New Arrival, Job Numbers 200107

 

Elgin Grade 194

This is Elgin's grade 194. It's a slightly rare 12 size, 23 jewel, movement. This fine example was made about 1898.

The masonic dial is not original to this particular watch, however, the dial is vintage and is reasonably believed to have been manufactured by Elgin (there are modern masonic dials made that fit Elgin watches).

Davidson's Precision Clock

From The American Horologist magazine, July 1940

Davidson's Precision Clock

By Carl Lundgren

Designed and made by Mr. F. N. Davidson, Bellefontaine, Ohio. It took from 1925 to 1939 to construct in spare time. The clock is 94 inches over-all, height of top 68 inches, width of top 20 inches.

Technical Description

Graham dead beat escapement (beats seconds). Pallets turned on lathe in one piece, insuring theoretically correct circles. Garnet Pallet Jewels, and brass escape wheel. Center, third and escape wheel pivots running in fine sapphire jewels. 

Great wheel, hour wheel and rear pivot of center wheel in double floating bearings of brass and steel. Wheels cut from solid sheet brass. Pinions cut from fine crucible steel, hardened and tempered. Train wheel teeth and leaves of pinions cut according to an epicycloid curve. Plates, heavy one-eighth inch hard rolled brass, with bearings set in with screws and friction. Maintaining power spring cut from sheet of solid steel. Verge made of steel and brass. (Poised) Attachment for putting clock in beat actuated by means of a compound lever, thereby keeping impulse bearing always on center. Pallet arbor and point of suspension of pendulum rod in straight line.

Dual mercurial compensated pendulum with auxiliary regulator. Pendulum suspended from three-sixteenth inch solid steel plate, bolted to back of case. Dial hand wrought. Minute, hour and second circles made of brass. Back made of satin finished aluminum. Raised numerals. Hands hand wrought. 

Another Grade 303, Masonic Dial

The grade 303 is a 12 size, 7 jewel watch.  It's a reliable workhorse.

This one was made about 1928 and has had a new Masonic dial added, and the hands touched up with something blue (paint?).  Original blue hands, screws, and other blue steel parts, are blued by a heating process.

Elgin Grade 315, Masonic Dial

I've been seeing these masonic dials lately.  I'm not sure where they are coming from, but I don't believe they are old.

The Elgin grade 315 is a popular 12 size, 15 jewel, movement with a micro-regulator and gold jewel bezels.  This example was made about 1927.

This watch has been fitted with a masonic dial, and the hands appear to have been painted metallic blue.  Actual bluing of hands is done by heating and cooling the steel just right.  The open-faced case is spectacular, and overall it's a nice look with a contemporary appeal.