At the risk of being a pest...

[railman]

Their are some neat Railroad Elgins in a "tear-drop" case that look like a well made watch. To me, anything railway approved is well made. I guess I look for what has eye appeal (and what I don't have). An Elgin might be next on the list...

[railman]

Their are some neat Railroad Elgins in a "tear-drop" case that look like a well made watch. To me, anything railway approved is well made. I guess I look for what has eye appeal (and what I don't have). An Elgin might be next on the list...

[terry hall]

you missed a boxed example that ended today with no bids....and it was not a 571.

[Kent]

railman:

The only railroad standard watches that belowng in those "tear-drop" cases (styles 3055 & 3056) are the B.W. Raymond's with serial numbers above 36,000,000 or so and the grade 571's with their letter prefixed serial numbers. The 571's are in special cases that accommodate their Swiss style stem and have a milled out spot in the rim to clear the regulator screw head.

Several old BWR ads showing these cases appear in the new April 2002 NAWCC Bulletin. There were tens and tens of thousands of BWR's put into these cases. You should be able to find one in good condition for a reasonable amount. If you can, try to hold out for the grade 540. It was only $70.00 in 1940.

Kent :smile:

[Kent]

Well, I just got a look at the Grade 478 in the Original Box (http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=710290254) and 3055 style case that Terry mentioned. It has a low 34,000,000 serial number indicating an approximate built date of 1933. IMHO this is a little early, but it sure looks right.

It's hard to find depression era ads for Elgin railroad standard watches. A 1933 ad appears on page 367 of "American Pocket Watches Beginning to End...1830-1980, Identification and Price Guide," Roy Ehrhardt & William Meggers, Jr., Heart of America Press, Kansas City, MO, 1987 (A new edition is still in print, see Heart of America Press (http://www.hoapress.com)) that dosn't show the 3055 style case, but Roy might have edited it out.

All things considered, I believe the watch offered in the link above and I'll have to say that my previous estimate of the earliest serial number of 36,000,000 for the case is off a bit and that 34,000,000 is correct. Having said that, I'd be cautious about getting one with an earlier serial number.

Kent