Elgin grade 125 no name movement ca.1893, 18s, 15J. Perfect hunter case, perfect movement,perfect dial and hands. I can't see any scratches on the movement and there are no service marks on the case.
Running but sounds weak. Probably could do with a service.
Big book says value is 75 / 125 / 265
My question is what do I do with this. I found it in a box and kept it due to it's condition. The way prices hunter cases are going today I could probably do well putting another movement in this, but should I? Or, should I keep this "height of ordinary", original watch together? It would cost more to service this watch than I would ever be able to sell it, assuming someone wants it.
People seem to be upset over parting out or scrapping higher grade watches. Is this only for the high value or do the same people feel that way about all watches? Just curious.
Posts: 116 | Location: Central Illinois in the USA | Registered: November 29, 2003
Greg a movement that nice, even if common, should be left the way you found it excepting any needed servicing. That is just my opinion but it is hard to find even common stuff in that condition.
Deacon
Posts: 1004 | Location: Omaha, Nebraska in the USA | Registered: February 14, 2009
I agree with keeping it together but I disagree with the assessment of "height of ordinary". If it was a 7j movement then okay but when the watch was made, a 15j watch with a micrometer regulator was pretty high end. The case is also far above ordinary. It's a very nice watch and deserves to be preserved.
Posts: 328 | Location: Plattsburgh, New York in the USA | Registered: December 17, 2012
Greg, I too think that one should be kept as is.It's just too nice and all original, and that is a fairly high grade adjusted movement, so it isn't a cheap clunker.That's a keeper! Regards, Ted.
Posts: 1323 | Location: Lebanon, Connecticut USA | Registered: March 28, 2008
Greg, watches in this condition are rare and will only get rarer, keep it all together and original. Ten years down the road you'll be glad you did. Gary
Posts: 1012 | Location: Western Pennsylvania in the USA | Registered: February 17, 2007
Greg, Congratulations on your post. Just a thought, during the 1891-1893 period, Elgin recorded the manufacture of 13,000 Lever setting Grade 125 movements like yours in 7 runs through the s/n range of 4561001-5091000.
Being the Model 2 18s which is the very first production Lever setting design, further inspection of this movement may reward you with a complete, rare and beautifully executed stop works equipped going barrel. That would make it exceptionally rare indeed being that it is of the Model 2. Be very careful though with the wind and setting mechanism because having nearly more parts than the rest of the watch, it is rather fragile.
Of 50,000,000 total watches made by Elgin, this example of the grade 125 Railroad, 15 Jewel Movements represents only 3/10,000th's of Elgin's output making it is far more valuable than the vapid valuation given it by the fat book.
The original combination of the case and movement have a sale or replacement value of probably closer to $500.00 plus if in a legitimate auction. Breaking it up would be sad indeed.
Note, your watch looks to be 4689816, a verified serial number included with these descriptions can help a whole lot when studying these priceless bits of our history.
Posts: 6492 | Location: Southern California in the USA | Registered: July 19, 2007
