Elgin Giant pocket watch case numbers

September 23, 2021, 23:42

Leo Horishny

I'm curious about something I noticed on my watch case yesterday.

It's an Elgin Giant, 10 K gold filled. The screw off back on the case is stamped 7360347. The number on the inside of the movement cover thought 1 is 7360344 and last night I happened to discover there's a case number stamped at the 9 o'clock position under the dial cover that is also 7360344.

I am not surprised to see that there might be not a matching cover serial number and a case number, but it is a little surprising to me that the different serial numbers are so close.

Does anyone have an idea why a case and cover might be different but only 3 digits?

Leo Horishny
Sun Valley, NV

September 24, 2021, 02:20

Lindell V. Riddle

Elgin Giant cases were made in Elgin, Illinois (same CITY as Elgin Watches were but the companies were NOT related in any way) By the way, on Open Face cases, front is the BEZEL and back is called the CASE BACK but some display cases may have a BEZEL on the back as well. What holds the movement is the called the CASE FRAME and collectors expect all the numbers to match, some will either deduct for mis-matched components or refuse to buy a watch with such issues.

My speculation would be the retail jeweler that cased and timed this particular movement was careless or someone was comparing two watch movements and the case-backs became "switched" at point of sale. To me, this would be a serious factor on more expensive watches but not as much on the more common models.

Collectors will differ on how much that affects value but for ethical reasons any perceived negative should be clearly stated in the description when selling. From a moral standpoint, any and all known issues must be fully disclosed to a prospective buyer, it is simply the right thing to do.

Hope this information is helpful,

Lindell

September 24, 2021, 12:23

Leo Horishny

That does make sense, and I was thinking something along those lines but it was tough to figure out how that might happen not knowing the normal sales and assembling processes.

Your comment though leads me to suspect, possibly the time it took for the engraving on the case back to take place, this movement was eventually placed in another case frame and that accounts for the discrepancies.

Leo