I love Elgin's, and I have always wanted a Father Time watch. However, I have seen many different Father Time watches and have no idea what I want, or know that much about them.

So, Can some of you post your Father Time watches for me, so I can finally know which ones I may want to consider.

I could also use more information on the Father Time line of watches.

Any information would be wonderful.

Thank you,

Hey Sheila

Sometimes search engines are a little bit crazy:

No watch but I like this

Regards Gerald

Nice glass Gerald, to bad it's empty....

Sheila, like you, I love the Elgin watch, any Elgin, it does not matter from 7jewel up to the 23 jewel Veritas....

Here is one of my Father Time watches....it is a 1911, grade 373, 21 jewel....It is in a Hunter Case

Good luck in getting your first Father Time....

Regards,
Jerry

The Movement....

#3

Sheila, The Father Time models were at or near the top of the quality and finish ladder at Elgin. As you saw earlier in this post the Elgin Father Time Logo was even used on objects necessary to "cereberate" the times.

Elgin made three Father Time types in Hunter and Open Face styles, the 18 size Full Plate, the model 8 18 size 3/4 Plate and the 16 size Model 6 3/4 plate movements. These Father Time movements with their high Jewel count were listed for RR use during their entire tenure in the Elgin Line. The Veritas was the only Elgin Pocket watch that was a higher grade excepting some special Father Time variants with extra Trickery added to their already full plate of finery.

When David mentioned that some Father Time watches had extra "trickery," I think he had in mind watches like my 18 size Father Time free sprung wind indicator.

Movement

Ethan

Nice watch, I like those free sprung father times.

Tom

What's "free sprung"? Anything to do with that little idler gear next to the crown wheel?

It seems unusual that these 21 jewel Elgins have a jeweled mainspring barrel. I have a B. W. Raymond like that.

Eric

I am not sure how they worked, I do not know if it is like Elgin's Durabalance that was regulated with the counter weights on the balance arms or not, perhaps someone else can explain. As you notice from the photos there is no regulator for the main spring, it was self regulated is my understanding.

They were often used as ship chronometers during WWII & came in boxed sets just like the Hamilton model 22.

Tom

I assembled a graphic showing my 19 Jewel wind indicator with a Jeweled motor and a regulator next to Ethan's movement which is "Free Sprung" by virtue of no regulator necessary to adjust time. For reasons only known to Elgin they chose NOT to Jewel the motor for thie extremely rare Free Sprung Wind Indicator Father Time complication!

If you use the Elgin online serial number lookup and type n=FT you get information on all Father Time labeled watches.

Regards Gerald

I waited to post on purpose, and BOY! did it pay off.

You guys are fantastic. What wonderful pictures and information!!! Wow!

I never knew half, of what has been listed.

And here I thought I was only trying to decide on a 3/4 plate or a full plate!!! what a joke it is now.

I can see that I need a lot more information in order to choose.

I do lean toward the Full plate though.

Remember, I go for what I LIKE not just the best there is, so keep it coming please.

Tell me why you like the one you own.

A jeweled motor barrell, wow, that was news for sure.

Well, that floors me. It had me completely faked out. I thought for sure this was a jeweled barrel.

Steve,
That's still a fantastic movement you got there!

Sheila, if you go for what you like, my bet is you will opt out for an 18s, full plate....

Those have the nicest damaskeened designs of all the Father Times....some as nice as the Veritas....

Regards,
Jerry

Ya know Jerry, I thought so too, but seeing these watches, it sure makes it hard. the ones here are really wonderful.

But..... once I get sruck on one, it usually sticks. Maybe that damaskeening is what attracted me?

I do love nice damaskeening.

Jeweled motor barrells sure show a movement up nice too!

I'm gonna keep looking some more. I want a nice one, so I will take my time. I love the looking as much as the hunt, once I decide.