Thread: POCKET WATCHES

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.

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......

Right on the money so far!

I was going to say the case elgin rr means a railroad watch which often times means a lever set mvmt which was done so the Railroad Guys couldn't accidently change the setting on the watch. The lever has to be pulled out as you found out.