Men’s 1928 Elgin Dress Wristwatch

Deco-era Elgin wristwatches are always satisfying to study and offer for sale. After all, the Elgin Watch factory was the biggest watch factory in the world, with its own jeweling house, watch college, and observatory stretching across city block after city block in the little town of Elgin, Ill.

This innovative company spared no expense in finding the most talented artists and case designers to come up with a look that would set their watches apart from and, ABOVE, the rest.

Measuring 36mm lug-to-lug by 30mm wide, this gleaming Elgin is simply the cat's pajamas. Its creme toned original dial and hands are spectacular; its large, stylized numerals and outer minutes track mesmeric. And condition? Well, it looks like it came straight from a drawer where it was tucked away for decades.

Sometimes when I’m describing a piece, elements of that piece, whether they be an aura, energy or overall wrist stance speak earnestly to me. This Elgin has such an honest, positive energy about it; the type of piece that a costume designer seeks to fit the wrist of the hero of a period production. It has an intensely pleasing wrist stance – understated, crisp and a worthy representation of vintage wrist art.

The beating heart of this mechanism is a 7 ruby-jewel solid nickel movement with line damaskeening - marked "Elgin/U.S.A." — that runs, winds and sets quite well, having been completely disassembled, cleaned, oiled and timed. We've even taken the liberty of fitting the watch with a new-old stock leather strap and fetching buckle.

We’re quite pleased to offer this treasure in a red velvet-clad period presentation box, ready to be given to a most fortunate soul, indeed!