I am posting a few pictures of my 23=j Lord Elgin, grade 750, 6 adjustments. Can anyone elaborate on the balance wheel? It's solid, with curved spokes and rotates through two clamp-like pieces. The first picture is a close-up of the balance. How is it regulated?

Here's the full view of the movement.

Here's the dial side.

John,
I've sent a copy of your picture to my Master Watch Repairman. He's 78 years old and still going strong. He's been in the business for about fifty years, so I'll see what he's got to say about the balance wheel design.

Thanks, Dave.

Rich Kuhn had a Lord Elgin on the auction page a few days ago with a 730 movement. The 750 I have resembles the 730 except for the set up needed for a center sweep second hand.

John,
I had a really clean 23J Elgin 730 in a lovely asymetric case up for auction about a week or so ago. It didn't sell, however you can still view it in the auctions dicussion group.

John,
I got a reply from my Master Watch Repairman on the the 23J, model 950 balance wheel question. Here's what he said, and I quote:-

" Yes, I've seen quite a few. This is an attempt to devise a different type of regulator. The cross arm if pushed to the left will carry the two opposite discs outward on the spiral spoke. This will increase the balance's moment of intertia making the watch run slower than before. Pushing to the right, reverses things. These came out in the fifties or early sixties but didn't do very well, mainly because watchmakers thought it was a piece of c--p, I think."

So there you have it, the opinion of a MASTER WATCH REPAIRMAN who's been working on watches for well over fifty years.

Thanks, Dave. Looks like we both have some c--p, since the balance arrangement on the 730 is the same as on my 750.

John,
just to clarify, although my watch guy's opinion that the method of adjusting may be c--p. He did not indicate the overall movements of either the 730 or 750 as being c--p. Far from it, both of these movements when adjusted properly can provide very reliable service. Over the years I've owned a number of such movements and I can only speak very highly of them. But then again I didn't have to repair them.

Dave,

No offense meant and no offense taken. After nearly 40 years of collecting I have learned that there are some strong opinions out there and all of them need a copious amount of salt.