Most of them are railroad watches or “standard watches” because they are designed according to railroad industry standards. There are many styles available based on the purpose of the watch and which decade it was made. Photo by Joe Haupt from Flickr Elgin Pocket WatchĮlgin is most notable for its pocket watches. The prices range from a few hundred to thousand dollars depending on the model and the quality. This cheap and easy access is the particular reason why vintage watch collectors pursue this brand. The high volume, mass production of Elgin watches ensures a relatively lower cost, compared to other vintage watch brands. Elgin watches have achieved this and became successful for decades, along with a powerhouse name like Waltham Watch Co. Their goal was to dominate the mid-grade American watch market by producing not the best nor the cheapest watches. Photo from Wikimedia CommonsĮlgin realized that there was a huge market for good quality watches that could be sold and cheaply repaired with the use of factory-made replacement parts that didn’t require hand adjusting. This means that if a part broke, you would need someone with the skills and tools to fix or replace that part. Most of Elgin watches were hand-made around 1850. The mass production of high-quality pocket watches using machine made, interchangeable parts was the underlying idea of Elgin. Photo by Joe Haupt from Flickr Mass Production Of Elgin Watches While in WWII, Elgin began to craft timepieces and other watch parts for the military. In WWI, the manufacturing site workers taught repair techniques to hundreds of U.S. Elgin watches produced many of the self-winding wristwatch movements such as 607 and 618 calibres (bumper wind), and 760 and 761 calibres (30 and 27 jewels).Įlgin watches also played a role in history during World War I and World War II. In 1910, the Elgin National Watch Company pioneered its first wristwatch, leading ahead of other American watch companies. But several years later, the city of Elgin bought it at auction for $15,000. At that time, this watch only sold for $117.
#VINTAGE CITIZEN WATCH IDENTIFICATION FULL#
It was an 18 sized railroad grade watch with a key wind, full plate design, quick train and straight-line escapement arranged to set on the face and was adjusted to the temperature. The first Elgin movement was made in 1867 in honour of one of its founders, Benjamin W. It later changed its name to “Elgin National Watch Company” and “Elgin National Industries” because they are mostly referred to as “watches from Elgin” or “Elgin watches” by the public and watch trade. History Behind Elgin Watches Photo by Joe Haupt from FlickrĪs the American Civil war was about to end in 1864, the National Watch Company was founded. Additionally, Elgin watches symbolize America’s emergence from being an agricultural nation to an industrialized one. However, we think that Elgin pocket watches make a nice collector’s piece.Įlgin is the largest American manufacturer of jewelled watches in the world. So, if you’ve got a vintage Elgin piece on your hands you could definitely make a small profit. This is quite an affordable deal if you compare it to both other Swiss vintage watches or other American brands such as Hamilton and Waltham. You can purchase them from $50 to $300, while the rarer and more luxurious pieces may cost you more than $1,000. So why do vintage watch collectors and enthusiasts love Elgin watches so much? Are Elgin Watches Valuable? Photo by Joe Haupt from FlickrĮven today, most of Elgin watches are in good working condition and can still be practical to use. This makes them one of the favourite brands among collectors. Today, their antique and vintage watches are some of the most in-demand in the market. They have made about 60 million watches over that course. Elgin may not have stood out like the other known Swiss brands or counterparts such as Hamilton, but this American watch brand is still recognized for producing numerous fine and distinct jewelled watches.Įlgin watches have been in existence as one of the largest, true-American watch manufacturers for about 100 years. Unless you are a hardcore watch collector, Elgin watches might sound new to you.
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