
Wristwatches · Wristwatch
Elgin Incabloc Chronograph (Ref. 3340) Valjoux Cal. 7733, 1960s
- Maker / attribution
- Unrecorded in source
- Date
- 1960s
- Historical period
- Modern Mechanical Horology (1945 – 1969)
- Country of origin
- Unrecorded in source
- Object type
- Wristwatch
- Dimensions
- Case 38 mm
- Stock no.
- ELG7733
- Credit line
- Dealer listing, Craft & Tailored (ELG7733)
- Catalogue title (original)
- 1960s Elgin Incabloc Chronograph (Ref. 3340) Valjoux Cal. 7733 (English)
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Record summary
Catalogued by Craft & Tailored (dealer), Los Angeles (stock number ELG7733), this is a wristwatch, dated 1960s. The Atlas places it in the Modern Mechanical Horology period (1945 – 1969) of its Wristwatches collection. Recorded dimensions: Case 38 mm. 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 — Craft & Tailored
Elgin was a watch company originating from Elgin, Illinois and was founded in 1864 under the name "National Watch Company" and officially became "Elgin National Watch Company" in 1874. The first wristwatch for Elgin came into production in 1910 and in the Second World War, Elgin produced both watches and military instruments for the United States Military. Unfortunately, Elgin disbanded in the year 1968. All US manufacturing discontinued and the Elgin name was sold. After the Elgin names initial sale, the name passed through several hands which resulted in some interesting pieces that were manufactured under the Elgin name from all over the world. Here at Craft + Tailored we love when a vintage watch has some vibe and style, and this Elgin Incabloc Chronograph doesn't disappoint. The metallic blue sunburst dial features flashes of gold, red, and silver speckled throughout from a natural patina, the minute register offers and complimentary pop of color with its regatta countdown timer, and the bright orange lollipop chronograph hand ties the whole dial together. The Unpolished case provides rugged sharp angles while the very unique brick-style stretch bracelet provides an element of subtlety. There's no doubt this Elgin chronograph is fun, but it's also worthy of the most prestigious watch drawers as it's powered by the revered Valjoux cal. 7733 chronograph movement. SPECS Stock # ELG7733 Brand Elgin Style Chronograph Model 3340 Serial 49XX Size Men's Material SS Dial Metallic Blue Millimeters 38mm Bracelet Stainless Steel Brick-Style Stretch Bracelet CASE & BRACELET The unpolished case displays sharp angles with honest signs of use. The original metallic blue bezel insert shows honest signs of use and provides an attractive matching aesthetic to the rest of the timepiece. The case retains its original unsigned crown and pump pushers. The case back retains all of its factory engravings in visible condition, though lightly softened through wear. The stainless steel brick-style, fold over stretch bracelet was sourced with the watch and is in wonderful original condition, displaying almost no stretch and can adjust to fit any size wrist. DIAL & HANDS The metallic blue sunburst dial features a stunning speckled patina consisting of gold, red, and silver. The sub-dials remain in excellent and clean condition. The tritium lume plots have aged to a greenish, sandy patina and exhibit no degradation when inspected under U.V. light. The original tritium hands match the dial perfectly and show no degradation under U.V. light inspection. ACCESSORIES The watch is functioning and keeping time perfectly, previous service history is unknown.
Historical context
Modern Mechanical Horology (1945 – 1969)
Tool watches for divers, pilots and astronauts; electric watches anticipate the electronic age.
The classic era of the mechanical wristwatch: dive watches, chronographs for motor racing and space flight, GMT watches for jet travel, slim dress watches, automatic calendars, and the rise of Japanese manufacturers alongside Swiss, American, German and Soviet industries.
Read the period in the timelineMore wristwatches from this periodEarlier: Golden Age of Mechanical Watchmaking
Atlas type guide
Chronographs and split-seconds watches
A chronograph is a watch with an additional seconds hand that can be started, stopped and returned to zero independently of the timekeeping. Louis Moinet built an early example in 1816 and Nicolas Rieussec a recording 'chronographe' in 1821; Adolphe Nicole's heart-shaped reset cam (patented 1862) made the modern return-to-zero possible. Split-seconds (rattrapante) chronographs add a second hand that can be stopped for intermediate times; flyback chronographs restart instantly.
Chronographs were essential tools for doctors (pulsometer scales), artillery (telemeter), engineers and sport. In wristwatches, Valjoux, Venus, Lemania and later the automatic chronographs of 1969 (Zenith El Primero, the Chronomatic Calibre 11 group and Seiko 6139) are milestones.
What to look for
- Push-pieces on the case band or a single button in the crown (monopusher).
- Subsidiary registers for minutes and hours; tachymeter, telemeter or pulsometer scales.
- Column wheel versus cam control visible in the movement.
- Calibre markings of specialist makers (Valjoux, Lemania, Venus, Landeron).
Dating clues
- Pocket chronographs with heart cam reset: after 1862.
- Wrist chronographs: from c. 1910; two-button designs from the 1930s.
- Automatic chronographs: from 1969.
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:Flyback chronographChronograph
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