Pocket Watch Found Under Floor Boards!

[BttleDiggerDrew]

Finished the last bit of flooring in my new home and while I was tearing up some of the old flooring I found an Elgin pocket watch wrapped in old terry cloth. I know NOTHING about pocket watches so I googled the info. Found out that you get the ID from inside the watch casing in what is called the "Movement Serial Number". This is what I came up with:


Serial Number SN Range RunQty Name Year grade size code jewels Adj/reg/etc.
-------------- -------- ------ ---- ---- ----- ---- ------ ------ ------------
33231924 33229001 3000 1929 479* 12s o3n10p 17j Adj


grade total runs first yr last yr class size code jewels Adj/name
----- ----- ----- -------- ------- ----- ---- ------ ------ ----------
479 169000 65 1923 1932 ? 12s o3n10p 17j Adj

If any of you can shed any more light on this it would be greatly appreciated!

 

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[Generic_Lad]

That is a really nice pocket watch, does it still work?

 

[BttleDiggerDrew]

That is a really nice pocket watch, does it still work?

Im sure it still does, I have yet to get it checked out by a watch guru...lol

 

[wells]

wow really nice. is it gold? silver? platinum?, should be worth $$.

 

[BttleDiggerDrew]

wow really nice. is it gold? silver? platinum?, should be worth $$.

From what I read, it was made during the decline of the gold standard...It does have some heft. One can only hope.

 

[Theakiki]

I love the square art deco look!

That sure was kind of somebody to put that there for you!

 

[baspinall]

Very cool watch! Looks like you got a cigar knife also

 

[mud dog (aka) Salty Dog]

I'd say you scored a real nice watch,and the fact it looks like it should work is fantastic,go on Ebay and look at the Elgin Watches they go for some big bucks...I found one two years ago an Elgin 21jewel gold wrist watch that was given to a person for 25 years of surface in 1957,I tried to find the owner,but he would have been in his 90's,that didn't happen so it was melted down for scrape,the insides had rusted up from being under 6" of dirt,yours should sell with no problem!Dave

 

[lennon631]

That's a great watch, I'd like to know WHY they wrapped it up and put it there

 

[MUD(S.W.A.T)]

Looking kinda silvery to me.

Nice find, great job !!

Keep @ it and HH !!

 

[tymcmurray]

This might help.

http://elginwatches.org/scans/index.html

 

[baspinall]

Love to see a closer photo.

 

[steelheadwill]

Great Find!
Classic Deco period design.
If you plan on using it, rather than selling, a new mainspring would be a good idea,
with old watches they can weaken, if it breaks it will damage the entire movement.
Congrats!

 

[augusthog]

Outstanding find!

 

[ANTIQUARIAN]

That's a great looking watch; looks like it might have belonged to a woman?

It was probably given to her by a secret admirer and she had to keep
it hidden in the floor so her husband wouldn't suspect anything!

 

[treasurefiend]

Sweet find buddy!!! Get it checked out and see if it can still run, bet it can since it was inside all these years!!!

 

[Lowbatts]

Wow! Great find from one of my favorite old mfrs.! We still have a couple old school watch repair shops here in town. Have had both of mine serviced at them, one an 1887 Gold Turnip and the other a 1924 Golden Bird of Paradise model.

But I'd bet there's an old school watch shop nearby you where it can be checked out for accuracy and functionality.

I've dug a few of those styles, nonfunctioning of course and many thousands of watch faces as a lot of them were painted piecework at home and any that didn't meet standards were simply tossed into pits, under sidewalks, parkways, geez, everywhere in this town.

Get that thing going again and I'm sure you'll be happy with the appraisal on it.

 

[cntrydncr1]

that is a beauty! congrats

 

[Joe Hoo?]

Something about pocket watches just trip my trigger.... been like this since i was a young one... now if i can just find me a old phillip patek i will be one happy camper... gots to give a thumbs up for sure on the elgin.... great find and i hope 2011 is even more prosperous for all of us.. HH

 

[artyfacts]

Hey, you got the time? Love the little finger nail cleaner. Arty