Some argue that even a band or bracelet must be an exact match in order to name the variant, even if all other factors are a match, and even if the band or bracelet on the watch now is clearly not original. I disagree with that approach on the basis that rarely do we see a vintage watch sporting the original bracelet or band, and the ads--taken as a whole--may show that, because of the case shape and dial design, the watch is most certainly the named variant.
For example, with some exceptions, the late s His Excellency line and the early s Academy Award line vary according to case shape, so it makes sense to identify them by the variant name rather than to name them all His Excellency or Academy Award without regard to the very different styling. I do strongly believe that a thorough knowledge of all available ads is very important to the naming process, particularly when identifying a variant, and, if in doubt, no variant should be selected.
In my collection, in cases where the variant could not be confidently named, the watch has been named without the variant specification; e. Some collectors are willing to name a watch based on crystal specifications alone; that is, where the watch case has been sized to a crystal, which has been identified as belonging to a specific model. I have concerns about relying on crystal specifications alone as a way to identify a model. First, in my experience, all too often the model name that has been identified as belonging to the specified crystal by a so-called 'crystal expert' was not based on reliable information, e.
More commonly, the conclusion is made that, if a crystal resource catalog or crystal storage package names a crystal as belonging to two models, and one of the two models has been identified via an advertisement, then the first watch to appear with the same crystal dimensions must be the other named model.
There are numerous problems with that approach. First, it assumes that the crystal resource named every watch ever made that took that size crystal. That is too much to assume, in my opinion. Other watches that take that same size crystal could have been produced at any point in time and not have been listed by that particular resource.
Moreover, that approach assumes that all other factors regarding the crystal are the same as the original crystal that came with the watch. Beyond the basic size and shape of the bottom of the crystal, which would align with the bezel of the case, the top of the crystal could be one of many shapes, including, for example, rounded, flat, or gabled. Those are things that cannot be determined by looking at the case alone. So, if the watch in question has no crystal, or the crystal on it is not original and how would one know whether it is original or not without an advertisement?
Another problem with this approach is that crystal resources will simply name a model without a date. So, for example, a catalog may name a crystal as belonging to the Director, but which Director? There were many Directors through the years, and the same is true for most model names, i. I have seen this very issue lead to significant confusion and misunderstanding regarding the identification of two different models.
Having said all that, I have tentatively identified a few models based on crystal specs alone. I have done that only when 1 no other information is available to provide an ID, 2 the crystal specifications and corresponding model identification were derived from a reliable source, such as a catalog or crystal package, 3 if more than one model is identified in the crystal resource, all other models are 'known', and 4 other characteristics of the watch case size, shape, relative to date , make it unlikely to misidentify the watch using this method.
Those tentative model identifications have been clearly noted and explained in the notes section of the corresponding watch details page.
It should always be kept in mind that new advertisements turn up routinely, so all assumptions and conclusions based on the advertisements available to date are inherently tentative.
For that reason, all model IDs are subject to change based on new information. This article will help you understand where to look for, and find the two Elgin Pocket Watch Serial Numbers. This is the first step in understanding their potential value. When you know the serial number you can determine the following very quickly:. Never consider buying an antique Elgin pocket watch without first obtaining the pocket watch serial numbers.
There are usually two numbers and one can be found on the case and the most important one is located on the actual movement. If you are ever offered, or are attempting to buy an Elgin antique pocket watch, there will always be a serial number on the movement. There would be no logical other reason to try and remove a serial number. Find the Elgin pocket watch serial numbers on the internal workings. Then you will be able to make a much better informed decision as you can determine the year it was made.
On most Elgin pocket watches there are two serial numbers:. For valuation purposes the only one we should ever look at is the serial number on the actual pocket watch movement itself. The case serial number is of no use for determining the value of an Elgin pocket watch. In the picture below you will see an Elgin watch and the serial number is at the top of this watch and on the actual movement. In Elgin introduced an Elgin pocket watch serial numbers lettering scheme. You will find this on some watches.
The numbers were getting too long and so they added letters. In simple terms the letter refers to the millions part of the number. So in this case an L would represent 43,xxx,xxx You can then look that bigger number up in the serial number database below. Read the information shown in the table below. You should now be able to find out the date of manufacture of your Elgin watch.
Here are a couple of examples of how to work out and use the Elgin pocket watch serial numbers table. Please note that these serial numbers refer to the actual number on the movement of the Elgin watch. These are approximate dates that I found in my local library and that actual dates may vary. The Elgin Watch Company produced 60 million watches. They were the largest watch manufacturer in the United States for over years. The factory opened for business in and Elgin were well known for making the highest quality watches.
Along with Waltham they in essence dominated the watch market in the USA. The good news is that because they produced so many, it makes them ideal for collectors. It also makes them still affordable for anyone. For me it is buying a piece of history. However many shrewd collectors do rather well buying and selling Elgin watches.
Elgin watches can still be easily repaired and that is a must for any watch collector. Because of the quantity produced spare parts are still available making them easy to find and repair. Hamilton watches are relatively easier to identify than the products of many other manufacturers. The existence of a consistent naming schema makes your job much easier, but by no means does all the work for you. Put that all together, and the result is that some models were available in numerous variations.
So, though the watches may look different at a glance, they are in fact just variations of the same model. The case back can also provide insight into the manufacturer.
Signed crowns can also be useful. The presence of a signed crown will add another piece to the puzzle. The key to the identification process is to pay attention to details. All watches of a particular model had the same case style though the material may vary, i. Pay close attention to things like the shape of the shape of the lugs, or the lines or lack thereof on the case.
To a lesser extent, dial features, like the placement of the second hand and the shape of the sub-seconds if any , are also very useful indicators. The Vintage Watch Forums have several very helpful resources for model identification, including:. Establishing the vintage of your movement can help you to narrow things down to a particular range of years, though it is significantly less reliable. Movements might have been changed during the life of the watch, and Hamilton was known to use earlier movements in later watches the WWII Cushion being a prime example, where mids movements were placed in s watches!
If you know the serial number of a Citizen watch, you can find the watch on Citizen's website. Check your Apple warranty status. Enter a serial number to review your eligibility for support and extended coverage.
Movement serial numbers are documented and can help you with your search — particularly if you are trying to figure out if the correct movement is matched to a particular case. Please enter your serial number to see the status of services and upgrades on your appliance.
Return to top. Serial number look-up example: Let's say you have a Waltham watch with serial number 21,, as shown in the photo below. Note that we're using the serial number from the watch movement, not from the watch case.
Seiko Watch Corporation has been designing and manufacturing quality watches since
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