Elgin Pocket Watches

About Antique Elgin Pocket Watches

The rich history of the Elgin National Watch Company (originally the National Watch Co.) began in August 1864 when a group of investors traveled to Waltham, Massachusetts, home of the Waltham Watch Company. Hoping to give their new company a jump start, the investors promised seven of Waltham Watch Company’s best watchmakers and machinists $5,000 per year, plus bonuses. The company began operation two years later in 1866 in Elgin, Illinois, with Waltham-transplant Charles Moseley as factory superintendent.

National’s first watch, its original workhorse, was introduced in 1867. The B.W. Raymond, as it was called, was a relatively large-numeral, 18-size pocket watch that cost $117, a high price for the era. Like all National watches, the movement was sold without a case—customers would have a jeweler or watch repairman complete that task. Known for their accuracy, the timepieces were in such high demand they were marketed as railroad grade...

While other watches of the era were affected by changes in temperature, the B.W. Raymond was accurate in varying climates, a vital feature for a person working on traveling trains. It was also isochronous, which meant it kept time accurately down to the last minutes before another wind was needed.

More affordable models soon followed, each named for different directors or investors in the company. The J.T. Ryerson, the G.W. Wheeler, and the H. H. Taylor were all released in 1867—the Matthew Laflin appeared in early 1868. All of these early models were key-wound and most came in the railroad-standard 18-size. Following the success of Waltham Watches ladies’ model, the "Lady Elgin" was released in 1869. The 10-size watch was a hit, and helped put Elgin into competition with Waltham for the middle-priced watch market. National’s rate of production grew tremendously through the 1870s.

In the 1880s, Elgin moved into stem-winding mechanisms, a novelty compared to its key-wind mechanisms of the 1860s and ’70s. This new feature, along with affordable interchangeable movements, helped Elgin give Waltham a run for its money in the mid-range market. Elgin thrived through the turn of the century. In an experimental move, in 1909, it even built an observatory at the main plant to set its watches by celestial movement.

Many watch companies felt the strain of wartime thriftiness during the World War I. Not Elgin. Thanks to a contract with the U.S. Army, Elgin trained employees to make quick, precise watch repairs in the field. After the war, wristwatches became the norm, but some consumers still wanted famous pocket watch lines like Elgin’s Father Time, which was popular during both World Wars; the Veritas, made with as many as 23 jewels; and the Lord Elgin, a high-end model produced through the ’50s and featuring gold backplates and 21-jewel movements.

Like many other designs in the 1920s and early ’30s, Elgin watches embraced Art Deco. Roman numerals were exchanged for stylized Arabic-type, and the numerals were dropped altogether in favor of geometric shapes. During World War II, Elgin shut down regular production and signed another military contract. Their production facilities were temporarily busy making military watches, speedometers, altimeters, and chronometers.

After the war, the company shifted from pocket watches to wristwatches, decorative clocks, wedding rings, and transistor radios. In the 1950s, foreign and less-expensive domestic watches dominated the market, forcing Elgin to depend less on watches for its income. The company eventually gave up the watchmaking side of its business entirely, ceasing production in 1970.

