[johnandclare]

Hi All, I wonder if someone can help. I found a pocket watch in my late Uncles stuff and I cant find out the full details.
The face has Roman numerals but no makers name, just Swiss Made at the bottom of the dial under the second hand dial.
When you open the back it has Illinois Watch Case Co, Elgin, USA. On the inside of the case cover it has This Case Gearanteed to wear 10 years.
This part is quite easy to research and I found details of the Illinois Co no problem butthe actual innards have no makers marks at all justswiss made, 15 jewels, 3 adjus aand A R F S onth adjuster plate.
Any Ideas??

Cheers johnandclare

[Shangas]

Photos. Picture speak a thousand words.

Elgin was a famous American watchmaker in the 19th century. 15 jewels indicates a good-quality movement. "Guaranteed to wear 10 years" sounds like this case is gold-filled, possibly made before the 1920s, but this is pure guesswork on my part (and, I fear, on the part of others) without pictures.

[johnandclare]

Cheers , how do you post photos???

[Shangas]

Best to take photos of the dial, case (front and back, in and out), and of the movement. Upload the photos to your computer, resize them to a suitable size, and then you can use: www.photobucket.com to upload the photos to the internet. Copy the image-links from your freshly-uploaded photos, and put them in your posts.

[johnandclare]

[johnandclare]

[johnandclare]

[johnandclare]

[johnandclare]

[johnandclare]

[Shangas]

This Case Guaranteed To Wear 10 Years -- That would indicate a gold-filled case of a reasonable quality. The dial looks like something made in the late 19th century/turn of the century.

If you can get a clearer shot or shots of the movement, others will be able to tell you more. But from my limited experience, I'd say you have an American-made pocket watch of a decent quality with a gold-filled case. Made sometime in the late 19th, early 20th century, somewhere between the 1880s-1910s.

If you intend to use this watch, first send it to a qualified watchmaker for a clean, oil and general check and timing. If this really is an Elgin, it should be pretty easy to fix/service.

[Mikrolisk]

Well, the dial photo is really good, the both movement pictures are not. No matter, use more light next time.

Because of the movement finishing I would say this movement was made in Geneva, made for export, but cased in the USA (not unusual, import-taxes for complete watches were different, much higher, as for single movements or watch parts).

I would date this watch to about 1900 to 1910.


Regards,
Andreas

[johnandclare]

[johnandclare]

[johnandclare]

Better????