Elgin Pocket Watch Serial Numbers And Value
Instructions for using our serial number look-up tables
This page contains INSTRUCTIONS for using the serial number look-up tables that are found on many of our watch company history pages. The example below uses information from the American Waltham Watch Company, but that is just an example. You should consult the serial number table for the specific brand of watch movement you are trying to date by selecting a company from the menu on the left.
The rich history of the Elgin National Watch Company (originally the National Watch Co.) began in August 1864 when a group of investors traveled to Waltham, Massachusetts, home of the Waltham Watch Company. Hoping to give their new company a jump start, the investors promised seven of Waltham Watch Company’s best watchmakers and machinists. Identifying antique pocket watches by Elgin. An Elgin pocket watch usually has two serial numbers. One is on the inner movement of the watch, and the other is on the case. The number on the inner movement tells you when the watch was made. After you learn to interpret the serial numbers, you can determine the age, type, grade, and quality of. Elgin National Watch Company Serial Number, Elgin pocket watch. Production Year Approximate date the movement of a watch is produced. Factory records differ. The watch that give them value and make your watch run so dependably. While a certain number of jewels are necessary at vital points, an increase beyond this.
Elgin Watch Value By Serial Number
Not all vintage watches can be dated using the serial number. Some American watch brands did not use a consistent series of serial numbers, but most of the big manufacturers did. Most vintage Swiss pocket watches did NOT have serial numbers and can't be dated by this method.
Elgin Pocket Watch Value Guide
Can't find YOUR exact serial number in our lookup tables?
Many watch companies made hundreds of thousands of watches, and some companies made millions of watches! It would be impractical to list the individual serial numbers of EVERY watch made... that would make some really long pages! Our serial number tables list RANGES of serial numbers. So to determine when your watch was manufactured, you will need to find where your serial number fits within the range of numbers.
Serial number look-up example:
Let's say you have a Waltham watch with serial number 21,607,210 as shown in the photo below. Note that we're using the serial number from the watch movement, not from the watch case. Looking at the table of Waltham serial numbers (see example below), you can see that number 20,900,000 was made in 1917 and 21,800,000 was made in 1918 (marked in red in the table below). Since your serial number falls between those two numbers, you know that your watch was made in 1917 or 1918.
Not sure which serial number to use?
You must use the serial number from the MOVEMENT of the watch... the working part with the wheels and gears... not the serial number from the watch case. Cases and watches were often made by different companies and each usually has its own serial number. You usually have to take the back off the watch case to see the movement serial number which may appear anywhere on the watch movement.
Use the movement serial number. Do NOT use the case serial number!
This is an example only. Your movement serial number may not be in exactly the same location as the one in the photo, but you are looking for the serial number that is on the watch mechanism itself... not the serial number on the external case.
Year | S/N |
---|---|
1852 | 50 |
1853 | 400 |
1854 | 1000 |
1855 | 2500 |
1856 | 4000 |
1857 | 6000 |
1858 | 10,000 |
1859 | 15,000 |
1860 | 20,000 |
1861 | 30,000 |
1862 | 45,000 |
1863 | 65,000 |
1864 | 110,000 |
1865 | 180,000 |
1866 | 260,000 |
1867 | 330,000 |
1868 | 410,000 |
1869 | 460,000 |
1870 | 500,000 |
1871 | 540,000 |
1872 | 590,000 |
1873 | 680,000 |
1874 | 730,000 |
1875 | 810,000 |
1876 | 910,000 |
1877 | 1,000,000 |
1878 | 1,150,000 |
1879 | 1,350,000 |
1880 | 1,500,000 |
1881 | 1,670,000 |
1882 | 1,835,000 |
1883 | 2,000,000 |
1884 | 2,350,000 |
1885 | 2,650,000 |
1886 | 3,000,000 |
1887 | 3,400,000 |
Year | S/N |
---|---|
1888 | 3,800,000 |
1889 | 4,200,000 |
1890 | 4,700,000 |
1891 | 5,200,000 |
1892 | 5,800,000 |
1893 | 6,300,000 |
1894 | 6,700,000 |
1895 | 7,100,000 |
1896 | 7,450,000 |
1897 | 8,100,000 |
1898 | 8,400,000 |
1899 | 9,000,000 |
1900 | 9,500,000 |
1901 | 10,200,000 |
1902 | 11,100,000 |
1903 | 12,100,000 |
1904 | 13,500,000 |
1905 | 14,300,000 |
1906 | 14,700,000 |
1907 | 15,500,000 |
1908 | 16,400,000 |
1909 | 17,600,000 |
1910 | 17,900,000 |
1911 | 18,100,000 |
1912 | 18,200,000 |
1913 | 18,900,000 |
1914 | 19,500,000 |
1915 | 20,000,000 |
1916 | 20,500,000 |
1917 | 20,900,000 |
1918 | 21,800,000 |
1919 | 22,500,000 |
1920 | 23,400,000 |
1921 | 23,900,000 |
1922 | 24,100,000 |
1923 | 24,300,000 |
Year | S/N |
---|---|
1924 | 24,550,000 |
1925 | 24,800,000 |
1926 | 25,200,000 |
1927 | 26,100,000 |
1928 | 26,400,000 |
1929 | 26,900,000 |
1930 | 27,100,000 |
1931 | 27,300,000 |
1932 | 27,550,000 |
1933 | 27,750,000 |
1934 | 28,100,000 |
1935 | 28,600,000 |
1936 | 29,100,000 |
1937 | 29,400,000 |
1938 | 29,750,000 |
1939 | 30,050,000 |
1940 | 30,250,000 |
1941 | 30,750,000 |
1942 | 31,050,000 |
1943 | 31,400,000 |
1944 | 31,700,000 |
1945 | 32,100,000 |
1946 | 32,350,000 |
1947 | 32,750,000 |
1948 | 33,100,000 |
1949 | 33,500,000 |
1950 | 33,560,000 |
1951 | 33,600,000 |
1952 | 33,700,000 |
1953 | 33,800,000 |
1954 | 34,100,000 |
1955 | 34,450,000 |
1956 | 34,700,000 |
1957 | 35,000,000 |
- | - |
- | - |
This is an example using the Waltham serial number table. Be sure to use the table that is specific
to YOUR brand of watch when looking up your serial number.
Elgin Watch Serial Number Dates
Be sure to use the serial number on the watch movement (the mechanism).
Do not use the serial number from the watch case.