18-size 15-jewel Daily Carry Elgin

Unmolested watches are the best watches, because everything is factory-original. That includes the jeweling, the balance staff, the untouched balance weights, and everything under the dial. No corrosion, no stripped screws, no mismatched hands, no missing plate enamel, and no tool slips. This exceptional Elgin is triple-signed, meaning the dial, case and movement are marked Elgin, and looks to be an original example with no ghost marks on the case rim. It's an 18-size 15-jewel pendant-set Grade 317, made before the outbreak of World War I, and has just been thoroughly cleaned with a new beveled glass crystal for the next owner. The single-sunk Arabic dial is correct, snowy-white, and damage-free behind blued light spade hands. The timing came out very well, thanks to the untouched balance weights. The nickel-silver case itself is as shiny as chrome and has a railroad motif on the back with an engine under full steam pulling a tender.