since im an abbott im all for the abbott conversion and my wife is still looking for a case for me !

I hope you find one soon! I'm a 'Cross', and any watch company withthat name on it that I've found has been EXPENSIVE!!!!!

To report, the Elgin is keeping almost perfect time after 2 days of carry in pendant and dial up positions...so much so I have no plans of trying to regulate it any closer! Chris is a wizard, and my model 58 continues to do its job as a daily carry watch!

Regards! Mark

To resurrect an old topic, isn't it interesting how many key wind discussions and KW watches for sale that have suddenly popped up in the past few days?

Seems to go through seasons, doesn't it? Oh, and I still have my old Elgin model 58, and though it's not carried everyday like before (I've had a few new ones pass in and out of my collection since then), it's still one of my absolute favorites and probably due to be pulled out, wound and carried in the near future.

Thanks all for rekindling my interest with these recent discussions.

Regards! Mark

Speaking of keywinds , there is a nice one in our used clocks for sale , that keeps great time according to its owner. And a rockford that looks great, I had bought one by accident a few weeks ago and Paul Davis put his magic to it and said it only needed a mainspring . I really think they are worth picking up , there was some early ones up for sale lately that will surely rise in value .{i hope}

I'll admit, if I had the loose funds, I'd have picked up the rebuilt 11j Elgin keywind in a heartbeat. That looks like a great 'carry' watch.

Mr. Sparks got a heck of a deal.

Regard! Mark

Couldn't agree more

just to add, I've got a Grade 69, #198 that I had serviced last year by Jeff Sexton. It then flew around the world to Melbourne, Australia and is consistent at 2 seconds a day slow. not bad for 148 years and being as far away from the factory that made it as possible.Its in its hunter case (not that they were cased originally) still.

my two grade 62's in the 3,XXX range are not as accurate and then my grade 55 in 11,XXX is spot on.

considering I'm a wristwatch collector, I'm really impressed in these first year / second year production movements.

I've worn the B. W. Raymond #198 once or twice but really think it needs to be respected for what it is more than general wearing. Yes I would cry if it had an accident.

The only thing that ever really concerns me about carrying these old war horses is having one with its original iron hairspring...they're easily magnetized...which is easy to fix, but not if you're no where near your de-magnetizer.

Otherwise, they're tougher than pine knots and for all intents and purposes one of the easiest movements to work on.

They HAD to be tough to be used in the world they found themselves in at the time. Nothing in the mid to late 19th century was easy, and though not indestructible, they had to survive a rough and tumble existence.

I've read articles and posts all over the internet written by master watch makers who work on VERY high end and expensive complicated pocket watches all day long, but prefer to carry a keywind themselves due to it's simplicity of repair and dependability.

From what I've been told, other than finding original plates and complete balances, parts are still everywhere, so carry your 69 et al and enjoy them.

I also have an 1878 Elgin 'Advance' keywind 11j slow train movement in a silver hunter case that is fully restored, but rarely carry it.....not due to the movement. It keeps crackerjack time...it's the case.

Though the case was completely restored by Leon Harris, it being a silver case, the back flexes easily and has to be opened every morning to wind the watch. Some days that back just doesn't want to snap shut, which is aggravating, so rather than worrying about damaging the case back hinge fiddling with shutting the back, I only pull it out for show and tell.

When I'm in a keywind carry mood, my model 58 gets the nod.

Regard! Mark