Skip to content
The Encyclopedia of Horology

Pocket watch · Hunting-cased pocket watch

Elgin Multi-Color Gold Hunting Cased Pocket Watch

Partially verified

This antique American hunting-cased pocket watch was produced by the Elgin National Watch Company around 1898. Designed as a size 6 watch, it features a case measuring approximately 40 mm in diameter, constructed from yellow, white, and rose gold. The exterior is decorated with applied leaf motifs and includes a rose gold shield-shaped cartouche intended for monograms. The reverse side of the case incorporates a central diamond. The dial is finished in a pale blue hue, featuring Roman numerals, gold-tone Louis XV-style hands, and a sunken subsidiary seconds dial. Internally, the watch is powered by a 7-jewel movement, which is marked with the company name, country of origin, and the feature of a safety pinion. The auction description reports that the movement is in fine running condition. It represents the aesthetic of late nineteenth-century American small-sized women's pocket timepieces.

Full view of the hunting-cased pocket watch with the front cover closed, showing the tri-color gold leaf decoration and shield cartouche.
Full view of the hunting-cased pocket watch with the front cover closed, showing the tri-color gold leaf decoration and shield cartouche. — Ashton-Blakey Antiques. Rights pending — permission not yet requested. Original source

Catalogue identity

Source
zamanito.com
Category
Pocket watch · Hunting-cased pocket watch
Maker / attribution
Elgin
Reference
Not recorded
Catalogue / lot identifier
Source URL identifies the listing
Source-reported date
circa 1898
Source-reported place
United States
Source-reported serial
7696154

Source-reported attribution and specifications are not independent authentication. A listing does not establish present ownership, current display, availability or permission to reproduce.

Object description

Case and Dial

The watch features a hunting-case design, manufactured in a tri-color scheme using yellow, white, and rose gold. The exterior cover is adorned with elaborate leaf and vine motifs. A shield-shaped panel of rose gold is provided for engraving. The case is finished with textured scalloped edges and a central diamond insert.

The dial is executed in a pale blue color, described in the source as 'Robin's Egg Blue'. It is detailed with gold-colored decorative borders and features Roman numerals to indicate the hours. The time is displayed via Louis XV-style hands, complemented by a subsidiary dial for seconds.

Evidence for this section
  • “قاب ساعت مزین به نقوش شاخ و برگ از طلای زرد، سفید و رزگلد است.”
  • “صفحه ساعت با رنگ آبی چشم‌نواز ملقب به تخم بلبلی (Robin's Egg Blue) اجرا شده”
  • “عقربه‌های طلایی سبک لویی پانزدهم (Louis XV) همراه با عقربه ثانیه‌شمار فرعی کامل می‌شود.”

Movement and Mechanism

The movement is a size 6 mechanism equipped with 7 jewels. The plates are decorated with a machined finish and are signed by the manufacturer. Key markings present on the bridge include the company name, the country of origin, and the inclusion of a safety pinion.

According to the report provided by the auction entity, the watch is currently in good working order. There is no information regarding the timing of the most recent maintenance service or whether any parts have been replaced during the object's history.

Evidence for this section
  • “موتور ساعت دارای ۷ سنگ قیمتی (7 Jewels) است و روی پل‌های آن عبارت Elgin Natl Watch Co. U.S.A و Safety Pinion همراه با شماره سریال به چشم می‌خورد”
  • “ساعت در وضعیت کارکرد دقیق و بسیار خوب (Fine Running Condition) قرار دارد”

Signatures and Marks

The watch displays manufacturer identification on the movement plates, confirming its origin within the Elgin National Watch Company production facility in the United States. The serial number is visible on the movement plate, alongside the technical specification of the safety pinion, which was a feature promoted for damage prevention in American pocket watches of this period.

The auction house states that their descriptions are based on the information provided by the cataloguer, and they do not independently verify the long-term operational history or the total integrity of all internal components.

Evidence for this section
  • “روی پل‌های آن عبارت Elgin Natl Watch Co. U.S.A و Safety Pinion همراه با شماره سریال به چشم می‌خورد”
  • “زمانیتو اصالت، یکپارچگی قطعات یا کارکرد بلندمدت ساعت را به‌طور مستقل تأیید نمی‌کند.”

Open research questions

  • What is the specific production date corresponding to the serial number 7696154 in the Elgin factory records?
  • Was the pale blue dial finish a standard factory option for this specific 6-size model in 1898?

Source evidence

Recorded claims and source quotations for Elgin Multi-Color Gold Hunting Cased Pocket Watch
FieldSource-reported valueSource quotation
MakerElgin“ساخته‌های شرکت آمریکایی الژین (Elgin)”
Datecirca 1898“حدود ۱۸۹۸ میلادی”
Case diameter40 mm“قطر تقریبی ۴۰ میلی‌متر”
Movement jewel count7“۷ سنگ قیمتی (7 Jewels)”
Movement markingElgin Natl Watch Co. U.S.A“Elgin Natl Watch Co. U.S.A”
Mechanism featureSafety Pinion“Safety Pinion”
Case constructionHunting Cased“ساختار درب‌دار (Hunting Cased)”
ConditionFine Running Condition“وضعیت کارکرد دقیق و بسیار خوب (Fine Running Condition)”

Visible details

  • Case decorated with tri-color gold floral and leaf applied motifs
  • Dial features a pale blue surface with Roman numerals and subsidiary seconds
  • Movement bridges stamped with manufacturer details and safety pinion mark
  • Integrated rose-gold shield cartouche on cover for personal engraving

Research qualifications

  • Full authenticity of internal components and mechanical integrity unverified
  • Specific service history and original status of dial finish unknown

Photograph identity and source facts were screened before import; rights clearance remains pending.

Consulted source

ساعت جیبی زنانه درب‌دار Elgin سه رنگ طلا حدود ۱۸۹۸

Reviewed 2026-11-02 · Record bdc98e8289

Terms in this record

Glossary explanations for terms named in this object’s record.

Other hunting-cased pocket watch records