A Messy Elgin Grade 55

I received this watch recently, which I'm told has been in another shop with less than satisfactory results.  These photos are before I've done anything.

The watch was not disassembled fully.  There is dirt visible on the plates inside, on the wheels and pivots, and under the ratchet wheel.  The upper plate has been polished rather aggressively - buffed probably.  It looks like the screws were removed before doing this but not much else.  There is still black, greasy polishing compound in the pivot wells in the plate, and in crevices such as around the banking screws.

This is another one of the old 18 size movements that has just one case screw and a pin opposite that goes into a hole in the case.  The movement was loose in the case because, as is so often the case, that pin is missing and needs to be replaced.

In short, it's a mess.  The mainspring looks new though, as do the dial foot pins.




The watch is a Elgin grade 55.  And it's an old one, made about 1868.


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