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Elgin 14k Solid Gold 18s Pocket Watch Super Nice$760.00 Ends Wednesday 4 bids 10 watchers
Rare 14kt Not Scrap Tri-gold Elgin 1894 Pocket Watch$400.00 Ends Friday 31 bids 48 watchers
Antique Elgin Pocket Watch 17j Adj 14k Gold Lot #d11$395.00 Ends Thursday 4 bids 8 watchers
Stunning Almost Mint 18k Gold 18/s Elgin, Serviced 1883$340.56 Ends Sunday 3 bids 9 watchers
Antique 14k Gold Elgin Engraved Hunter 0s Pocket Watch$305.00 Ends in 8 hours 14 bids 35 watchers
Elgin 17 Jewels 14k Gold Pocket Watch #d24$305.00 Ends Thursday 4 bids 7 watchers
Elgin Pocketwatch - A8$281.87 Ends in 59 mins 14 bids 12 watchers
Vintage 14k Gold Elgin Star 17j 12s Pocket Watch C1933$265.00 Ends in 7 hours 10 bids 9 watchers
86.3g 14k Gold Elgin Pocket Watch 17jewels #19d$214.62 Ends Thursday 3 bids 8 watchers
Sharp Pre Rr Standards 1889 Vint 18s Elgin B.w. Raymond$211.50 Ends in 12 hours 7 bids 18 watchers
Elgin 16s 14k Solid Gold Hunter Case Pocket Watch$201.50 Ends Saturday 5 bids 12 watchers
Vintage 1924 21j B.w. Raymond R.r. Elgin Pocket Watch $177.50 Ends Tuesday 9 bids 20 watchers
Elgin 16 Size Bw Raymond 21 Jewels Very Nice$169.00 Ends Saturday 1 bid 7 watchers
Elgin 18k Solid Gold Hunter Case Antique Pocket Watch$158.49 Ends Tuesday 6 bids 21 watchers
Excellent 50's Vintage Elgin 21j B.w. Raymond Railroad!$152.50 Ends Thursday 4 bids 19 watchers
Elgin Bw Raymond 21j Railroad Pocket Watch Excellent$150.00 Ends in 11 hours 2 bids 3 watchers
1875 Elgin Pocket Watch Silver Case 1878 Morgan Inset$149.95 Ends in 8 hours 1 bid 2 watchers
Magnificent 1892 Elgin Blue Dial Hunter 18s Pocketwatch$135.50 Ends Friday 6 bids 20 watchers
Antique Elgin Pocket Watch Veritas 23j 5adj Of Gf$132.50 Ends in 10 hours 9 bids 21 watchers
Elgin 1881 Solid Silver Taylor 18s 15j Key Pocket Watch$128.05 Ends Thursday 8 bids 14 watchers
Silver Elgin Kw Ks Engraved Hunter Pocket Watch C1881$123.50 Ends in 7 hours 11 bids 28 watchers
Elgin Keywind Keyset, Coin Silver Case, 13-15 Jewels$118.00 Ends in 14 hours 1 bid 4 watchers
1896 Elgin 0 Size 14k Gold Hunter Case 15j Pocket Watch$113.61 Ends Friday 5 bids 16 watchers
Elgin 18k Pocketwatch 61 Grams - D61$113.50 Ends Thursday 3 bids 16 watchers
Elgin B.w.raymond Elgin 21 Jewels Railroad Pocket Watch$108.50 Ends Tuesday 7 bids 13 watchers
Elgin B.w. Raymond 21 Jewels Pocket Watch #a70$102.50 Ends in 6 hours 8 bids 22 watchers
1884 Elgin 19 Jewel Rr Railroad Train Pocket Watch$100.00 Ends in 12 hours 2 bids 12 watchers
Elgin Pocket Watch$100.00 Ends Thursday 1 bid 1 watcher
Vintage Elgin Hunter Case 15 Jewel Pocket Watch Runs ! $99.99 Ends Tuesday 2 bids 4 watchers
Elgin "railroad " Gold Filled Loaner 21 Jewels $99.99 Ends Friday 1 bid 5 watchers
Elgin Dueber Silver Coin Pocket Watch$90.59 Ends Wednesday 6 bids 12 watchers
Crisp-sharp-muli-color Elgin Hunter Case Goldgf-running$90.00 Ends in 11 hours 7 bids 9 watchers
12s 17j Elgin Sterling Silver Case Masonic Dial Runs$88.77 Ends Tuesday 13 bids 20 watchers
Large 15 Jewel Elgin Yellow Gold Gf Pocket Watch - Runs$78.55 Ends Wednesday 9 bids 8 watchers
Used Pocket Watch Lot-8 Elgin Waltham South Bend$77.00 Ends Sunday 2 bids 5 watchers
Elgin B.w. Raymond 21 Jewels Pocket Watch #e24$76.01 Ends Friday 4 bids 11 watchers
Elgin 14k Gold 17 Jewels Pocket Watch #e34$76.00 Ends Friday 4 bids 13 watchers
J.boss 10k Mainliner Is Elgin Hamilton Illinois Waltham$75.00 Ends in 10 hours 11 bids 19 watchers
Elgin 14 K Solid Gold Pocket Watch - O Size$72.77 Ends Wednesday 2 bids 4 watchers
Elgin Hunter Case Pocketwatch " Near Mint " 12 Size $72.00 Ends in 11 hours 3 bids 12 watchers
Antique Coin Silver Elgin Kw Ks 18s Pocket Watch C1881$71.00 Ends in 8 hours 10 bids 37 watchers
Antique Elgin Gold Filled Pocket Watch, Runs Great!$69.99 Ends Thursday 1 bid 6 watchers
6s,7j Elgin In 14k Gold Hunter With Fancy Dial And Case$68.00 Ends Thursday 5 bids 9 watchers
Antique 16 Size Pocket Watch Elgin$66.78 Ends in 11 hours 10 bids 4 watchers
Elgin B.w. Raymond Open Face 18 Size 17j Jpocket Watch$66.00 Ends in 2 hours 6 bids 12 watchers
Stunning Antique Elgin 6s Gold Pocket Watch C1894 N/r$65.05 Ends in 10 hours 12 bids 12 watchers
Amazing Elgin Grade 155 Antique Gold Pocket Watch$61.00 Ends Thursday 11 bids 27 watchers
Elgin 14k Gold & Diamond Pocket Watch Beautiful Sz 6$61.00 Ends Wednesday 9 bids 5 watchers
1867 Elgin Gm Wheeler 13j 18s Kw/ks Silver Pocketwatch$61.00 Ends Sunday 4 bids 3 watchers
Rare Art Deco Gf Triple Hinge Pocket Watch Elgin 1894$56.55 Ends Tuesday 2 bids 8 watchers
Antique Elgin Father Time Pocket Watch 18s Hunter Case $56.00 Ends in 9 hours 10 bids 18 watchers
1916 Elgin Antique Pocket Watch 7 Jewel Gold Filled 16s$53.00 Ends Wednesday 3 bids 5 watchers
Elgin Veritas 21 Jewel 1903 Pocket Watch$51.00 Ends Tuesday 4 bids 15 watchers
Elgin B. W. Raymond Air Force Watch For Repair Or Parts$51.00 Ends Wednesday 2 bids 11 watchers
Elgin Hunter Case Pocket Watch For Parts #a23$51.00 Ends in 2 hours 8 bids 12 watchers
Antique Elgin Pocket Watch Sn 6424890 Circa 1895 $51.00 Ends in 1 hour 8 bids 7 watchers
Gold Elgin Pocket Watch (needs Crystal, Works Good) Old$50.95 Ends Tuesday 2 bids 5 watchers
Antique "elgin" Hunter Case Pocket Watch$50.00 Ends Friday 2 bids 5 watchers

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