Just a question about the B W Raymond 571.Did they make a pendent set 571 from the factory or are the pendent set 571's all conversions by watchmakers after they left the factory because the lack of the 6196 levers for repairs....Just wondering...

Gary as far as I know all the Elgin 571's left the factory with 21 Jewel's and were adjusted to 5/6 positions as RRG/RRA.

The "weakest link" in them was the detent/lever which were easily broken. Some of the supply houses offered a conversion kit in the '60-'70 era to convert broken ones to pendant set as the original parts were hard to find. While no longer RRA after the conversion, at least they were usable again.

regards,
bb

Thanks Buster..That's what I was thinking but just wanted to check for someone else's opinion..I have a couple of the conversion kits that I got from Larose years ago..

Yep, what's ironic is I, too, have one of the conversion kits, but no 571 in my collection anymore.

Regard! Mark