elgin russell model?

[Kent]

poaler:

You might try looking at the The Elgin Watch Collectors Site (http://www.midwestcs.com/elgin/).

Good luck
Kent :smile:

[David Thomas]

Does the watch say Elgin Russell model inside the case or on the watch movement ?

[John F]

Where does it say "Russell"? Better yet, what is marked on the movement (the "guts") of the watch, including the serial number, and what is marked on the dial? Even better than that, if you can post a picture or two, we'd be able to be more definitive about what you have.

Also note that up until the 1920s or so, movements were sold separately from cases - a customer would pick the case they wanted to go with their watch, and the jeweler would "marry" the two. All of which is to say what's on the case often has very little to do with the watch itself. If "Russell" is on the case, it's got to do with the case and not the watch.

The Illinois Watch Case Co. was located in Elgin, but didn't do much business with the Elgin Watch Co. - there's a great history of this on the link in Kent's message above.

John

[David Thomas]

Thomas Russell & Sons of Liverpool sometimes used gold filled watch cases supplied by the Illinois Watch Case Company of Elgin. These are usually marked "The Russell Model". The movements were made by numerous companies including Longines, Rotherhams and Waltham.

Russell made watches themselves that were cased in solid Gold or Silver. These just have an English hallmark inside the case.

Regards

Dave