Aluminum PW Case

[tomas]

I bought a first year, (1867), 18s KW Elgin that is in a hunting case marked ""Warranted Aluminum". It has a well worn gold wash on it and almost looks like brass.
It's an old case and looks original to the movement. Was aluminum used for cases way back then? If not, when were they made?
http://www.mindspring.com/~tom63/alum_case.jpg

[tomas]

I bought a first year, (1867), 18s KW Elgin that is in a hunting case marked ""Warranted Aluminum". It has a well worn gold wash on it and almost looks like brass.
It's an old case and looks original to the movement. Was aluminum used for cases way back then? If not, when were they made?
http://www.mindspring.com/~tom63/alum_case.jpg

[Don Dahlberg]

I cannot give you an exact date, but I have seen patents for aluminum watch cases during this era. Aluminum was very expensive during this period. Even some jewelry was made from this metal. The tip of the Washington Monument was made of this new and special metal. It was started before and completed not long after the Civil War, if I remember my history correctly.

Don

[PW Collector]

Here's one I have.

http://www.kirxklox.com/images/product/MVC-483F.JPG

[Glyn Meredith]

tomas,

That's Aluminium, not Aluminum. Aluminum is an American variant spelling of the original word. Sir Humphry Davy (Britain) established the existence of aluminium in 1808, and named it. For some years it was more expensive than gold and platinum, but as the price dropped it was used more and more because of its strength and lightness. These days, more aluminium is produced than all other non-ferrous metals combined, but back in the good old days when your watch was produced it would have been regarded as a precious metal. An expert would have to tell you if the aluminium case is contemporary with your watch, but as far as I know it could well be. Certainly, you should not undervalue it.

[tomas]

Thanks to all for the information.
Dave, what make/year movement is in your Aluminium case?

[Dr. Jon]

Year of the case is hard to assess but it seems correct that it is late 19th century.

Vacheron and Constantin made a series of aluminium cased watches as an added support that its use was very special. I beleive the Vacheron Aluminium cases were much later 1920's I believe.

Yes the Washington Monument was tipped with Aluminium but this was later than the US Civil War. There were three attempts to build a Washinton Monument, which is why there is confusion about the date. During my many tours of the current monument (I lived in the area many years ago) the guides said the aluminium tip was removed to support World War I efforts.

I concur that you have something very special.

[Junkhunter]

I have a few cases marked this way. Mine are all on Swiss "fakes" and seem to be produced 1860-1880. Problem is, mine are all brass that have a silver coating. Aluminum is easy to identify by it's light weight. Seems it was so rare at the time that "fake" Aluminum cases were produced!

[M. Cross]

The metal was so rare, that the aforementioned top of the Washington Monument was on display in the front window of Tiffiney's (sp?) before it was installed. I bet your watch case, in it's day, was more sought after than 18k gold! Regards! Mark

[tomas]

Alan, That's interesting. Mine has several filed marks around the edges of the covers. I thought someone had done that to test for gold but maybe they were testing for Aluminium instead. The underlying metal seems to be a white color but I will have to clean the case up a bit to be sure.