Let’s be real, old watches are *in* right now. Like, seriously in. Everyone wants a piece of history on their wrist. This vintage revival is driving up prices, and where there’s money, there’s… well, you guessed it: shady folks trying to make a quick buck with fakes.
Now, Elgin, those iconic American pocket and wristwatches, are no exception. They were pumping out some seriously cool pieces back in the day, and that historical cachet makes ’em prime targets for counterfeiters, both then and now.
So, how do you tell if that Elgin you’re eyeballing is the real deal or a total dud? Well, it ain’t always easy, let me tell ya. One thing to keep in mind is that Elgin didn’t even start casing their watches in the factory until, like, 1925! Before that, they just sold the movements to jewelers – known as “jobbers” – who’d then pop them into whatever case fit. This means you’ll see a HUGE variety of cases on Elgin movements, which makes spotting a fake even harder.
But hey, here’s something I found: in Elgin’s database for a specific model (the XXXC), most cases used a 539, while the BUSHIPS cases usually had a 647E. Now, I don’t know about you, but that’s a lot of numbers I can’t remember. But if you’re staring at a BUSHIPS case with a 539, that might be a red flag, maybe. Or maybe not. This is where things get muddy!
Another thing, you GOTTA check out the serial number. There are these cool websites that let you look up the serial number to see when the watch was made and get some info about the movement. It’s not foolproof, ’cause counterfeiters can stamp fake serial numbers, but it’s a good starting point. Also, you can look for the “dp” logo, which is a Henslee, a solid gold watch, one of Elgin’s best designs.
Honestly, I think part of the appeal of vintage watches is the hunt, the detective work. So, maybe getting fooled once or twice is part of the experience? I dunno, maybe I’m just trying to make myself feel better about that “bargain” Elgin I bought last year… *cough*
And lemme tell ya something else, the term “replica” is thrown around a lot. Sometimes people are upfront about it, but sometimes they’re trying to pass off a “replica” as the real thing. Watch out for that!
