Elgin military pocket watch

[chris mabbott]

A friend of mine is sending me her grandfathers watch as a gift, she sent me a bad mobile shot of it and it appears to be a white dial Elgin with a sweep second hand, from the photo is looks like an 18 but I thought I read somewhere that the standards for military grade PWs was 16s, black dial with radium filled hands/numbers, 15-17 jewels.

I’m kinda stumped and she won’t send me another photo because its a teaser 😆

The white dial also bears the star under Elgin which I also think was a designation for military grade?

Does anyone have one of these in their collection to help me with the id before it arrives?

[randy]

I think that you’re correct on the 16s Chris.
Most of the Elgin PW’s from the war that had a center sweep hand were used for timing..IE Bomb timers, or for mission coordination.
There are some BW Raymonds out there, built for the RAF that have a center sweep hand also…could be one of those.

Randy

[bernie weishapl]

I agree with Randy that it is probably military. Some had white dials but most were black dials like Randy said. Be interesting to see it when you get it.

[chris mabbott]

Thanks guys, nice to know. I think what threw me was the white dial.
I’ll definitely post a few shots, should be here next week hopefully..

[david pierce]

FYI,
Turning on a light to read a dial could give your position away to an enemy. The black dials with the white or even radium markings could be read at a far lower light level than a white dial with black markings. For some stupid reason this became a fashion statement and even leaked over to machinists dial indicators.
david

[chris mabbott]

Please disregard everything I said in the first post except for Elgin, I totally screwed up somewhere with what I was told, combined with my friend possibly pulling my leg 😆

Anyway, the “little turd” arrived today and it is actually a 6/0 sized Elgin 630 shockmaster movement. From what I could find out, these were used between the late 1800’s – 1950’s for nurse sisters & nuns that worked in clinics, convents etc
It’s marked Swiss unadjusted 17 jewels, 630. The movement and the case are marked Elgin.
On the reverse of the case is an inscription to Sister Mary Susan, 2.2.58 with initials that I can’t make out.
It has the sweep second hand with a red tip for measuring the pulse, as do the “doctors watch” models.

I gave it a wind and it took right off, but it does need a jolly good service, but I have to take a few thou off my fingers first, tiny, tiny me no likey 😳

You know what it’s like when you’re expecting a certain thing, like a 16 size, so I’m trying to come to terms with the size difference, I’ll be fine tomorrow..LOl

Pics to follow

[chris mabbott]

Just took these quick shots with a mobile…

[Author]

Posts