As I was doing my wading through ebay looking for some watches I noticed that Dave had an Elgin grade 466 and mentioned that it was the only Elgin marked adjusted 4 postions(16 size) but actually prior to the 466 Elgin made the grade 342 which would have been Elgins 3rd 16s RR model after the 270/280 3 finger bridge models and was Elgin first 3/4 plate non-bridged RR watch, while probably not approved for use on all railroads it could have been used on many railroads. It was only made in 5 runs of 1000. Runs 4 and 5 have the more blockish script where runs 2 and 3 have the fancier script much like run 1.


Pictures to follow.

This is the 1st run and it is only marked "Adjusted" but only the 1st runs are marked this way.

A different run but the marking is now Adjusted 4 positions.

Another run

this one is run #2 notice that "Adjusted" has the same script look as the 1st run but has 4 positions below it.

Run 3 has a look very close to run 2

For anyone that dabbles in 17 jewel watches these are well made movements. They have gold weights on the balance wheel, steel escape wheel, the early ones have gold jewel settings but not raised, the gear works are round spoked and chamfered. On the first one I need to find a more correct case and the one in the stainless steel case is the way I originally purchased it and it has an unusual Canadian 24hr dial and the case did not have any other screw marks on it so I have left it alone.

Very interesting grade Claude, thanks for sharing the photos and info. The pattern on the winding wheels seems to be an easy way to tell them apart.

I should clarify the comment about the 3rd RR watch from Elgin that would be referring to the 16s lever sets. Elgin had RR approved 16s watches but those would have been pendant sets, I think Elgin put most of ther R&D effort on the 18s and then turned to the 16s a bit later. I think I bought most of my 342's for the 75-125 range in good cases so they are not that expensive and they are a nice carry watch. At the price you can tell they are a highly overlooked Elgin grade that are not that common (only 5000 made).