Thread: POCKET WATCHES

Originally Posted by sharptonn

Don't know it they run or not. I always thought it best to take them to an expert to make certain all is well?
The top one was my Dad's High school graduation gift.

The Hamilton is really hefty. It has 'Elgin N.Y' under the winder.

Hamilton was located on Lancaster Pa so the Elgin N.Y was either where the buyer lived or the retailer. Of course it could have been recased too. That was common. You gotta look inside to tell.

I will get my loupe and dork visor out. I figured Elgin, NY was a watch-making center.
Let me see. New glasses arriving any day now.....

No, Elgin N.Y wasn't a watch making center. Elgin Watch Co ( which was the largest watchmaker in the U.S) was located in Elgin, Illinois. Actually I never heard of Elgin N.Y (and I'm from N.Y)

Oh.....Lancaster PA. Well. I will get a looksee tonight at what it says. I am blind as a bat!

Well....It sez "Elgin RR'! I guess I am half-blind.



So an Elgin case with at least a Hamilton dial. I can unscrew the bezel and there is a little lever you can pull out. did not mess with it much.
Cannot get the back to unscrew. Saw a youtube where a guy hot-glued a jar lid to the back and unscrewed one that way. Might try that later.
Curious if it has an Elgin or Hamilton movement. Looks like a perfect fit on the dial.

Gave it 4 winds and it runs. Pulled the stem and cannot set it. Still just winds. Back into the display case!

Originally Posted by sharptonn

Well....It sez "Elgin RR'! I guess I am half-blind.



So an Elgin case with at least a Hamilton dial. I can unscrew the bezel and there is a little lever you can pull out. did not mess with it much.
Cannot get the back to unscrew. Saw a youtube where a guy hot-glued a jar lid to the back and unscrewed one that way. Might try that later.
Curious if it has an Elgin or Hamilton movement. Looks like a perfect fit on the dial.

Gave it 4 winds and it runs. Pulled the stem and cannot set it. Still just winds. Back into the display case!

Cool!

Can you set it with the lever moved out? Could be a "lever set" watch? I know next to nothing about these things, but did stumble across that a while back!

Yes! A lever set it is!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WHR7BHc02MY

So I set it and will see how it does......

Something's not right. The bezel should screw down flush. It's hard to guide you on this because you have to know the crystal size. I'm not sure how to measure for that.

Originally Posted by thebigspendur

Hamilton was located on Lancaster Pa so the Elgin N.Y was either where the buyer lived or the retailer. Of course it could have been recased too. That was common. You gotta look inside to tell.

Some of Hamilton's records are on the NAWCC under reseach and company records. You can put in the serial number and it will tell you the buyer or jeweler that bought it if it shows. Some have private names on the called private label and the true ones will say the jewelers name on the movement as well.