The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1897-12-20
Both Sides Of the Watch
Case Controversy.
SALES BY GROSS WEIGHT
Secure $50 a Pound For Article
Costing Five Cents.
SOME GOOD POINTS CLAIMED.


gross weight puts premium on dishon-
ssty and ultimately forces even the most
scrupulous manufacturers to adopt meth
ods that they would repudiate under any
other circumstances, dealer said, de-
scribing some Of the peculiarities OF the
trade. IF competitors offer IA carat gold
cases, stamped IA k, or warranted lax.
u. :. Assay weighing 30 pennyweight,
for S25 or less, others must either meet
these prices or lose trade. To avoid this
alternative an effort Is made TO hold the
market by meeting the unscrupulous deal
er on his own ground. Thus prices and
standards OF workmanship are lowered,
confidence Is destroyed and the trade brings
upon itself certain amount Of discredit
that eventually rebounds TO the injury OF
all concerned.
"To clearly understand this examine
the workings of gross weight sale. To
ascertain the value of case weighing AS
pennyweights the gross weight is multi
piled by the price Of the gold it contains,
which, for the sake of illustration say, is
for IA carat, 64 cents II pennyweight This
gives an actual cost of S30.72. Add to
this interest and cost Of labor, and the
total Is the price OF the case. AS the chief
factor in determining this Is the gold used
IL is necessary TO find out how much this
case contains.
"The crown weighs 81 pennyweights
and Is made of base metal plated, with a
socket Of lead for the winding stem, and
is probably worth 25 cents. To the back
OF the springs are attached solid pieces of
lead, iron or copper composition, which
are concealed in the center, when the
springs are In position, and weighing 1914
pennyweights the value Of which is prob
ably about the same as the crown The
three mako total Of e5 pcnnyweights,
worth about 80 cents, but which is charged
rs gold at the rate Of $40.
'lt will be seen by this that the dealer
pays for Sl6 worth Of gold that he does
not receive Had the case been sold by
net weight there would have been no in
centive or inducement for tho so called
gold case manufacturer to use a plated
crown and lead or base filling. Conse-
quently the crown and other parts Of the
case would be solid gold, whereas now
they only look like gold. Assuming that
the dealer knows OF this deception and re
fuses to accept the case markings and
weight, as indicated on tho manufacturers
invoice and tag--thc basis on which TO
estimate value--how is he To ascertain the
real worth of tho cases he may purchase?
He cannot do IL. II no discards the usage
of the trade, there Is no legal standard by
which hc could determine IL, and conse-
quently this practice is carried on with
ont violating any law except a general
ono, under W hich it would be very hard TO
secure a conviction.
THAT these practices have attained their
present magnitude by ono bound is not TO
be supposed. The present system has been
evolved from small beginnings. The evo-
lutions can be observed by examining
thrcc crowns. One is a gold crown, weigh
ing pcnnywoights In it is no pillar for
tho winding stem, and the shell is hollow.
Another IL q plated crown, filled with
brass or somo weighty composition and it
has largo pillar, in which the winding
stem H. sct. 1t weighs AZ pcnnyweights.
Tho third hc3 plated crown, filed with
lead, and tho winding stem is screwed into
n lead collar. Il weighs S13 pennyweights
and Is in general use.
Tho same increase IN weight is notice
able in tho spring Not only the size. but
also tho weight Of material used, has been
increased. Tho first filing and backing
was of comparatively Tight metal. 1t was
thon found that copper was heavier, ana
now lead is tho popular metal.
70 bo understood, ard as long as the gross
weight system prevails this kind of thing
viii DO continued. Tho temptation is too
great 10 resist. Tho system that enables a
manufacturer 20 secure $50 To $500 u
pound ior IN article that costs him from
TO 20 cents is too valuable to he discarded
lightly. To believe that tho bcrofcares
OF tho SyS,cm VIII voluntarily abandon il
would Lo expecting too much from human
nature. Tho system viii be continued un-
til 10 is not profitable or until some one
steps in and wipes 10 out by the introduc-
tion Of the net weight system of selling
watch cases. Then tho public can hope
to obtain what they pay for, but not till
then"
While acknowledging that the system of
selling watch cases by gross weight has its
evils, another dealer in Maiden lane said
that IL has it's good points also.
"For example," ho added, watch cases
are cheaper today than ever they were,
solely on account OF tho practice in the
trado OF selling them by gross weight in
stead OF By net weight. Under the latter
system ycu had 20 pay for labor, which
amounted 10 anywhere from s. to go per
case. JndCr the system In vogue at pres
ent you get n case which contains just as
much gold, but you do not have TO pay
separately for the labor Of making IL. The
springs, etc, GTc, Cf course sold as gold,
and i5 is from the profit derived i'm this
way that the manufacturer reimburscs
himself for tho cost Of labor. Any one,
however, who desires To purchase watch
case under tho net weight system can do
60. but tho case has 10 be torn To pieces bo-
fore IL can bo weighed. and the cost of
making 1t is added TO the cost Of the gold.
In the long run 1t Is better to purchase
lead, steel Gald geld together as gold, and
get the labor thrown In than to have your
gold weighed by itself and the cost Of
manufacturing it added 70 the cost Of the
gold. New York Commercial.