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Lord Elgin 25 Jewel Automatic 34mm Stainless Steel Dress Watch c. 1960s — view 1 of 4
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Wristwatches · Wristwatch

Lord Elgin 25 Jewel Automatic 34mm Stainless Steel Dress Watch c. 1960s

DocumentedDocumented from an auction catalogue; attribution as stated by the auction house.
Maker / attribution
Elgin (maker)
Date
c. 1960s
Country of origin
United States
Object type
Wristwatch
Lot
Item 214143894
Credit line
Auction lot record: lot 123, Exclusive Watches and Jewelry, Sphere Auctions LLC (2025), via LiveAuctioneers
Catalogue title (original)
Lord Elgin 25 Jewel Automatic 34mm Stainless Steel Dress Watch c.1960s (English)

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Record summary

Catalogued by LiveAuctioneers auction archive (lot Item 214143894), this is a wristwatch by Elgin, made in United States, dated c. 1960s. The Atlas places it in the Modern Mechanical Horology period (1945 – 1969) of its Wristwatches collection. The record is illustrated with 4 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

Lot description — Sphere Auctions LLC

Vintage Lord Elgin automatic wristwatch, circa 1960s. Stainless steel round case measuring approx. 34.2mm in diameter (excluding crown). Features a silver sunburst dial with applied faceted indices, date window at 3 o’clock, and baton hands. Dial signed Lord Elgin 25 Automatic, Swiss Made.Powered by a Swiss-made Elgin automatic movement, 25 jewels, marked “Elgin 987”. Rotor gilt-finished and signed. Stainless steel case back marked Elgin – Stainless Steel.Fitted with a black textured leather strap.Condition: Running at time of cataloging, not tested for accuracy. Case and dial show light wear consistent with age, crystal clear.

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

Automatic (self-winding) watches

Self-winding watches use the wearer's motion to wind the mainspring. Abraham-Louis Perrelet and Breguet made 'perpétuelle' pocket watches with oscillating weights in the late eighteenth century, but the principle only became practical in the wristwatch. John Harwood patented a bumper automatic in 1923; Rolex's Perpetual rotor (1931) winding in one direction, and later bidirectional rotors (Eterna, Felsa Bidynator), established the modern form. Micro-rotors (Universal Genève, Buren) and peripheral rotors made automatic watches thinner.

What to look for

  • A semicircular rotor turning 360° over the movement, or a 'bumper' weight that rebounds between springs.
  • 'Automatic', 'Perpetual' or 'Self-winding' on the dial.
  • A sealed screw-back case, since automatic watches are wound less often by the crown.

Dating clues

  • Bumper automatics: 1923–c. 1955.
  • Full rotors: from 1931 (Rolex); widespread after c. 1950.
  • Micro-rotors: from 1954–1958.

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.

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