Plugged Balance Cock

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At  run 16111201-16111200, a run of 845s, Waltham begins using the Ohlsen or 08 Regulator on Vanguards, Crescent Streets and 845s consistently until the end of Model 92 production.  It will do the same on P.S.Bartletts and Appleton Tracys shortly thereafter although by this time relatively few ATCs were being produced.  The 08 Regulator is found on some movements previous to the 16111201 run that were originally made for the Star Regulator.  The inventive means by which Waltham does this is to plug the recess for the star and install the 08 Regulator over it.  It is unclear as to whether there was a transitional phase to this variation or not.  There are documented (and infrequent) examples of movements with plugged balance cocks and 08 Regulators as early as serial number 7011387, long before the 08 Regulator was devised so one would tend to think that these movements must be retrofits.   However, as we approach the 16111201 run referenced above, the occurrence of the plugged balance cock increases.  The table to the right  lists serial number 16003138, a Vanguard as the starting point for what might be a transitional phase.  The table consists only of serial numbers that are backed up by photographs and certainly many more movements were made during this period.   As you can see, the Star Regulator is used much more frequently than the plugged bridge and 08 Regulator.  For the most part the plugged bridge is found only on Vanguards, Crescent Streets and 845s.  There are no examples of P.S. Bartletts and only one Appleton Tracy reported with the plugged balance cock.  The author readily admits that there is no science to this table and offers it only as an attempt to give a sense of the frequency of the plugged bridge leading up to the 16111201 run. One could argue that it would have been cheaper for Waltham to plug the bridge than to use a gold star so the question remains open as to whether there is a transitional phase or just random use of the plugged bridge by Waltham to complete unfinished movements. Previous to movements in the 16 million range, there is only sporadic use of the plugged balance cock. One can easily recognize the plugged balance cock because the post that serves as the arbor for the star will still be present.  The balance cock made specifically for the 08 Regulator can be seen in photo below on the right.
 


 
 
 
 
Table 5 showing style of balance cocks used on Vanguards, Crescent Streets
 and 845s leading up to consistent use of the 08 Regulator Balance Cock
      
 16003138     Vanguard  Star    16059365  845  Star
 16003440  Vanguard  Star    16059446  845 08
 16003747  Cres. St  Plug.    16059477  845  Star
 16004125   Cres. St Star  16079055Vanguard Star
 16004140 Cres. St Star  16079113 Vanguard Star
 16004718  845  Plug.   16079255  Vanguard  Star
 16004807 845 Star
  16079364 Vanguard Star
 16004832  845  Star    16079255  Vanguard  Star
 16005014  845  Star    16079490  Vanguard  Star
 16005121 845 Star  16079669 Vanguard Star
 16005170  845  Star    16079961  Cres. St.  Plug.
 16005395  845  Star    16079967  Cres. St.  Plug
 16005782  845  Star    16080013  845  Star
 16005875  845  Star    16080096  845  Star
 16036263  Vanguard  Star    16080246  845  Star
 16036456  Cres. St.  Star    16080682  845  Star
 16036564 Cres. St Plug  16080736 845 Star
 16036668  Cres. St.  Plug    16080759  845  Star
 16036734  Cres. St.  Plug    16080934  845  Star
 16036765  Cres. St.  Plug    16098993  Vanguard  08
 16037100 845 Star  16099009 Vanguard Plug
 16037439 845 Star  16099109 Vanguard Star
 16037510 845 Star  16099137 Vanguard Star
 16037565  845  Star    16099187  Vanguard  08
 16037608 845 Star  16099355 Vanguard Star
 16037732  845  Star    16099615  Vanguard  Star
 16055859  Vanguard  Star    16099676  Vanguard  Star
 16038284 Vanguard Star  16099902 845 Star
 16055864  Vanguard  Plug    16100084  845  Star
 16056272  Vanguard  Star    16100315  845  Star
 16056282  Vanguard  Star    16100472  845  Star
 16056482  Vanguard  Star    16100512  845  Star
 16056512 Vanguard Star  16100521 845 Star
 16056612  Vanguard  Star    16100533  845  Star
 16056648 Vanguard Star  16110515 Vanguard Plug
 16056764  Cres. St.     Plug    16100565  Vanguard  Plug
 16057198  845  Star    16110605  Vanguard  Star
 16057432  845  Star    16110672  Vanguard  Star
 16057613  845  Star    16110695  Vanguard  Star
 16057627  845  Star    16110732  Vanguard  Star
 16057652 845 Star  16110821 Vanguard Star
 16057960  845  Star    16110932  Vanguard  Star
 16058316  845  Star    16110999  Vanguard  Star
 16058700  845  Star    16111230  845  08
 16058714  845  Star    16111243  845  08
 16058787  845  08    16111310  845  08
 16059020  845  Star    16111374  845  08
     16111635 845 08
     16125367 Vanguard 08
     16125566 Vanguard 08





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