Elgin Grade 69, An Early Example

This is an Elgin with a very early serial number. Elgin serial numbers formally begin with the first watch out of the factory, number 101, a B. W. Raymond grade 69, presumably an awful lot like this watch.

There are a number of interesting things about this watch that are unusual and reflect changes made as production ramped up.

In spite of being such an early watch, the escapement is design with the Swiss style, perpendicular, lever rather than the English style tangential level. This would have been considered a significant technological improvement at the time.

This movement has a much tighter opening for the barrel on the upper plate. This is the substantive difference in this watch's design. It is more difficult to assemble as a result of this shape.

Here for comparison are three other, later, Elgin 18 size upper plates. The one from the very early grade 69 is in the upper center.

There are a few other small details though in finish and markings.

Here we see the way the upper plate wraps around the barrel.

"98" is stamped on the lower plate and other parts, including on the bottom of the balance cock, along with "patent apld for".

The serial number is engraved on the barrel bridge. And by the way, the markings on this movement are really sharp under magnification. The quality of the hand work is very high.

There is extraordinary detailed work on the balance cock. A lot of extra time went into the early ones.

An Early Elgin, Grade 69, Part 3

This Elgin B. W. Raymond movement is the earliest I have seen. It is from the very first production run in 1867. One interest difference from even slightly later grade 69 examples is the shape of the top plate.

The plate's cut out for the mainspring barrel is exceptionally close around the barrel at the outside edge. This prevents the usual assembly procedure from working out. Once the upper plate is in place, the barrel can not be slipped in. The upper plate has to be set with the barrel in place.

Here are some other, later, 18 size Elgin plates for comparison. The first-run plate is in upper middle.

An Early Elgin, Grade 69, Part 2

Serial numbers on Elgin movements appear in a number of places. This movement, number 198, has the number 98 stamped on the barrel cap, under the balance cock, on the dial side of the main plate and under the hour wheel (not shown).

An Early Elgin, Grade 69, Part 1

Here we have an Elgin with a very low serial number, a very early watch definitely in the very first batch produced at the factory. The first serial number used for the first watch produced by the then National Watch Company was 101.

This one is a grade 69 B. W. Raymond model, 18 size, 15 jewels, key-wind and key-set made in 1867.  

Burt's Patent

What is Burt's Patent?

Very early Elgin watches are marked "Burt's Patent".

Burt was Merritt Burt (1828-1849) and his invention, later improved by Moseley, protected the watch train in case of breakage of the click, click spring or mainspring; patent No. 44,161 dated September 13, 1864.

From the History of the City of Elgin, published by The Chicago Republican, 1867:

Another advantage will highly recommend itself particularly to the absentminded. Everybody knows that whenever the click-spring of a watch gets out of order, or the click itself breaks, the entire power of the spring acts directly upon the train, and a disaster must occur somewhere, and some of its delicate parts must give way. Most everybody knows, too, that a thoughtless turn too much with the key will very likely break the mainspring, with a like disastrous result to the train. The possibility of these calamities is entirely obviated here by the peculiar construction of the center pinion, which receives its motion from the barrel wheel, and communicates it through the center wheel to the rest of the train. 

In all other watches, the center pinion and staff are one piece. Through the center pinion of the National watch is a tapering hole, and the center staff is turned with a corresponding taper to fit. A concave or screw washer and a nut hold the pinion up. The staff thus fitting closely to the pinion, there is friction enough between them to prevent revolution, and to carry the train. Should the spring break, however, the recoil, instead of acting upon the train, simply turns the pinion around the staff, and no harm results to the train. This improvement, the invention of Mr. MERRITT BURT, of Cleveland, Ohio, which is exclusively owned by the National Watch Company, is called Burts patent,and alone gives a practical value to this watch over all others in existence.