Good afternoon all.
Yesterday, for the first time, I officially succumbed to the watch bug! I have several watches via inheritance, but yesterday I actually purchased two watches. I'm curious to see what y'all think. This first one is an Elgin 575, serial number P656001 which should put it at I believe 1952. Here is the first picture.

This second picture is of the face. Am I correct that this is a Montgomery dial?

Here is the movement. It really appears to be in pretty good shape. While trying to open the face, I accidentally bumped the winder and the sucker started right up!

This is the inside back cover. It says that it has 10K rolled gold plate. I'm not sure if that is good or not, but now I have something gold in my collection!

Whoops, I forgot the picture, sorry!

This last shot is kind of blurry, but I'm trying to work on my knowledge of what I have here. Would I be correct to assume that the movement has been recased? I noticed the "shims" under the two case screws and it just didn't look quite normal.
All told, I got this watch for $95.00, so I didn't think that was too bad. Any comments are appreciated!

Edward

Neat watches. I am sure you will get more pleasure out of having them than can be measured by their cost.

IMO collecting is more fun if your acquisitions have a theme. IE: collecting just one brand or era or style. Some treat it as an investment but for me it is more about the history of watchmaking. I have friends who spend more on golf than I do on watches, so I tend to think of it as a consumption , not an investment.

That said, you might want to consider going a bit more upscale on quality so as to have a bit more focus to your collection. Many of us started with quantity but as we learned more, switched to a more qualitative approach.

Whatever, have fun and enjoy. Its a great hobby.

happy hunting

Edward, congrats on catching the watch bug. Once you start, it's a very hard hobby to quit. Bill is right when he talks about a theme. I started out with a Waltham 845 (passed to me after my fathers death). I was so impressed by the quality and workmanship of this watch that I had to buy another pocket watch. I started buying all sorts of watches. After a few years, I started to thin out the watches that didn't meet my new theme requirements. I now collect railroad grade pocket watches.

You will find a lot of watches catch your eye at first. However, in this hobby, education is key.

You have a nice late model Elgin. You'll notice that the late model watches appear more "industrial" from the earlier versions.

One last thing.. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. It doesn't matter if other people don't like your watch or watches.. As long as you like them, that's all that matters..

These 575 15j watch movements are tougher than pine knots. I carry one as a 'yard watch', and though ugly as sin, it's one of the most accurate watches I own. It's REALLY taken a beating. It's also one of the only pocket watches I keep running ALL the time in my rotation, and have done so for years.

Regards! Mark

I really like the look of it. I passed on getting it a week earlier and was kicking myself all week about it. I was surprised that it was still there when I went back. The face, the big blue hands and the case all worked for me. I'm soooo tempted to wind the sucker up, though I'm sure I shouldn't do it until someone looks at it.

Good man, get it serviced first, but once COA'd and regulated, it's a prefect 'daily carry' watch. You can't go wrong with these work horses.

Being pendent set, you never have to open the case to set it either. Just a solid 'workman's' watch.

If something SHOULD happen to it, parts are plentiful and it's not that huge an investment should something really bad occur. Win/Win!

Mine dates from 1947.

Good purchase!

Regards! Mark

Ed, the case washer assembled with the case screws were probably used at the time the movement was installed in the case at Elgin W.Co. If it keeps good time I would just use it until it gets out of time by more than 30 seconds a day.
It is an important watch that was made at the very end of American Pocket watch manufacturing and is collectible for that very fact. Also, being a 15 jewel movement actually makes it more "rare".;

The 12s 7J Waltham with a radium dial would probably have had Radium filled "skeleton" hands. It is a "starter" piece for the 12s Pocket watches.

You think so, Dave? With the cut out section on the lip on the case next the regulator, I would think that case started out on a movement like the 571 where the regulator screw was located. That's not required on these 575's. My 575 has the same markings on the case, but no such cut out and is original to the watch.

Regards! Mark

Thanks for more of your deep well of info! I wondered if the case was original to the movement. It's nice to know it probably is. It's also good to know that I should be safe using it. If it stops running, you'll probably have another watch coming your way to work on!
Also interesting info on the Waltham. I didn't realize that it was a radium dial. Do you think it would be worthwhile to have it cleaned up, or would that be a bit too "heroic" for the piece?

Oh, and OFFICIALY welcome to the Club, Ed! I see your new membership number show up under your name since this morning!

Nice to see another Buckeye onboard!

GOOD for you!

Regards! Mark

And I forgot to ask, is this a true Montgomery dial? I think it's my favorite dial, I love the numbered minutes. I'm certainly going to keep watching for more of them!

Yep. The '6' is located in the seconds bit, which is the usual indicator of a true Monty.

When they don't have the '6' there, they're usually referred to as a 'marginal minute' dial, or the like.

Regards! Mark

Thanks for the info and the welcome! I didn't even notice that myself until you pointed it out. I figured that I've been soaking up all of your combined wisdom for the last several years, it was time to actually join up!

It also gives you access to the great classified ads now, which you couldn't before, so you can now purchase great watches from members right here without having to be worried about being 'burned' on the outside.

Great folks to deal with.

Regards! Mark

Looks correct to me, even down to the dart second hand. A good COA and case cleaning and it will present well.