Posted 8 years ago
beyemvey
(214 items)
I found this Elgin watch at a second-hand store for a very reasonable price... second hand? - there is no second hand, just hour and minute hands :-)
I think it was so cheap because at the time I bought it, it had an incorrect gold plated mesh link band that was so badly worn, the base metal was showing through the gilt. It was a total mismatch being from the '60s-'70s era. I checked it to make sure it was working & keeping good time before I bought it.
When I got home I went through my box of watch parts and found that I had a new old stock 16mm plain black leather band, which was a perfect fit and made it quite presentable. The style of the case is simple, long, and slender. The dial features a white background with black tick marks, gold Arabic numerals, and gold hands. I opened the back of the gold filled case to see the movement, and the serial number dates to approximately 1934-35 depending upon the data from two different collector websites that list Elgin serial numbers and manufacture date tables. It is a 15 jewel movement and it keeps perfect time. I still haven't taken the time to do it yet, but I will take a cotton swab and some distilled water and gently attempt to clean up a bit of grunge on the white painted dial. I believe upon doing this, in addition to the new band, I will have approximately doubled the value of the watch.
I'm wearing it right now and enjoying how light weight and comfortable it is compared to modern watches. Not bad for an 82 year old timepiece, and it has been fun to tinker with!
Thanks Sean - how have you been lately? Cheers! - Bob
im great Bob !! and how are you ? and your welcome Bob!!
Beautiful Elgin, rectangular watches are my fav!
It is always stunning to see them still running as fine as if they were made yesterday...
A gentle cleaning with a Q-tip, avoiding the railroad area, would be better than with a swab in my opinion :-)
Sean, I'm great too, but it was a rough January. February is going to be excellent though :-)
Thanks Kyratango - Q-tip it is... thanks for the tip :-)
:-) Caperkid :-) Iggy :-)
Gracias JImam!
Thank you kindly Kevin :-)
Well, to increase the value of a watch, you'd want its interior professionally cleaned (if you can find a jeweler or watch maker, they may cost less than many of those pros who only clean watches). Gummed up works can stop at random. Harder pieces of dust can wear down parts. Aesthetics only increase appearance. My Dodge Neon looked alright on the outside, but was worthless as it couldn't hold a quart of oil for 7 days. I wear a 6-year-old watch that hasn't been cleaned recently. Keeps great time, but I always wonder if it will stop (I have a 100-year-old watch I won't wind again till I get it cleaned, for I want it to be in perfect shape for another 100 years).
Ask around at your local jewelers and watch-smiths for prices.
You're right SpiritBear... the value of a watch is not the cash value alone. I don't plan to sell it. What I should have said that the new band and superficial clean up made it twice as presentable. Some day my heirs will probably go to sell it though :-)
I know a good local horologist where I can bring it in for a tune up or repair should the need arise. The mechanism looked surprisingly clean to me and I took the added precaution of blowing out the interior with "Dust off". I will risk using it like it is for a while since it sets, winds, and keeps correct time effortlessly, but as soon as I notice it running slowly or any unusual behavior I will bring it in to the shop. I'm of the belief that mechanical watches need to be set and run at least once per month to keep the movement lubricated and prevent them from seizing up from the gears sitting in the same place too long. Cheers! - Bob
Thanks for looking in officialfuel, PhilDMorris, jscott0363, TassieDevil, kerry10456, & bijoucaillouvintage!!!
Love it!
:-) bijoucaillouvintage :-) vintagelamp :-) Master :-) roddyq :-) Karenoke :-) & shawnicus :-)
Gracias usedcarlady!