Elgin 7J grade 485 wrist watch #32358630, handsome 4-OS vintage mechanical manual-wind nickel split plate movement is one of the early Elgin wrist watches that converted a ladies' sized pocket watch movement for use in a wrist watch case, mint silver-toned metal dial with a matte finish, bold black pointer-style markers and a black marked seconds register at 6 o'clock, bold blue steel whip-style hands, heavy square white base metal (WBM) chrome case with slightly flared sides, a stepped bezel accented in the center of each with geometric engraving, geometric engraving along the frame, short heavy extended lugs and a brass crown, case is showing normal even wear overall however the frame has some small sections that are showing down to the base metal, measures approx. 29mm wide x 34mm lug to lug x 11mm thick (crystal included), 16mm interior lug width (band width), matching WBM chrome bracelet-style band with open square smooth polish links accented with geometric engraving connected together with smooth polish bands with a brushed finish. An impressive early-model wrist watch from the 1930s in excellent condition!
- Year Made: 1930-1931
- Company:
Elgin
- Jewels: 217J
- Setting/Movement Type:
manual-wind
- Model/Grade: 485
- Serial #: 32358630
- Movement Finish: nickel
- Dial Material: metal
- Dial Color: silver
- Hand Style:
whip
- Case Style:
square
-
Case Material:
Base Metal - Chrome
-
Case Width, without crown:
29mm (1.14 inches)
-
Case Length, lug to lug:
34mm (1.34 inches)
-
Case Thickness:
11mm (0.43 inches)
-
Interior Lug Width:
16mm
(5/8")
-
Band Size:
6in. to 6.99in.
(measurement range includes watch length & band)
- Band Material: metal bracelet
- Crystal Material: plastic
- Condition:
Excellent
-
Gender:
Unisex
The Elgin watch company, out of Elgin, Illinois, was in business from 1864-1964, and while active, was the largest-producing American watch company, manufacturing an estimated half of all pocket watches ("dollar" watches not included). By 1956 they had produced over 55 million pocket and wrist watches.
As an additional resource, we've posted a
Serial Number Production List which includes information for Elgin serial numbers and dates of manufacture.
The NAWCC also has a
comprehensive article about the company; additional information may also be found on
Wikipedia.
You may browse all of our men's pocket watches from this manufacturer at our
Vintage Men's Elgin Pocket Watches category.
This watch is in good running condition, unless otherwise noted in the description. This means that on receipt, pending any item-specific running conditions noted in the description, you can expect the watch to be winding and setting properly and to run smoothly while keeping reasonable time. We consider "reasonable time" to meet these basic guidelines:
- Railroad Grade Watches will be keeping +/- 5 minutes per day
- Pocket and Wrist Watches with 15 or more jewels will be keeping +/- 10 minutes per day
- All key wind watches and watches with 14 or fewer jewels will be keeping +/- 15 minutes per day
The above guideline is the lowest standard in which we would ship out a watch, however in most cases, you will see much better timekeeping. Most of our watches have been in storage for many years, so if you plan on carrying/wearing them everyday, you should consider having them cleaned and oiled soon, and then once a year thereafter to keep them in top running condition. If the watches will be for occasional use or display, they should be cleaned and serviced every 3 to 5 years depending on use.
As of December 22nd, 2024, we are not offering a cleaning and service option through PM Time Service. While we do hope to offer this again in the future, we are unfortunately unable to meet customer requests for watch servicing at this time. Please note that, unless otherwise mentioned within the "Full Description" tab, this watch is being sold in good running condition and is ready to wear or carry on arrival.
Unlike modern quartz watches, most vintage watches need daily winding in order to keep the watch functioning for timekeeping. Additionally, there are a number of different ways to set the time other than simply pulling the crown away from the watch body. We are happy to provide an overview of each of the different setting types on our
"How To Use" page, where we also provide information on proper winding techniques for each style and some suggestions for the proper long term care and storage of your watch.
For your gift giving convenience, please find a consolidated overview of the information on this item, with no reference to the price, on this
printer-optimized page.
