
Pocket Watches · Pocket watch
Elgin Pocket Watch Gold Plated Working 15 Jewels, 1905
- Maker / attribution
- Elgin (maker)
- Date
- 1905
- Historical period
- Golden Age of Mechanical Watchmaking (1900 – 1945)
- Country of origin
- United States
- Object type
- Pocket watch
- Materials / technique
- gold
- Dealer
- WatchMuseum.org shop
- Stock no.
- Product 4091
- Credit line
- Dealer listing, WatchMuseum.org shop (product 4091)
- Catalogue title (original)
- Elgin Pocket Watch Gold Plated Working 15 Jewels (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 4091), this is a pocket watch by Elgin, made in United States, dated 1905. 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 back in time with the exquisite Elgin Pocket Watch, a stunning piece of horological history crafted in 1905. This vintage timepiece, originating from Elgin, Illinois, is a testament to the meticulous craftsmanship of the Edwardian era. Encased in a gold-plated shell measuring 49mm in diameter and 14mm in thickness, this watch is not only a functional accessory but also a work of art. Its clean plastic crystal and well-preserved exterior underscore its remarkable condition, while the intricate 15-jewel movement, identified by serial number 11066484, ensures reliable performance. Classified as Grade 305, Model 6, and Class 107, this watch is part of a limited production run of 1,000 units, with a total production of 26,500, making it a rare gem for collectors. The hunting configuration movement, featuring a nickel finish and pendant setting, adds to its unique charm. Despite a slight patina on its white face, the overall exceptional condition of this pocket watch makes it a prized addition to any collection, capturing the elegance and precision of early 20th-century American watchmaking. This vintage Elgin pocket watch is a true treasure, with a gold-plated case measuring 49mm in diameter and 14mm in thickness. The exterior of the watch is in great condition, with a clean plastic crystal. The working movement contains 15 jewels and bears the serial number 11066484. This watch was made in Elgin, Illinois, and is classified as Grade 305, Model 6, and Class 107. Its estimated production year is 1905, with a run quantity of 1,000 and a total production of 26,500. This particular watch is the seventh in the series of 20, making it a rare find for collectors. The movement is a hunting configuration with a nickel finish and a pendant setting. While the white face shows a slight sign of aging, this watch is overall in exceptional condition and would make a remarkable addition to any collection. Creator: Elgin Case Material: Gold Plate Case Dimensions: Depth: 14 mm (0.56 in)Diameter: 49 mm (1.93 in) Style: Edwardian Place of Origin: United States Period: 1900-1909 Date of Manufacture: 1905 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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