David

Mearto specialist

Hello Pricilla, Thank you for sending in this Elgin wristwatch to mearto.com for an appraisal. I shall try to help you with that tonight. TITLE: Gent’s gold plate, stainless steel and base metal, water resistant (100ft.), Japanese quartz movement, wristwatch with date and stainless steel and gold-plated link bracelet, model EC 350, made by MZ Berger Inc. in China under the Elgin name, circa 1980s DESCRIPTION: Case: Tonneau shaped, two leaf stainless steel watch case with fluted round gold plated bezel and hooded lugs integrate with a gold plate and steel link bracelet with steel deployment clasp. The screwed on back cover is engraved “Elgin, Base metal bezel, stainless steel back, EC 350, 012, 2015”. . . Dial: Royal blue dial with shaped clear CZ (diamond like) gemstones @12 and @6, date aperture @3 and gilt batons at the remainder of the hours, luminous baton hands and center seconds pointer. Dial is signed Elgin with the rounded ‘E’ logo that was registered after the American Elgin company closed in 1968. The lower dial is marked water resistant, 100 ft. quartz and is marked at the base partially legible, “Japan” (I think, but not sure). . Movement: This is an Asian, Japanese quartz movement, timed and standardized for M.Z. Berger who made watches in China. Condition: These watches, marked Elgin had nothing to do with the American company named Elgin. That company closed its doors in 1968 and the name was sold several times over the ensuing years. The case is in good condition as is the dial and the movement is assumed genuine, original to this case and functional with a new battery. LATER HISTORY OF ELGIN WATCHES POST 1968: The company built the Elgin National Watch Company Observatory in 1910 to maintain scientifically precise times in their watches. The company produced many of the self-winding wristwatch movements made in the United States beginning with the 607 and 618 calibers (which were bumper wind) and the calibers 760 and 761 (30 and 27 jewels respectively).During World War II all civilian manufacturing was halted and the company moved into the defense industry, manufacturing military watches, chronometers, fuses for artillery shells, altimeters and other aircraft instruments and sapphire bearings used for aiming cannons. Over time a number of additional plants were operated, mostly in Elgin. However, additional plants were located in Aurora, Illinois and Lincoln, Nebraska. The original, obsolete factory in Elgin closed in 1964, after having produced half of the total number of pocket watches manufactured in the United States (dollar-type not included). The plant was razed in 1966. In 1964 the company relocated most manufacturing operations to a new plant in Blaney, a town near Columbia, South Carolina which renamed itself Elgin, South Carolina. A leased building in Elgin that housed offices as well as casing, fitting, shipping, service, and trade material departments was maintained until about 1970. All US manufacturing was discontinued in 1968, and the rights to the name "Elgin" were sold and subsequently resold multiple times over the years. The rights eventually were purchased by MZ Berger Inc., which manufactures its watches in China and distributes them outside traditional watch dealerships. Elgin-branded watches produced after 1968 have no connection to the Elgin Watch Company. Elgin Comparables: https://www.barnebys.com/realized-prices/lot/lady-s-elgin-14k-yellow-gold-wristwatch-XzBoe-9FM (sold for $75) https://www.barnebys.com/realized-prices/lot/elgin-dress-watch-men-s-wristwatch-1960s-pz-hoMy2wT (sold for $69) https://www.barnebys.com/realized-prices/lot/elgin-lady-s-dress-wristwatch-vintage-iM7VWwQ7kL (sold for $101) https://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Ladies-Elgin-Diamond-Quartz-Wrist-Watch-TwoTone-Very-Elegant-EC350-2015-/283662610076 (sold for $8.49 on Ebay) Pricing: I am sorry to tell you that these contemporary Japanese/Chinese quartz Elgin wristwatches all sell for less than $120 generally. That is because the name was purchased and that is the only relationship this wristwatch has to the old fine Elgin watch company in Illinois. I do not enjoy being the bearer of bad news but I am only the messenger here, not the cause, although I do think it is an aesthetically pleasing looking vintage watch. I think if it were offered in any modern-day auction it would bring a fair market value in the range $50-$75. Thank you for choosing mearto.com for your appraisal. My best, David