Hello Amira,
Thank you for sending in your wristwatch to mearto.com for an appraisal. I shall try to help you with that today.
TITLE:
Ladies 14k yellow gold, manually wound, wristwatch, Lady Elgin Model, S/N H137269, Calibre 650, made by the Elgin Watch Company, Elgin, Illinois, circa 1950. The watch is accompanied by a timed certification document from Elgin.
DESCRIPTION:
Case - Size 21/0, 14k yellow gold, two leaf tonneau shaped lady’s wristwatch case with canted and polished bezel and having fixed chamfered lugs at both poles, each ornamented with a gold ball and swag pattern connecting to the double black cloth rope bracelet and metal clasp. There is a thin fluted gold crown and the back cover is not shown in the photos.
Dial – A silvered tonneau shaped dial with applied gold even numbered Arabic hours, gold rondels and triangles at the odd numbered hours, railroad track bar minute marks, exaggerated at the five minute markers. There are gilt pointy baton hands. The upper dial is marked Lady Elgin in an arc with the specific logo registered on February 04, 1947, seen below, and indicating the use of the Elgin Durapower Mainspring.
Movement – Not shown but this should be the ovoid shaped split three quarter plate movement, the Grade 650, model 9, made by the Elgin Watch Company, Elgin, Illinois, serial number H137269, made in 1950 in a run of 27,000 such movements (the caliber 650 was made between 1948-1951 by Elgin), wound and set from the crown, size 21/0, exposed going barrel, quick train, plain index regulator, adjusted and made with 19 jewels. The movement is properly signed and numbered by Elgin and is assumed in working order.
Condition: Case – Appears to be in very good condition with some small patchy areas of darkening on the bezel. Dial – Very fine to excellent with couple of speckles. Movement – not seen but assumed original to this case, genuine and functional. Accompanied by the original jewelry certification and case.
HISTORY:
Elgin History:
Location: Elgin, Illinois
Years of Operation: 1864-1968
Specialty: Specialized in mass production of various quality levels.
Production Jewels: 7-23 Jewels
Production Sizes: Wide Variety
Total Production: 55,000,000+
Factory Building Status: Demolished in 1966. Shopping center now resides on the property.
The largest watch manufacturer in the United States during the pocket watch era.
COMPARABLES:
~https://www.liveauctioneers.com/item/77356987_lady-elgin-14k-gold-wristwatch (Sold in 2019 for $280)
~https://www.liveauctioneers.com/item/78603494_ladies-elgin-14k-gold-wrist-watch-with-diamonds (Sold in 2019 for $85, likely not functioning.)
~https://www.liveauctioneers.com/item/70176931_lady-elgin-14kt-white-gold-wristwatch (Sold for $80 in white gold)
~https://www.liveauctioneers.com/item/65718065_14k-white-gold-case-wrist-watch-assortment
(Sold for $225 in 2018)
PRICING:
I believe that if you offered your Lady Elgin with its original certificate and original red jewelry box for sale at auction today it would have a fair market value in the range $300-$350. Retail prices would be somewhat higher. I hope you have gained some information about this watch and its current value in today’s market.
Thank you again for using mearto.com.
My best,
David