I know what you mean Steve, I have a couple more of these movements but no cases.

Tom

That is a nice watch! The only drawback with these is that the cases are getting hard to find.

And some of them are worn out or have been abused over the years.

Judging by how few people responded to my request I think these watches must be even more scarce than I thought!

Ok guys, I'm going to ask my dumb question for the day. What is a convertable, and why?

With the Elgin it can be made as an open face or a hunter. By just moving a few parts.

If you notice in these photos the movement has two holes for the winding stem, one at 12 & the other at 3. By moving the winding mechanism to either place you change it from open to hunter or back.

Tom

They never did catch on & just as they were trying to solve the problem of making both open face & hunter movements, they created a new problem, these movements are thicker than the standard movement so they will not fit in just any case.

Tom

Steve,
Sorry, no pictures to add but I do enjoy yours as well as others. I did key on the comment about inflation. This is a link that the US Gov. has for an inflation calculator. http://data.bls.gov/cgi-bin/cpicalc.pl It only goes back to 1913 when they started tracking inflation. But if you were to have purchased your model No. 91 then for $180.00 that is $3937.69 in todays dollars according to the calculator. I always find this an interesting exercise when I am looking at today's values verses original cost.

LJ

Tom,
Thanks for the explanation and pics.
To me it sounds like a good idea, but i am sure the extra size killed the project.
Did other mfg's try it, or did they learn from Elgin's mistake?

Hi Edward

Glad you could understand my explanation.

The only other one I know of is New York Standard Watch Co. also tried one, I have never seen it so I am not sure how their's worked.

There was also a case made called a Muckle after it's maker, the inner movement holder rotates and one side of the movement has a glass front & the other side has a hinged cover, so any movement you have in it can be and open face or a hunter. I would like to have one of those cases but when I see them come up on ebay they go for a pretty penny.

Tom

Thanks a lot for the feedback, guys! Rockford had a convertable of another sort. On some models there was c little button in the back plate that would convert from a lever set to pendent set.

Thanks, too for the conversion table. It is interesting to think how the values (monetary, at least) compare.

This 1885 Vintage Columbus 15 Jewel "Adjusted" has my curiosity really going. It seems to predate the "New" Columbus, and has the most fascinating regulator, . . . almost like it came from the mind of Mr. Gruen himself.

Great watch! The plate layout reminds me of some Movado watches I've seen.

Here is one more 16s Elgin convertible, very characteristic of these models...

...but the dial is, I think, exceptional.

I think it hqs a certain understated elegance. Thanks to everyone who responded to my request!

Steve

Steve you got a lot of nice early 16sz Elgins