Looking at a 16S 7J Elgin hunter; nothing special, but it's housed in a solid 14K (US assay) gold hunter case, looks original to the movement (no other screw marks).

Price is around $380, think I can talk it down. What interests me is a cheap movement in an expensive case; I've heard it was done, but haven't seen an example before.

Question: do you think it's original (makes all the difference to me), and is it worth it? Watch seems to run OK & movement, dial & case are clean.

Norman

It's a popular combination.

Money spent on the case, not the mvt. I would be more suspect if it had a high priced 21 or 23 j mvt.

Norman
Some of the most beautiful cases I have ever seen had 7j or 15j movements.

I think the Buyers decided to put their money into making a statement--no one normally sees the movement.

Bob

A lot of the high-quality and (relatively) high-jewel watches were sold to railroad men who were FORCED to buy them.

Hunters were not RR approved and solid-gold watches really had no business on railroads.

When you sit at a desk all day and can hear numerous bells, all over the city, chiming the hour, split-second accuracy is not important.

When you are sitting in a stopped train in Nebraska or have Webb C. Ball looking over your shoulder, you better have accuracy and reliability.

For an even more extreme example, look at the fancy WOMEN'S watches of the era. They were intended as jewelry and I can't get many of those movements to time at all. I guess, except for nurses, women simply didn't have to be all that punctual.

I agree with everyone on this about the low jeweled movements some even had fancy dials with the low jeweled movements. But to answer your other question about price. If you can get a 16 size hunter case for under $400 it is worth it especially the way gold has gone up. Good luck and post a picture once you get it.

Hey guys, thanks for the posts. On my first visit I'd seen enough to think it was gold & original, but was really focusing on other watches (bought a Seth Thomas PL Mod. 5 from 1889 that's keeping great time). The Elgin kind of grew on me though, so I went back today, but the case had more problems than I'd noticed then. The catch doesn't hold, there are hinge problems, the bezel is loose, etc. The case is solid gold, but flimsy, and hasn't held up. Guess that goes with cost cutting on the movement.

So I didn't get it, but got this 975 with a metal conversion dial instead. It dates to 1919 and is in a deco-style Defiant base metal case that hasn't held another movement. I've been looking for a conversion dial watch, and I suspect this is all original.

Thanks,
Norman

OK, maybe this time I'll actually remember to attach the pic.