Elgin 15J grade 557 wrist watch #E402472, vintage mechanical manual-wind movement, rose-toned metal dial with a matte finish, raised fancy gold Arabic style numbers and a subsidiary seconds register has some light patina around the numbers but no scratches or serious defects, slender gold steel baton style hands with pointed tips, elegant rose gold filled (RGF) & stainless steel (SS) rectangular smooth polish case with narrow bezels and stepped-down accents supporting the short, narrow classic extended lugs, distinctive domed plastic crystal has a 3-plane faceted finish, case is showing only light even wear overall however there is brass showing on the crown, measures approx. 21mm wide x 35mm lug to lug x 10mm thick (crystal included), matching RGF bracelet-style band with basket-weave style links creating the full length of each side of the band, art-deco chevron style caps finish the band lengths and buckle with a smooth polish clasp, clasp has a safety catch under the clasp to prevent accidental release, total wearable length of the watch is approx. 175mm, band links are showing only light even wear overall however there is some brass starting to show on the chevron style caps. A very distinctive and unique vintage watch from the 1940s in excellent condition!
- Year Made: 1942-1943
- Company: Elgin
- Jewels: 1315J
- Setting/Movement Type:
manual-wind
- Model/Grade: 557
- Serial #: E402472
- Movement Finish: nickel
- Dial Material: metal
- Dial Color: red/rose
- Hand Style:
baton - light
- Case Style:
rectangular
-
Case Material:
Gold Filled - Rose, Stainless Steel
- Case Details: fancy crystal
-
Case Width, without crown:
21mm (0.83 inches)
-
Case Length, lug to lug: 35mm (1.38 inches)
-
Case Thickness: 10mm (0.39 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.
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 October 26th, 2021, 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.
This watch comes complete with an appropriate, intact plastic crystal; however, on request PM Time Service can replace the current crystal on this
wrist watch for you. We offer new plastic crystals for most vintage wrist
watches; as this watch is currently offered at our
Etsy Store, please message us on Etsy when purchasing this item to request a new crystal.
Please note that the average turnaround time for all pocket watch crystal replacements will be two days from the placement of the order; wrist watches will typically also take two days, however we do not carry every model of crystal in stock and there may be a delay of up to seven business days as we order the correct item from our supplier.
Contact us with any further questions or for an estimate on any shipping delays.
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.
