Elgin Veritas 18s 23J railroad grade pocket watch

Technical characteristics

Type

Open-face railroad pocket watch

Case Maker

Philadelphia Watch Case Co

Dimensions

53mm wide x 18mm deep

Place recorded

United States

Dial Description

Double sunk white enamel Montgomery dial

Maker / attribution

Elgin National Watch Company

Winding and Setting

Stem wound / lever set

Movement Inscription

Veritas, Elgin, Ill, USA, Safety Barrel, 23 Jewels # 11673887

Movement Grade and Model

Grade 214, model 8

Design

Visible features

• Open-face yellow gold-toned case with a rounded bow and fluted crown at 12 o'clock. • White enamel Montgomery dial signed 'ELGIN' in uppercase block lettering below 12 o'clock. • Dial features bold black Arabic hour numerals and an outer track with individual minute markers numbered 1 through 60, with multiples of five highlighted in red. • Sunken subsidiary seconds dial positioned at 6 o'clock with blued steel indicator hand. • Blued steel spade hour and minute hands mounted at the center arbor.

Dial and Visual Presentation

The timepiece features a double-sunk white enamel Montgomery dial marked with bold black Arabic hour numerals and a continuous outer track numbered 1 through 60, with the five-minute markers printed in red. The dial is signed 'ELGIN' beneath the 12 o'clock marker. It is fitted with blued steel hands, including spade-form hour and minute indicators and a recessed subsidiary seconds register located at 6 o'clock. Condition issues reported by the dealer include very faint hairlines near the 5 hour numeral, a small crack in the center at the hand post, and scratching on the subsidiary seconds hand. The front bezel is fitted with a plastic replacement crystal.

Case Construction and Exterior Form

The movement is housed in an open-face, gold-plated case manufactured by the Philadelphia Watch Case Co. It is configured with a screw-off bezel and screw-off back cover, decorated in a smooth, plain polished finish. The external dimensions are listed as 53 mm in diameter by 18 mm in depth. A rounded bow and a fluted winding crown are mounted at the 12 o'clock position. The timepiece operates via stem winding and is set using a lever mechanism, though internal case markings and serial stamps are not recorded in this source.

Movement Specifications and Reporting Limitations

Details of the movement rely entirely on the dealer's transcription, as internal mechanism photographs are absent. The movement is reported as an 18-size, nickel three-quarter plate Elgin Grade 214, Model 8 featuring 23 jewels, damascening decoration, a lever escapement, a micrometer regulator, and a diamond endstone. Additional reported features include gold train wheels, raised gold jewel settings, a gold jewel setting on the barrel, and gold caps on the lever and balance. The dealer records the movement signature as 'Veritas, Elgin, Ill, USA, Safety Barrel, 23 Jewels' alongside movement serial number 11673887, describing it with several marks and scratches. Because the mechanism is unpictured, its layout, damascening pattern, and exact markings cannot be independently corroborated from the visual record.

Identification

Reference

Grade 214, Model 8

Serial number

11673887

Source note

Facts transcribed from the linked source listing or collection record. Attribution and specifications are source-reported and have not been independently authenticated.

Catalogue references

No catalogue numbers recorded. Numbers are only published once transcribed from a verified edition of a standard catalogue — they are never inferred.