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The Model 4

1888 to 1902

The Model 4 was Seth Thomas's only known key-wind model, and it's very surprising that a key-wind watch would follow the stem-wound Model 1, but it was one of the four new models designed under Charles Higginbotham's tenure at the company. Only a few thousand were made and could be used in either open-face or hunting configuration, depending on the style of case.


Grade Lookup and Totals

Click on the charts below for more detailed information.

The watches logged in the Model 4 Serial Number Table are all reported examples or verified from photos.

These charts are for public use and for personal research, not for the Pocket Watch Database to "borrow".

Model 4 Run Totals (pdf)

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Model 4 SN Table (pdf)

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Model 4 Private Labels (pdf)

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Grade Assignment

Grade 11

The Model 4 was designated as Grade 11, and all were gilt with 7 jewels.

The only known option was a key guard, which appeared around the third SN block.

Master Grade Chart

Manufacture Dates and Lookup

1888 to 1902

 Roughly 13,000 of the Model 4 were made in twenty separate runs, starting at SN 35001 and ending at 718200,  giving it the widest range of the lower five models. The earliest known publication for the Model 4 was 1888, which also followed the departure of the open-face Model 1. There were ads for it as late as 1896, but production of the Model 4 continued throughout the Old Eagle Series run and into the serial number range of the New Eagle line, which began at SN 700000. A final run of a hundred was produced at SN 718101, likely just to have a key-wind choice on hand for those customers who still preferred them. There are no reported advertisements of the Model 4 past 1900.


No company records have survived and all date returns are based on advertising. Type in the serial number to see when yours was made.

The Model 4 Parts List

Small quantities of Models 2, 3, and 6 have been reported with keyed arbors, and it's not known if those are transitional pieces that can still be stem-wound or if they are key-wind only.


If they are stem-wound they would contain the standard winding parts like the arbor, yoke, crown wheel and idlers, but although technically able to be wound with a key, any of these oddball examples would still be classed by model according to their serial numbers and found on the SN charts on those particular pages.

Period Ad Cuts

1888

This is the only known catalog listing showing the Model 4.

All photos and data protected by copyright. 

© 2025 - Seth Thomas Research v3.2.18k

Seth Thomas Highlights

The rarest regular-production two-tone pattern of all, made in one block of seventy - and then never again.

Other Rare Examples