The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-01-31
The Dollar Watch Do ctor
CONSULTATION with the Jewell

A CONSULTATION with the jeweller
~ as to the condition OF ones
watch is usually as formal as q
call upon a lawyer or a physician. The
watch doctor follows a familiar ritual
After deliberately sCrewing a magnify.
ing glass into one eye he proceeds 10
diagnose the symptoms, probing deli
cately with various fine instruments
After a grave professional delibera-
, ton the extent of the indisposition Is an
nounced and treatment is advised
Following a serious operation a con.
siderable period of rest and reCupera.
ton is usually needed and is devoted 10
what is known as regulating the watch
very delicate operation is required TO
accelerate or diminish the movement
| The regulator must be touched only
by the most delicate instrument under
powerful magnifying glass.
startling contrast Is afforded by
visit to the rough and ready practition.
ers who specialize on the ills of the
familiar dollar watch. There are sew.
eral of these dollar watch repair shops
in the city which enjoy an enormous
patronage.
Any one who takes the trouble 10
pry off the back of one of the time.
pieces which. made the dollar famous
will find printed guarantee pasted in.
side. The owner of the timepiece has
the option of exchanging his treasure
within a fixed time on payment of
premium of a few cents or of having i,
| repaired for a fraction of its original
| value.
The consulting room of the cheap
watch doctor is always very busy
/ rl,,
there will always be a long line of i'm.
patient customers ahead of you. They
stand lined two or three deep before
the long counter, each with watch In
hand, striving to catch the attention OF
the watch doctor.
The wants of all these clamorous Gus.
toners are usually satisfied by some
young girl, who moves rapidly up and
down behind the counter, despatching
the business with bewildering speed
Her only instrument to assist in
diagnosing the ills of hundreds OF
watches is a short, dull knife with which
she prizes off the backs.
The knife is held in the right hand
and the watch Is caught up in the
left, turned off up and the lid removed
! with single jerking movement. The
| action Is exactly the same as that used
by skilful oyster opener. So eXperl
| do these operators become that sew.
era bushels of watches are regularly
opened during the hours of consulta.
| ton.
The crowds fade away quickly be-
fore this expeditions young lady. She
moves rapidly along the counter, grasp
ing watches eagerly held out to her,
diagnosing the cases and prescribing
al in a single breath. Her examination
il confined to two observations AT
the same glance she sees If the main
spring is broken and if the time limit
for renewing the watch has run out
No unnecessary words are wasted. Tho
extended conversations, common 10
= most jewelry shops, are shortened 10
such comment as Twenty cents for q
: new one" or Fifteen cents to repair
Many of the customers, proftng from
experience, anticipate the diagnosis and
hold in their outstrctched hands both
the watch and the 30 cents necessary
T for an exchange. There il no time 10
7 display cases of watches for making
"a selection. The lady of the watches
G grasps the dead watch and the money
c with one hand and deity throws the
Q coins into a drawer and the watch intO
: a large basket standing conveniently
d beside the counter.
The watch fails with a jangle among
y hundreds OF its mates, With her free
y hand she reaches to another basket a
G perfectly good waite es at one side
o selects one without looking, and eN
e changes a good watch for the old. Tn
7, entire transaction has taken probabl,
h less than five seconds. The rapid,
growing pile of discarded watches Il
.e the bushel basket reminds one again G
n an oyster bar.