As I mentioned a week ago, I seldom buy IWC pocket watches today, since I look almost exclusively for pre-1900 models, and ones that I don't have seldom appear. This one was one lucky find, and I really had no idea what I had found.
I was out of town when someone wrote me about an IWC pocket watch. It looked extraordinarily ordinary from the dial side, although the dial was in good condition: But one clue were the Roman numerals --that us usually means the watch is pre-1900, since after that Arabics were more popular.
The case also wasn't anything special. It was almost black with tarnish, but after much careful polishing it looks like this:
Opening it up revealed the movement --and I could tell right away it was a so-called Elgin I from the mid-1880s. The seller thought its low number, 681, meant it was the 681th watch produced by IWC, but I explained it was from the second numbering, when IWC started over.
I couldn't tell what the calibre was, since I was out of town and couldn't hit the books.I knew it wasn't a Calibre 33, which I already own and show on my pocket watch site at http://www.iwcpocketwatch.com/elgin.html. So I just bought it.
I then wrote the real experts, Ralph Ehrismann and David Seyffer. Ralph told me:
"This is an ultra rare c.34. Elgin I with hidden winding wheels (à bascule). I think there are just few known (less than 10, now one more) all with numbers below 700." He later wrote me that "There are now 6 known of this caliber." He believes there were only about 200-400 of the calibre built in total. All known ones have only three chatoned-jewels, and none on the center wheel.
David Seyffer gave me more information, with the understated comment that he's seen "only a very few in my life." He wrote me:
"I guess the movement with the number 681 was made in August, September 1884. As you guessed, the records are missing and so I can’t tell you the correct date.
"There were the four different types of Elgin I:
Cal. winding Type Name
32 á vue open face Elgin I
33 á vue Hunter Elgin I
34 á base open face Elgin I
35 á base Hunter Elgin I
"A base, means that the wheels of the winding mechanism are hidden.
"As far as I understood or interpret the sales records retailers could choose if they want e.g. a jeweled centre wheel or not. Therefore there are movements with or without
"A really beautiful watch. Would be a nice thing to share with the others in the forum. Probably we could start one more time a “Elgin” discussion ."
----- It is, certainly to me, a beautiful watch, with beauty on the inside. The movement is nickle-plated, and with interesting stripes. But to me the knock-your-socks-off part is the hand-engraved balance cock. Here's a close-up:
2,907 Discussions and CommentsMember since Nov. 14, 2008Taylor, TX,
United States
Congratulations on a beauty, Michael! Not only am I pleased with a rare find for your collection...but we always learn something when you post about what you purchased! Thank you!
Best regards, Jim
"We are the other people, we are the other people...you're the other people too!" Frank Zappa
I was out of town when someone wrote me about an IWC pocket watch. It looked extraordinarily ordinary from the dial side, although the dial was in good condition:
But one clue were the Roman numerals --that us usually means the watch is pre-1900, since after that Arabics were more popular.
The case also wasn't anything special. It was almost black with tarnish, but after much careful polishing it looks like this:
Opening it up revealed the movement --and I could tell right away it was a so-called Elgin I from the mid-1880s. The seller thought its low number, 681, meant it was the 681th watch produced by IWC, but I explained it was from the second numbering, when IWC started over.
I couldn't tell what the calibre was, since I was out of town and couldn't hit the books.I knew it wasn't a Calibre 33, which I already own and show on my pocket watch site at http://www.iwcpocketwatch.com/elgin.html. So I just bought it.
I then wrote the real experts, Ralph Ehrismann and David Seyffer. Ralph told me:
"This is an ultra rare c.34. Elgin I with hidden winding wheels (à bascule).
I think there are just few known (less than 10, now one more) all with numbers below 700." He later wrote me that "There are now 6 known of this caliber." He believes there were only about 200-400 of the calibre built in total. All known ones have only three chatoned-jewels, and none on the center wheel.
David Seyffer gave me more information, with the understated comment that he's seen "only a very few in my life." He wrote me:
"I guess the movement with the number 681 was made in August, September 1884. As you guessed, the records are missing and so I can’t tell you the correct date.
"There were the four different types of Elgin I:
Cal. winding Type Name
32 á vue open face Elgin I
33 á vue Hunter Elgin I
34 á base open face Elgin I
35 á base Hunter Elgin I
"A base, means that the wheels of the winding mechanism are hidden.
"As far as I understood or interpret the sales records retailers could choose if they want e.g. a jeweled centre wheel or not. Therefore there are movements with or without
"A really beautiful watch. Would be a nice thing to share with the others in the forum. Probably we could start one more time a “Elgin” discussion ."
-----
It is, certainly to me, a beautiful watch, with beauty on the inside. The movement is nickle-plated, and with interesting stripes. But to me the knock-your-socks-off part is the hand-engraved balance cock. Here's a close-up:
I'm one lucky guy.
Regards, Michael
mfriedberg@iwcforum.com
Last edited: 24 February, 2013 - 13:27
I couldn't see all your pictures though?
You are right, I just love that last picture of the balance cock!
Edit - now I can see all the pictures - very nice indeed!
Skule
Last edited: 24 February, 2013 - 14:28
Bill
Last edited: 17 May, 2013 - 09:58
Kevin
MfG,
Roman
KM/WWW/Mk.11/666/3508/9239/322712/811/3531/5442/5448/PD etc.
Last edited: 23 February, 2013 - 17:25
clepsydra
ad fontes...
Last edited: 23 February, 2013 - 17:48
Cheers Greg Chalk
Cvanwhite at aol dot com
Best regards,
Jim
"We are the other people, we are the other people...you're the other people too!"
Frank Zappa
Congratulation for this extraordinary find
but,
I told you, it's in the wrong collection. ;-)
Have fun with this great watch.
Ralph
There is no time in the now it's time for a watch.