I collect different brands of pocketwatches buy mostly Elgin and Hampden. I have quite a few full plate 21 jewel Elgins like the 149, 150, 266, 277 252, 348, and 181 but I did not have a grade 349 so I decided to pick one up. I picked this one up because it has the "after-thought" engraving "adj 5 Positons" which I have on one of my grade 348's and a 370. I cleaned it up and put a new crystal on it and even though the case has some wear though on the pending from winding it presents itself well. Next nice surprise this watch is keeping RR time within 2 secs/day currently.

Very nice looking 349 Claude!The Montgomery dial really makes it.Elgin did I think one of the most beautiful lettering jobs in all of watchmaking on them there 349's.That elaborate gold Old English really stands out...Ted.

The 1908 production date for that may have caused the additional "adjusted 5 Positions" thing because the rules had just been revised to require watchmakers to actually specify the number of positions adjusted, etc. on the movement.

The Dial adds to the "Elgin'ness" of this watch. It was advertised in Elgin catalogs as a "Numeric" dial, and was not actually a "Montgomery". Lacking the "6" hour numeral in the seconds register saved 25 cents a dial for the Montgomery Patent royalty fee.

Yes you saw more some of the other brands skirt around the patent by not having the 6. At this time in production the 349 was Elgins workhorse 18s model costing less than comparable 21/19j 3/4 plate 18s models.

Very nice Claude.