elgin pocket watch serial number 29971484 price

Elgin pocket watch serial number 29971484 price serial numbers#

The date estimates given by these databases are accurate to about 5 years, but based on my knowledge of Elgin watches of this period, I'd guess this watch was made 1876-1878.Įlgin's grade and class system is explained in this page. (There are also other minor variants based on inscription, dial and and signature, but there we'd be getting into serious nerd territory.) Wheeler' signature) that I don't know much about.

The third variant counted in the database figure is a 'nameless' one (no 'G.M. There is a less common (and lesser known) later variant which has only two jewels visible on the top plate (which most likely have counterparts under the dial). Wheeler, which has four jewels visible on the top plate (with no counterparts under the dial). To the best of my knowledge, there are three major variants that are counted in that 75,146 figure. Wheeler is the most commonly found Elgin watch of this period. If you count by the smaller variants, then the number of watches that are just like yours goes down. Wheeler had various changes during its 8-12 years of production. When are two watches 'the same'? The key wind/key set Elgin G.M.The number is really an *upper end* estimate.

Elgin pocket watch serial number 29971484 price serial numbers#

Just because there were 75,146 serial numbers allocated to this watch, that doesn't mean all of them were actually made.

There are, in my judgement, two ways this estimate can be inadequate: The ' Total Grade Production : 75146' part of the search result is the one that gives an estimate of how many of these were made the way they get that number is simply by finding all the serial number blocks for that watch in the list, and adding up their sizes. (I'm personally a bit skeptical that the serial number blocks in Elgin's lists always correspond to runs in this sense, but let's not go there.) Most watch collectors understand 'run size' as a block of watches of the same type that were started together. American watch factories started a lot of watches of the same type in a big batch, which they would finish gradually as orders came in. The 'run size' field in the database results corresponds to the size of the serial number blocks that you see in lists like that one. This and other serial number lists were digitized some 15 years ago and compiled into databases. Here is for example the first page of the serial number list in Elgin's 1915 parts catalog. The Elgin serial number search websites are based on the serial number lists that were published in old Elgin parts catalogs.

Xyzzytom_227411 xyzzytom_227413 xyzzytom_227414 xyzzytom_227412Ī lot of this data is based on guessing from surviving materials from the Elgin factory. Thank you for looking, and any insight or comments you may have. I need to find someone in Wisconsin who can get it running again. It hasn't been oiled or cleaned and has sat in a drawer for many, many years. It appears to be very solid, but am afraid to wind it because I don't want to break anything.

Does the run quantity mean only 1,000 were made? What does the grade and class refer to? Is this a desirable watch or is it fairly common? As you can see from the pics it is fairly tarnished- should I clean it or does the have an impact on the value of the piece? Inside on the movement it reads: G.M Wheeler, Elgin Ill,and has the following serial number: 302563 Inside the back cover of the watch is has what appears to be a small crown and below it says: Warrantied Coin Silver. I have a couple of questions following the watch info if you so kindly could weigh in on. I have this pocket watch and this is what I've been able to determine. I've always been interested in pocket watches, and my youngest son who is 12 is also showing an interest. A wealth of information here, thank you all for sharing your knowledge and experience.