364 WILLIAM A. COUNTRYMAN 



several skilled mechanics who finish it in its final beauty of 

 design. 



One of the revolutionizing events in the history of the 

 case industry was the invention of the popular filled case, 

 about the year 1859. By this the people are provided with 

 a tasty, serviceable, and durable gold case at about half 

 the cost of a solid gold one. Besides the gold filled, the 

 kinds of cases in most common use are silver, nickel — includ- 

 ing silverine, silverore, silveroid, and nickel silver, which are 

 the same under different trademarks — and German silver. 

 Gun metal is also used, and in the very low priced grades, 

 brass, nickel plated, is employed. 



The gold case gives the artisan excellent opportunities 

 for ornamentation, by its beautiful luster and richness of color. 

 It is often delicately enameled or exquisitely engraved, and 

 ornamented with gems. The prime requisite, however, in 

 selecting material for the case, is to have it of sufficient stiff- 

 ness to protect the delicate interior from injury by external 

 pressure. The case should also be so constructed as to ex- 

 clude all dust and moisture, two great hindrances to perfect 

 timekeeping. 



