Internet Horology Club 185
Elgin grade 375 Father Time

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https://ihc185.infopop.cc/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/1086047761/m/5023917467

August 07, 2011, 13:49
Claude Griffith
Elgin grade 375 Father Time
The Elgin grade 375 is typically marked as a Veritas and it is the 21 jewel version. There were only 4000 made in 4 runs of 1000 but a very few were marked "Father Time" and here are some pictures of mine. Some pictures are shown below and comments are welcome.


August 07, 2011, 13:50
Claude Griffith

August 07, 2011, 13:51
Claude Griffith

August 07, 2011, 13:52
Claude Griffith

August 07, 2011, 13:53
Claude Griffith

August 07, 2011, 14:42
Theodore J. Brown Sr.
Nicee watch, Claude, thanks for showing it.You have a really nice Elgin collection!Looks like a gold setting on the ratchet wheel,but I don't think those 21J ones had a jeweled barrel, like 19 and 23J ones did.I have a 12S early 17J Elgin with a motor barrel that has a gold-looking setting like that, if I remember right it's a Gr. 188 HC.Take care, Ted.
August 07, 2011, 16:27
Claude Griffith
I should be able to post some pictures of another grade 375 that I picked up but it is marked Veritas. Most of the time you can pick these type Elgin movement for a good deal less than a typical 992B. No matter how they are marked these are nice movements, hopefully there are others that have a 375 they are willing to post some pictures.
August 07, 2011, 22:15
Jeff R. Moser
What always seemed strange to me is in 1916 the 992 movement sold for 32.50 and the Father time sold for 46.50 and like you say the 992 always seems to be worth more. These prices are from my repro Benj Allen & co catalog from 1917. Jeff
August 08, 2011, 08:08
Mark Cross
I rotate my 18s Elgin FT 367 in carry, which was the Veritas grade and the model right before this one. The quality of these watches were absolutely first rate, and it keeps time right with my atomic radio clock.

Regards! Mark
August 08, 2011, 15:30
Claude Griffith
Sometimes Elgin is a bit difficult to figure out how they wanted to position the brand names. Originally Father Time was a higher grade than BW Raymond (prior to 1900) then it appeared that BW Raymond was a higher grade than Father Time, in the case of a 367 vs a 390, both 18s 21j but the 390 was more expensive. In the case of the Veritas in the 16 size you orginally had the 350 23j Veritas then the 360 21j Veritas then the 361 17j BWR. Later you had the 376 23j Veritas and the 375 21j Veritas, later the 375 21j Father Time. Then on the next series the 45X models, the 453 23j was the Veritas, the 454 21j was the Father Time, and the 455 19j was the BWR. The 367 FT and the 390 BWR are great movements, neither made in great numbers and I am not sure there is much difference between the two but there was $3.50 price difference with the 390 being a bit more and the 21j Veritas 18s being $6.50 more than the BWR.
August 08, 2011, 17:25
Norman Mayberry
Where does the 388 grade,21 jewel Father Time fit in.I have one from 1916 and it is a very pretty movement.Nice damaskeen even on the winding wheels.Thanks.Norm
August 08, 2011, 18:14
Claude Griffith
There is an 18s 21j grade 389 so maybe that is the 18s mate to the 388. I have a grade 388 but offhand I can't say if I have ever seen a grade 389 which was also a low production (4000) grade.

I had to do some digging and the 389 is a Father time 18s 21j movement and it is also a two tone movement which Elgin did not make a lot of (389 or others). Maybe if someone out there has a grade 389 it would be nice to see one.
August 09, 2011, 20:00
Claude Griffith
Here is the brother of the 375 Father Time, this one needs a balance staff, a setting lever and rachet wheel hub scews, one is missing, one is correct, and one is the wrong color. It was in a long stem swing out case which is probably not time period correct so I thought this case was a better choice to put it in, even though currently it is missing a crystal.


August 09, 2011, 20:01
Claude Griffith

August 09, 2011, 20:03
Claude Griffith

August 09, 2011, 20:04
Claude Griffith