Hi Railman:
Please add my welcome to Rob's.
You have a very nice watch! Although you didn't request information, here's what I know about your fine watch.
Please excuse me if I repeat some of what you already know, it's easier for me this way. Checking the references listed in the
Elgin Watch Co. Encyclopedia article (and looking at your pictures), Elgin movement serial number 9,860,285 can be seen to be
a 16-
size,
model 9,
grade No. 270,
Adjusted to Temperature, Positions and Isochronism,
lever-set,
open-face movement,
having 21
jewels,
and a
Traveling Nut Patent Regulator.
The movement is fitted with a
double-sunk, Arabic dial having a R5MT (Red 5 Minute Track).
It was built in about 1902, give or take a year or so. This was a popular movement of which 8,550 of this variation were made.
You can see a catalog description of the No. 270 grade, along with a picture and where it fits in Elgin's line of 16-size movements, on page 74 of the
Otto Young & Co. 1903 OY Company Jewelry Catalog (below).
Your
Watch Case is
gold-filled and was made by the
Star Watch Case Co.
Your watch is a
railroad watch, one that was widely accepted into
railroad time service at the time it was built.
Unless you know that it has been properly cleaned and oiled within the last few years, you should have the watch serviced before running it very much. It may be helpful for you to read the Encyclopedia article on
Watch Service and its related links, especially the one to the
message board thread on the subject. The Encyclopedia article on
Choosing a Pocket Watch Repair Person may be useful as well.
Unfortunately, many of the links in our Encyclopedia articles were disrupted when we changed to the current version of our Message Board and its been a long process getting them all reinstated. So, if you come across a broken link, please report it
here.
Please feel free to ask about anything that isn't clear to you.
Good luck,
