I just finished cleaning up this 18 size 17 Jewel adjusted Model 5, Grade 77 Elgin B. W. Raymond. A couple things worth nothing came to mind while I was finishing this up.
First, The "crescent" Counter-balance for the Pallet Fork ALSO provides the striker faces for the banking pins which I commented on in another post recently asking about these strange devices at the other end of the pallet fork.
Second, This has a "hidden" stopworks Barrel which some (barbaric ) watch service person saw fit to toss out the winding cam and only left the stopworks "maltese cross" part.
Third, This is the ONLY ELGIN WITH 17 JEWELS I RECALL WITH NO "JEWEL COUNT" ON THE TOP PLATE!
. . . it is marked "adjusted" on the balance cock, and all the numbers match.

Given it's superb condition, I expect it could have been a Canadian RR Station Master's watch or somesuch.

Nice photo's Dave, and an interesting device on the pallet fork.

The 'Stopworks' issue is the bane of my life with Swiss movements.
Invariably either the 'finger' has got broken off the barel cam or been tossed away.
With American watches I'm guessing they could be got hold of 'reasonably' easily from a similar donor movement.

With Swiss stuff, they're almost impossible to match up with anything at all - even on movements from the same factory at times, so means either leaving them 'as is' or making them - which is a lot easier said than done.

I've just cleaned up an IWC movement which actually has the cam finger, but has had the maltese cross tossed away - that Is a departure from the norm.
I've tried a few plates from different Swiss movements and every one of them are different, so looks like it may have to live without it.

What do you guys do with regards to missing bits such as this?

Best regards

John

David,
A very nice looking watch. I too, especially like the dial. The darker blue numbers and cream dial is very elegant.
I have done a little reading on the stop works since my questions about them. It is very unfortunnate that most of the parts were discarded in the past. It is a very unique feature and is a part of the evolution of the pocket watch, good or bad.

Dave, Nice looking BWR.I think probably Elgin was the only US Mfr. with that style pallet.I never knew they had a stopworks barrel.I have a 12s Keystone Howard that has one, I'm surprised that Howards that new still had them.Must have been an expensive setup to make.