Demsey Posted March 11, 2009 Report Share Posted March 11, 2009 (edited) Here was an on-line news blurb I came across this morning. Purdy cool. I thought it were apropos as RWG is slowly migrating away from being a mere 'replica' watch board; Secret Message in Lincoln Watch FoundBy BRETT ZONGKER, AP National NewsPrintShareText SizeAAAWASHINGTON (March 11) - For nearly 150 years, a story has circulated about a hidden Civil War message engraved inside Abraham Lincoln's pocket watch. On Tuesday, museum curators confirmed it was true. A watchmaker used tiny tools to carefully pry open the antique watch at the National Museum of American History, and a descendant of the engraver read aloud the message from a metal plate underneath the watch face. "Jonathan Dillon April 13 - 1861," part of the inscription reads, "Fort Sumpter (sic) was attacked by the rebels on the above date." Another part reads, "Thank God we have a government." The words were etched in tiny cursive handwriting and filled the the space between tiny screws and gears that jutted through the metal plate. A magnifying glass was required to read them. Jonathan Dillon, then a watchmaker on Pennsylvania Avenue, had Lincoln's watch in his hands when he heard the first shots of the Civil War had been fired in South Carolina. The Irish immigrant later recalled being the only Union sympathizer working at the shop in a divided Washington. Dillon's story was passed down among his family and friends, eventually reaching a New York Times reporter. In a 1906 article in the paper, an 84-year-old Dillon said no one, including Lincoln, ever saw the inscription as far as he knew. Edited March 11, 2009 by Demsey Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fidestro Posted March 11, 2009 Report Share Posted March 11, 2009 Now the rep factories will get ideas and put pro Commie messages in our watches! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TeeJay Posted March 11, 2009 Report Share Posted March 11, 2009 Not much to say to that, other than 'Wow' Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TeeJay Posted March 11, 2009 Report Share Posted March 11, 2009 Now the rep factories will get ideas and put pro Commie messages in our watches! You say that like it's a bad thing Communism FTW!!! (if it actually worked, that is ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonthebhoy Posted March 11, 2009 Report Share Posted March 11, 2009 On the inside rim of the case were also inscribed the words............"He's behind you!" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fidestro Posted March 11, 2009 Report Share Posted March 11, 2009 On the inside rim of the case were also inscribed the words............"He's behind you!" That was a bad shot.....I mean it was a good shot, um, by a bad guy, and it was bad that he died. What I meant to say is that joke was in poor taste, I loved it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Demsey Posted March 11, 2009 Author Report Share Posted March 11, 2009 RWG is slowly migrating away from being a mere 'replica' watch board On the inside rim of the case were also inscribed the words............"He's behind you!" ................and looking more and more like "The Two Ronnies" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonthebhoy Posted March 11, 2009 Report Share Posted March 11, 2009 I will now stand in the corner and repeat the lines...... "I must not search for comedy in everything" "I must not search for comedy in everything" "I must not search for comedy in everything" "I must not search for comedy in everything" "I must not search for comedy in everything" "I must not search for comedy in everything" "I must not search for comedy in everything" "I must not search for comedy in everything" Sod it............Two Ronnies you say........... is the best! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dluddy Posted March 11, 2009 Report Share Posted March 11, 2009 Love to know the story of the Jeff Davis inscription Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fidestro Posted March 11, 2009 Report Share Posted March 11, 2009 Love to know the story of the Jeff Davis inscription It says "I did a swish and dip, the south will rise again. - Jeff Davis" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
relox Posted March 11, 2009 Report Share Posted March 11, 2009 I was going to open a thread regarding the watch, but I arrived later... ;-) Anyway, the issue is that Lincoln never opened his watch to know about the movement... It could have been an ETA Copy!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dluddy Posted March 11, 2009 Report Share Posted March 11, 2009 It says "I did a swish and dip, the south will rise again. - Jeff Davis" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KB Posted March 11, 2009 Report Share Posted March 11, 2009 At the end of the day Dillon should have known that in general people don't open their own watches (unless the belong to RWG), so he should have engraved on the case back "Shh look inside for secret message" Ken Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nasosn Posted March 11, 2009 Report Share Posted March 11, 2009 I was going to open a thread regarding the watch, but I arrived later... ;-) Anyway, the issue is that Lincoln never opened his watch to know about the movement... It could have been an ETA Copy!!! At the end of the day Dillon should have known that in general people don't open their own watches (unless the belong to RWG), so he should have engraved on the case back "Shh look inside for secret message" Ken Enough with laughing...I will blow up! It reminds me of Da Vinci code Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Demsey Posted March 11, 2009 Author Report Share Posted March 11, 2009 Love to know the story of the Jeff Davis inscription That's 'rebigjoe69' 's great grandfather. Dillon did the timing and beat, as Fidestro mentioned, Davis did the dip and swish, blew out the dust and did the fob rebrush. He charged seven pigs. That's like, uh, 500usd in today's economy. At the end of the day Dillon should have known that in general people don't open their own watches (unless the belong to RWG), so he should have engraved on the case back "Shh look inside for secret message" Ken Little known RWG fact; Rob engraves all his serviced auto's on the rotor; " STOP! This watch was in perfect running order when it left Canada. If you took the initiative to open the caseback, you obviously are in need of another progressive service event. Carefully screw on the caseback and send me a PM. You know the drill." RG Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonthebhoy Posted March 11, 2009 Report Share Posted March 11, 2009 Lincoln owned a Big Bang? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
relox Posted March 12, 2009 Report Share Posted March 12, 2009 Enough with laughing...I will blow up! It reminds me of Da Vinci code Hey, that Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cornerstone Posted March 12, 2009 Report Share Posted March 12, 2009 This reminds me a lot of this watch we discussed yesterday http://www.rwg.cc/members/Abe-Lincoln-Mess...atc-t93695.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MasterOfPuppets Posted March 12, 2009 Report Share Posted March 12, 2009 is that a rep or gen? lol! interesting story thx for sharing Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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