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Attn: Pocket Watch Experts. "Click" to Login or Register 
Picture of Jim Rogers
posted
Guys,
I know nothing and that maybe an under statement of my pocket watch knowledge. So here is is. I have a very good friend of mine who has a PW (Family heirloom) he would like to get fixed. I know where to get that done. But I am going to take some pics and post here so somebody can tell me what it is.
However here is a message from an email he sent me.

((Looking at my pocket watch. It is an Elgin and has three covers. Two on the back and one on the front. The works are accessible by opening the two covers. On the inside of the first cover on the back and the inside of the front cover it is engraved with "Warrented Dueber".Inside the inner back cover is an inscription I cannot read (Poor eyesight) On the works it is inscribed in cursive "Elgin Natl. Watch Co." The case and the watch have serial numbers. The face is rather plain and similar to a railroad watch with Roman Numerals and the word "Elgin" surrounded by scroll work. The case is gold but not sure if it really is gold because I cannot find any markings to tell me what weight gold it would be.))

So, seeing I wouldn't know a Hunter case from anything else, do you guys have a base opinion.
Thanks

Just a wrist watch guy
 
Posts: 151 | Location: Atkinson, New Hampshire U.S.A. | Registered: October 17, 2004
Life Achievement
Military Expert
Picture of Greg Crockett
posted
Well, the serial number on the movement would be a great help. With that, it's possible to look up the date it was made, grade, number of jewels and so forth. Finding an Elgin in a Duber case is nothing special, such cases would fit any number of standard American made movements.

Best regards,
Greg
 
Posts: 1991 | Location: East Lansing, Michigan USA | Registered: November 24, 2002
Picture of Jim Rogers
posted
Greg,
My curiousity was killing me so I went and picked up the watch which was not working, cleaned it up and went on the quest

SN 4830211 SN Range 4824001
First Yr 1891 Grade 117 (whatever that means)
Size 6s Code h3g29 7jewel

Grade 117 345,000 produce
Runs 57-1
First Year 1891 last Year 1898
Class56

Like I said I have no idea what the grade and codes mean, not that educated yet on PW's

Case has the following Warranted Duber with the folloing number 2441356

So thats all I know, If anybody else can add something I would be grateful, also maybe approx value.

The watch has front cover, on the rear are two covers. One to cover the movement, suitable for engraving the other with the exterior deco engraving with the Duber data and probably the case SN on it
 
Posts: 151 | Location: Atkinson, New Hampshire U.S.A. | Registered: October 17, 2004
posted
Jim, You have a ladies 6S Hunter case, 7J Elgin in a gold filled Dueber case. At the time this watch was produced, watch companies generally did not sell cased watches. They sold movements. Watch case companies made and sold cases. These were both sold to jewelers. When a customer wanted a watch, he/she would select a movement and then a case. The jeweler would put them together, regulate the watch and deliver it to the prospective buyer.

The movement (7J) is a low grade movement. In the smaller size watches designed for ladies (6S&0S), one can expect to find lower grade movements. Women used their watches as jewelry, not time keepers, so they would put their money into the case and accept a lower grade watch movement.

Hope this helps a little.

Tom
 
Posts: 1060 | Registered: March 10, 2003
Picture of Jim Rogers
posted
Great Tom thanks alot for the info, I knew that there was an expert out there who could come to the bottom of this, LOL

Thanks
Jim
 
Posts: 151 | Location: Atkinson, New Hampshire U.S.A. | Registered: October 17, 2004
IHC President
Life Member
Picture of Lindell V. Riddle
posted

Hi Jim,

I was putting this together while Tom was posting, much of what we said dove-tails. Here's what you'll find by looking up the movement number at Wayne Schlitt's Elgin Watch Company Site.

http://elginwatches.org/cgi-bi...830211&action=search

What your friend has is an Elgin Model 2, a 7-Jewel Hunter-Cased, Pendant-Set version which is a common one at 345,000 produced. The Grade 117 is also noted to be the first of the Model 2 movements in 6-size. In 1891 when this one was produced 6-size were considered as ladies watches.

To explain "Hunter-Case" term as used in the United States they have a cover on the front and back as well as a "cuvette" or inner dust cover. You are correct, the cuvette is often inscribed with the owner's name or a presentation. Hunters also have the pendant at the 3:00 position rather than 12 which you'll find on Open-Faced movements. Evidently the name "Hunter-Case" came from the additional protection provided by the front cover when one is hunting or taking part in other strenuous activities.

About the case content, as Tom said the marking "Warranted, Dueber" often implies a gold-filled case but in and of itself is not definitive. However one might also expect a time wear specification like "20 Years" for clarification. It is often easier for us to state for certain when there are additional markings. One of the easiest checks for a gold case is what I call the "flex-test" for want of a better term. As the name implies you very gently and very carefully try to "flex" the cuvette.

This works because Gold is soft and will flex, but Gold-Filled which is a process fusing a layer of gold onto hard brass is very firm, and a Gold-Filled case will essentially appear to be inflexible by comparison. Experiment with this yourself by comparing a known to be Gold case and a Gold-Filled case side by side, the differences will be immediately obvious.

To try a value estimate, please provide clear pictures showing details of condition.

Lindell


Below, here's a similar Elgin 6-size to that of your friend...


 
Posts: 10553 | Location: Northeastern Ohio in the USA | Registered: November 19, 2002
Picture of Jim Rogers
posted
Lin,
you guys are too much. Actually the watch is in reasonable condition. When I first looked at it I thought there were age spots on the dial. But after closer inspection I realized they were dirt spots on the inside of the crystal.

I cleaned up the case a bit and I will post some pics when I can get some good ones, maybe tomorrow. However, the face on my watch is identical to your pic Lin.

Thanks everybody for the quick and expert help. I am WW guy and like I said know nothing about PW's.
PS don't tell anyone but the elgin data base is where I got my info for my second post, and I was trying to appear like I knew something, LOL
 
Posts: 151 | Location: Atkinson, New Hampshire U.S.A. | Registered: October 17, 2004
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