Vintage Elgin folks - what say ye?

kip595 · Dec 18, 2020

As some of you know I'm on a sort of 'pause' in my collecting while dealing with a shipping issue, but never hurts to look, right? 🙄

Came across this Elgin with interesting detail on the case - at least a style I haven't seen before. The dial seems very clean for the era - 1920s as per seller - but possibly original. Then again, I'm not a vintage Elgin expert, so I offer it for opinions here:

Thanks for any input! ...And for helping keep me from being bored out of my mind!

*Edit: The dial at first struck me as off-alignment, but then I noticed the angle of the photo - no straight-on shot.

redpcar · Dec 18, 2020

1929.
The problem with older gold filled watches is the loss on the corners. Quite a bit missing at 7:00. Dial looks to be re-finished (very common). Don't worry about the misalignment. Older watches have some play in the case/movement and can be easily adjusted to square up.
Cool watch. Probably pretty small, though.

kip595 · Dec 18, 2020

redpcar
1929.
The problem with older gold filled watches is the loss on the corners. Quite a bit missing at 7:00. Dial looks to be re-finished (very common). Don't worry about the misalignment. Older watches have some play in the case/movement and can be easily adjusted to square up.
Cool watch. Probably pretty small, though.

Thanks - I mostly collect 60s-present; mind lending advice on the 'tells' for a dial refinish like this? I figured it had at least some 'work done' in such a long life, but fully admit I'm still learning what to look for on pre-war pieces especially. 😀

And oh, 29mm by 35mm w/16mm lugs, according to the seller, so definitely not huge but not atrociously tiny, either.

allwoundup · Dec 18, 2020

Pocketwatchdatabase.com dates the movement to approximately 1930, https://pocketwatchdatabase.com/search/result/elgin/32172632

allwoundup · Dec 18, 2020

redpcar
1929.
The problem with older gold filled watches is the loss on the corners. Quite a bit missing at 7:00. Dial looks to be re-finished (very common). Don't worry about the misalignment. Older watches have some play in the case/movement and can be easily adjusted to square up.
Cool watch. Probably pretty small, though.

You might be right about case wear at 7:00, then again it might be reflection and the level to which the photo has been magnified. I have a few dozen watches that showed similar "wear" in auction photos but turned out to be just fine in reality. Watches of this vintage are always a gamble unless the photos are of "professional" quality.

Canuck · Dec 18, 2020

Looks like green gold. Sort of Art Deco, as well. Sharp. But the dial looks too good on a watch that has had enough use to wear through the gold filled layer.

kip595 · Dec 18, 2020

Canuck
Looks like green gold. Sort of Art Deco, as well. Sharp. But the dial looks too good on a watch that has had enough use to wear through the gold filled layer.

That was, and basically still remains, my original impression. Something suggests re-dial/restored dial to me, but I can't put a finger on what exactly aside from the cleanliness of the dial to the wear on the case ratio, even accounting for some reflection glare.

Professor · Dec 18, 2020

Looks like a redial to me but some watches that old or older can have ceramic glazed dials that look fresh from the factory a century later.
This doesn't look ceramic though.

Vintage Elgin folks - what say ye?

kip595

redpcar

kip595

allwoundup

allwoundup

Canuck

kip595

Professor

Similar threads

Vintage Elgin Saddle Leather Unused 5/8" Watch Band & Silver-Tone Logo Buckle

Vintage Elgin 5/8" Silver-Tone Unused nos 1940s-1950s Classic Watch Band Buckle

Free! - 1x Vintage Elgin and 1x no-name Tanks

What say ye? Rolex and Omega, in a word.

Pre-War Elgin Wrist Watch Help?

Elgin Vintage Valjoux 7733 Panda Chronograph