21-jewel 18-size Elgin Grade 349

Relatively few of Elgin's full-plate lever-set Model 7s bore a number for a grade designate, instead bearing the names of those who had much to do with the company's founding such as Howard Z Culver, Benjamin W Raymond, and George M Wheeler. In fact, Wayne Schlitt's superb Elgin website lists only nine numbered grades in total for 18-size open-faced watches, including the 21-jewel adjusted-to-five-positions No 349. This exceptional example is an entirely original piece, meaning that the movement, case and dial have been together since the very first customer walked into his local jeweler's and bought it. All twenty-one jewels are in gold settings and are still intact, an increasingly rare thing in these days, and it was just disassembled and thoroughly cleaned for its next owner. It fronts a snow-white double-sunk Arabic dial and correct blued hands, and is housed in a yellow base-metal Keystone case that was converted to display to show off this impressive movement. The bow is still tight, the crown is still fairly sharp, and NOS glass on both sides completes it. Matching lanyard and display stand included.