Elgin 21J adj. DeLuxe grade 670 wrist watch #P545289, case #68601 model 5516, vintage mechanical manual-wind nickel split plate movement with bold red ruby jewels and a brushed finish, champagne-toned metal dial with a brushed finish, raised gold Arabic numbers, a black-marked outer minute register and a black-marked seconds register has a few very small specks of discoloration but no notable scratches or damage, slender gold steel baton style hands with pointed tips, heavy yellow gold filled (YGF) rectangular case with a narrow sculpted bezel supporting a thick flat-topped plastic crystal, large angular extended lugs with sculpted details and slightly rounded edges on the back cover, case is showing light even wear with some uniform spots of discoloration where the lugs meet the frame, possibly factory defects from during the manufacturing process, and a small bit of cracking to the lower-left corner of the crystal that you see when looking at the watch from an angle, measures approx. 22mm wide x 36mm lug to lug x 9mm thick (crystal included), lightly padded, heavily textured dark brown leather strap band. This watch also comes with a nice generic red leatherette box with a white satin & white velvet interior. An impressive, high grade vintage Elgin from the 1950s in excellent+ overall condition!
- Year Made: 1952-1953
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Company:
Elgin
- Jewels: 0721J
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Setting/Movement Type:
manual-wind
- Adjustments: 1-3 positions
- Model/Grade: DeLuxe grade 670
- Serial #: P545289
- Movement Finish: nickel
- Dial Material: metal
- Dial Color: champagne
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Hand Style:
baton - light
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Case Style:
rectangular
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Case Material:
Gold Filled - Yellow
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Case Details:
model 5516
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Case Width, without crown:
22mm (0.87 inches)
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Case Length, lug to lug:
36mm (1.42 inches)
-
Case Thickness:
9mm (0.35 inches)
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Interior Lug Width:
16mm
(5/8")
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Band Size:
7in. to 7.99in.
(measurement range includes watch length & band)
- Band Material: leather strap
- Crystal Material: plastic
- Box Info: red leatherette box
-
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 4th, 2025, 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.
