Deck watch no. 77334 by Elgin National Watch Company

Catalogue description — Royal Museums Greenwich

A mahogany deck box fitted with two brass hinges and a simple pressed brass clip-type catch. The top is glazed with a circular 'porthole' on the upper surface. The box is lined with grey imitation leather in the lid and the lower half, shaped to the form of the watch. The lid has an open-ended clear plastic cover on the inside to hold an issue card. The bottom of the box is covered with grey imitation leather. The chromium-plated nickel, open-face case has the winding/setting crown inset into a wide pendant, with a flat, shaped bow. Pulling out the winding button stops the watch (light stop-piece against the balance) and engages the handset facility. The convex 'unbreakable' glass is held in a screw-down, knurled, chromium-plated nickel bezel. The nickel, screw-down back is machine engraved on the back 'ELGIN NATIONAL WATCH COV / SER NO / 801 / ', marked in black 'H.S. 3' and '77334' underneath the earlier number. The inside of the back is stamped 'CASED AND TIMED BY ELGIN NATIONAL WATCH CO. / KEYSTONE', 'CO' in a shield, 'BASE METAL' and '14157'. A white enamel dial of 43 mm Æ is signed 'ELGIN' below the centre and '' above. The dial has vertical Arabic numerals and small vertical Arabic five-minute figures round the outside. Polished and blued-steel spade and poker-hands have a counter-balanced blued-steel centre seconds hand. The going barrel movement is of bright, damascened, nickel, and is signed with black enamel-filled engraving on the escape/fourth wheel bridge '42077334' and 'B.W. Raymond'. The barrel bridge is marked '22 JEWELS / ADJUSTED 5 POSITIONS / TEMPERATURE'. It is also marked on the main plate, by the balance cock foot 'ELGIN NAT'L WATCH CO. / U.S.A.'. A polished steel index, mounted on the balance cock, acts on a lateral screw for fine rating adjustment. The index has a diagonal scale under it, engraved with 'F' and 'S' for fast and slow. There is a four-wheel train with a going barrel, a gold centre wheel and centre seconds drive off the third wheel. There is a double roller, jewelled and club tooth lever escapement. The impulse roller has a jewelled impulse pin and pallets with red stones. The cut bimetallic balance is mounted with 16 gold screws around the rim. The flat spiral, white metal balance spring, with over coil, has an index mounted, on the upper surface of the balance cock. The train is jewelled to the centre (22 jewels in total) with red stones in gold or brass screwed-in settings. The balance, pallets and escape wheel have end stones. The instrument is in fine, almost as new condition. The fact that a new case serial number has been added to the movement is almost certainly as a result of movements (all interchangeable with Hamilton material) being switched during overhauls.