or other fraternal insignia. Often gold-filled or gold on a heavy chain. See our Masonic Watch page for more on fraternal horology.
• Sports and occupation fobs — awarded as prizes at athletics meets, cycling clubs, shooting competitions. These typically bear engraved decoration and often a date and event name.
• Sovereign cases / coin holders — spring-mounted pendants that hold a gold sovereign or half-sovereign, meant to serve as an emergency reserve fund and to add further weight and presence to the chain display.
• Watch keys — pre-keyless-wind watches (roughly pre-1860 for English watches) were wound with a separate key. These keys are often elaborate objects in their own right and frequently hang from the Albert chain as both tool and ornament.

Chain Materials & Quality

As with cases, chain materials range from solid precious metal to base metal with surface treatments. The same terminology traps apply — and the same rules for identification.

Wearing a Pocket Watch Today

Pocket watches are increasingly worn as a statement — in an era of ubiquitous smartphones, wearing a mechanical timepiece is a deliberate choice. Several approaches work well in modern contexts:

• With a waistcoat / vest — the traditional approach, and still the most elegant. A Double Albert worn across a waistcoat is immediately recognisable and always turns heads. Works with both period-dress and modern tailoring.
• With a suit jacket — a single Albert clipped to a jacket buttonhole with the watch in the breast pocket. Works, but the chain drapes in front of the lapel rather than across the chest.
• On a fob chain with jeans or casual trousers — a short fob chain clipped to a belt loop, watch in the coin or fob pocket. An underrated approach — unpretentious, practical, and the watch is genuinely useful.
• In a jacket outside pocket (unattached) — acceptable for display purposes but risky for a valuable watch. A short chain clipped to the pocket lining solves the problem.

Display Cases

A collection is best enjoyed on display. Pocket watches are beautiful objects — the case engravings, the dial artistry, the glimpse of movement through a skeleton back — and keeping them in a drawer shows none of this. Display also makes it easy to pick up and use the watches regularly, which is better for movements than extended storage.

The main options:

See our dedicated Pocket Watch Display Case page for in-depth guidance and images of different options.

Pouches & Travel Cases

For transport — whether in a daily bag or on a trip — a dedicated watch pouch or roll prevents scratches and cushions against impact. Options range from simple single-watch sleeves to multi-watch rolls for travelling collectors.

Cleaning & Care Tools

The exterior of a pocket watch — the case, crystal and chain — can be maintained at home with basic tools. The interior — the movement — should never be cleaned at home unless you are a trained watchmaker. This section covers external care only.

What you will need

• Watchmaker's loupe (5× to 10×) — for examining dial condition, case hallmarks and movement engraving without handling the watch more than necessary. The single most useful tool a collector can own.
• Soft lens cloth or chamois — for polishing the case exterior. Natural chamois is ideal; avoid synthetic microfibre on polished gold or silver as it can scratch.
• Brass or silver polishing cloth — pre-impregnated with gentle abrasive. Use sparingly on gold-filled or silver cases to remove tarnish and light surface marks. Never on the crystal.
• Case-opening tool (case knife) — a blunt, thin blade specifically for opening snap-back cases. Never use a screwdriver or penknife — they slip and damage the case edge or the movement.
• Case peg wood sticks — wooden sticks used to absorb oils and clean the case interior (the space between case shell and movement) without touching the movement itself.
• Bellows or blower brush — for removing dust from the dial surface without touching it. Dust on a dial, once ground in, is very difficult to remove without a watchmaker's dial cleaning equipment.
• Clean cotton gloves — worn when handling movements. Fingerprints leave oil and acid that corrode blued steel components over time.

What to avoid

• Ultrasonic cleaners — will strip gilding from the movement, loosen stones in any set decorations, and potentially damage the crystal. Never.
• Compressed air cans — the propellant can deposit residue on movement components. Use a rubber bellows instead.
• Household glass cleaner or alcohol — damages acrylic crystals, can dissolve shellac used to mount movements, and leaves residue.
• Polishing the dial — dials should never be polished. Even gentle polishing removes the original printing on paper dials and scratches enamel. If a dial is dirty, see a specialist.
• Buffing wheel on a case — removes hallmarks and engraving, destroys the factory surface finish, and reduces value. Original surfaces — even scratched ones — are always preferable to a machine-polished case.
• WD-40 or oil on external fittings — will migrate into the movement interior and dissolve existing lubricants, causing rapid wear. Never apply any oil to the exterior of a watch.

Long-Term Storage

Pocket watches in storage require some specific conditions to prevent deterioration:

• Mainspring tension: Let the mainspring run down fully before long storage. A fully wound mainspring under tension for years can take a set, reducing the power reserve. A run-down spring can also develop a slight set, but this is less damaging than a wound-down failure.
• Temperature and humidity: Cool, dry, stable conditions are ideal. Attics and garages are unsuitable — the temperature swings cause metal components to expand and contract repeatedly, loosening jewel settings and potentially cracking enamel dials. A cool interior room is best.
• Silica gel: A sachet of silica gel in a storage box absorbs excess moisture that can promote tarnish and, in extreme cases, rust on steel movement components. Replace or regenerate the silica gel annually.
• Magnetic fields: Store watches away from speakers, certain handbags (with magnetic clasps) and any electrical equipment with exposed magnets. Magnetised hairsprings run fast or stop entirely.
• Light: Prolonged direct sunlight fades paper dials and mellows the colour of enamel. Store in a closed box or case for anything beyond a few days.
• Exercise the movement: For watches in long storage, wind them lightly (a few turns only) once or twice a year and let them run for a day. This keeps the lubricants from congealing on the pivots and maintains the movement's condition better than strict storage.

Where to Buy Accessories

Pocket watch accessories are widely available through specialist dealers, antique markets and online.

For antique chains and fobs

Antique fairs and specialist dealers are the best source for period-correct chains. Chester and Birmingham — both major British assay offices — were also major centres for silver chain manufacture, and pieces hallmarked there are plentiful and reasonably priced. Online, eBay has a large selection:

For display cases and storage

For tools and care products

Watchmaker's tools are available from specialist horological suppliers. The NAWCC (US) and BHI (UK) both have member supplier directories. For basics — a loupe, a chamois cloth, peg wood — any horological supplier or well-stocked jeweller's supply house will have what you need. Avoid "watch repair kits" sold as consumer items on eBay unless you understand exactly what is in them.

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Related Pages

• Pocket Watch Display Cases — in-depth guide with options and images
• Pocket Watch Repair — watchmaker's tools and what to do with them
• Pocket Watches as Gifts — buying guide for non-collectors
• Collecting Guide — where to start building a collection
• The Pocket Watch Case — understanding case types and markings
• eBay Auction Search — search current listings for accessories and watches