Swiss Made Elgin info?
Anyone know anything about these post-American, Swiss Made Elgins? I just received this watch from my girlfriend’s family - it was her grandfather’s, and was recently found in a box of old photos. I love the horizontal fumee dial and mixed (bezel-less!) case finishing, and how obviously well-cared for it was. Gave it a wind and it started right up! The movement is an FHF 905, very clean and running strongly according to my timegrapher.
My understanding is that the stylized Elgin ‘E’ was only used post-1965, and that by 1968 American Elgin watch manufacturing had shuttered. It also seems as though this movement wasn’t produced until 1970, so I believe this to be made by whomever first bought the rights to the Elgin name after bankruptcy. The internet is really lacking information on this era of Elgin so I’m hoping the good people of Watch Crunch might have some leads. Either way, I’m honored to look after this piece of family history and will wear it for many years to come!
Welcome to my WatchCrunch profile.
What a cool gift! It’s their way of saying “You’d better be serious about this relationship with our precious little girl”. 🙄
I have never been able to find the history of Elgin between the shuttering of the South Carolina plant and the acquisition of the name by M.Z. Berger. Elgin started using Swiss movements in the 1960's even as they continued to manufacture them in the United States. Like Waltham, another messy end, watches continued to be assembled for about two years until about 1970. Again like Waltham, they spun off their equipment and machinery branch that continues until this day as Elgin Industries.
Great gift and a real icon of US watch making.
Congrats.