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14K Gold Edwardian Elgin Ladies Pocket Watch, 1904 — view 1 of 6
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Pocket Watches · Pocket watch

14K Gold Edwardian Elgin Ladies Pocket Watch, 1904

DocumentedDocumented from a dealer's listing; attribution and date as stated by the dealer.
Maker / attribution
Elgin (maker)
Date
1904
Country of origin
United States
Object type
Pocket watch
Materials / technique
gold
Stock no.
Product 3026
Credit line
Dealer listing, WatchMuseum.org shop (product 3026)
Catalogue title (original)
14K Gold Edwardian Elgin Ladies Pocket Watch (English)

View the source record (dealer listing) ↗ (opens another website in a new tab)Suggest a correction

Record summary

Catalogued by WatchMuseum.org shop (stock number Product 3026), this is a pocket watch by Elgin, made in United States, dated 1904. The Atlas places it in the Golden Age of Mechanical Watchmaking period (1900 – 1945) of its Pocket Watches collection. Materials and techniques recorded by the source: gold. The record is illustrated with 6 photographs.

Assembled from the source record's structured fields. Dates and attributions are given as the source states them; where a field is missing the Atlas leaves it blank rather than estimating.

Catalogue description

Dealer description — WatchMuseum.org shop

Step into a bygone era with the exquisite 14K Gold Edwardian Elgin Ladies Pocket Watch from 1904, a timeless piece that embodies the elegance and craftsmanship of the early 20th century. Created by the prestigious Elgin Watch Company, this pocket watch remains in excellent working condition, a true testament to its superior construction and meticulous design. The 14k gold case, adorned with an intricately engraved monogram “EBC,” showcases a lyrical font that enhances its ornamental allure. The watch face, crafted from kiln-fired white enamel, and the blued steel hands further accentuate its vintage charm, making it a captivating addition to any collection. This pocket watch is truly a remarkable treasure, dating all the way back to 1904 during the Edwardian era. It was crafted by the renowned Elgin Watch Company and is still in excellent working condition, a testament to its high-quality construction. The watch boasts incredible detail and an intricate mechanical design that’s sure to capture the attention of any admirer. The case of the pocket watch is made of 14k gold and features a beautifully engraved monogram “EBC” on the back. The font used for the initials is quite lyrical, creating an ornamental look that adds to the watch’s overall charm. The watch’s face is composed of kiln-fired white enamel, and the hands are made of blued steel, adding to the watch’s vintage appeal. Opening the back of the watch reveals the sweet message “Blanche from Mother, Jan. 9 1904”. The watch still keeps precise time and features hour, minute, and second hands, with the second hands moving around a sub-dial. The watch is a mechanical wind watch with safety pinions, providing protection for the main spring wheels and ensuring that the watch continues to run as intended. The watch’s body opens up in three different ways, providing access to the gears, watch face, and interior case. Elgin Watch Company was renowned for producing high-quality watches when this watch was manufactured. The company had a reputation for producing some of the best watches in the United States, and this piece is certainly no exception. The interior of the watch features the case number 10135113 and is marked with the words “Elgin Nat’l Watch Co. U.S.A.” The case covers are adorned with an engine-turned pattern, adding to the watch’s overall sophistication. The outer case is marked “Roy,” indicating that it’s a Roy Watch Case, and it also features “U.S.A.SSAY”, 14k, and the case number 355315. With a weight of 33 grams, the watch measures 33mm across, and the glass face measures 28mm. This Edwardian pocket watch is not just a beautiful timepiece but also a relic of a bygone era. Its intricate construction and timeless elegance make it a fantastic conversation piece and a valuable addition to any collection. If you’re the lucky owner of this pocket watch, cleaning it every few years to maintain its mechanical integrity is advised. Creator: Elgin Watch Company Case Material: 14k Gold Weight: 33 g Case Shape: Round Case Dimensions: Height: 43.18 mm (1.7 in)Width: 11.18 mm (0.44 in)Diameter: 31.75 mm (1.25 in) Style: Edwardian Place of Origin: United States Period: 20th Century Date of Manufacture: 1904 Condition: Good

Historical context

Golden Age of Mechanical Watchmaking (1900 – 1945)

The wristwatch displaces the pocket watch; waterproof cases, self-winding and grand complications.

The pocket watch reached technical maturity and then began to give way to the wristwatch after the First World War. Complicated watches for collectors such as Henry Graves Jr. and James Ward Packard, railroad watches, and slim Art Deco dress watches are characteristic.

Read the period in the timelineMore pocket watches from this periodEarlier: Industrial Revolution

Atlas type guide

Pocket watches

The pocket watch was the dominant personal timekeeper from the late seventeenth century until the First World War. Its development tracks the history of the escapement: verge watches with fusees until the late eighteenth century; Thomas Mudge's lever escapement (c. 1755) and the cylinder escapement popularised by George Graham and later by Swiss makers; and the Swiss and English lever watches of the nineteenth century. Lépine's bar-bridge calibre and keyless winding made watches thinner and easier to use.

Industrialisation transformed the trade: American factories such as Waltham (from 1850) and Elgin produced interchangeable parts by machine, and Swiss makers responded with their own mechanisation after the 1876 Philadelphia Exhibition. By 1900 a reliable watch was affordable to millions; the finest makers continued to produce complications and precision watches.

What to look for

  • The escapement: verge (crown wheel), cylinder, duplex, English or Swiss lever.
  • Key winding (a square arbor in dial or back) or keyless crown winding.
  • Signatures and serial numbers on the movement, dial and inside case back.
  • Hallmarks, case maker's marks and gold or silver standards stamped in the case.
  • Dial material: enamel, silver, gold, later printed metal.

Dating clues

  • Verge watches dominate before c. 1800; cylinder watches c. 1770–1900; lever watches after c. 1820.
  • Keyless winding: increasingly common after c. 1860.
  • Manufacturer serial number lists exist for Waltham, Elgin, Longines, Omega, Patek Philippe and others.

General guidance written by the Atlas editors about this kind of object. It is not a statement about this particular piece; for that, rely on the source record above and on physical examination.

Read next:Verge escapementDetached lever escapementFuseeIdentification Centre

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