Although I’m not a collector of pocket watches, I’m actually learning a lot about the watch as I get several appraisal request mostly about antique pocket watches. I must admit there are more historical backgrounds for those types of watches and it fascinates me.

This watch is from Erol here is the email:

Hi…could you please review my pocket watch. All I know it is from 1800’s made for Ottoman Empire market. Inside mechanism is made by Billodes. I would love to have more information about it.

Thank you

After receiving the email I tried to access the official website of Billode which is out of order at the moment.  I suppose it is not active here is the url just in case: http://www.billodes.ch. The website is in French as it is a Swiss made watch. So I went to Ebay to find watch sellers that might offer the watch and there is a watch store that offer Ottomans starting at $500 a watch.

BILLODES ZENITH POCKET WATCH.OTTOMAN K SERKISOF US $270.00 End Date: Friday Mar-12-2010 3:34:16 PST Add to watch list

SILVER ZENITH/BILLODES POCKET WATCH.TURKISH,OTTOMAN US $900.00 End Date: Sunday Mar-14-2010 7:07:05 PDT Add to watch list

BILLODES (early Zenith) antique watch 1880-90's US $500.00 (0 Bid) End Date: Sunday Mar-14-2010 11:05:40 PDT Add to watch list

BILLODES (PRE-ZENITH) KEY WIND HUNTER P.WATCH W/ CHAIN US $500.00 End Date: Friday Apr-09-2010 5:17:12 PDT Add to watch list

EX.RARE SILVER,GOLD&NIELLO ZENITH/BILLODES POCKET WATCH US $2,000.00 End Date: Saturday Apr-10-2010 16:26:44 PDT Add to watch list

As I didn’t receive a serial number I’m not sure of the exact model to look for. There is a website that display several Billode pocket watch collections here

My conclusion is that this watch is very valuable for its history and it seems the seller or collector could get $xxx for the watch.

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