Octagonal Case, Atlantic City Poker Dial, c.1921
This is a 12-size Elgin dress pocket watch from the early 1920s, housed in an eight-sided Art Deco case and fitted with a decorative playing-card dial. The movement is a genuine Elgin National Watch Co. grade 345, Model 3, with 17 jewels, serial number 24033092, which dates it to 1921. It is a clean, nickel-plated movement that winds, sets and runs well. Elgin began in Chicago in 1864 as the National Watch Company, completed its factory at Elgin, Illinois in 1866 and took the Elgin name in 1874.
The octagonal case was made by the Star Watch Case Co. of Ludington, Michigan, and is stamped with their star mark, "S.W.C.Co.", and "14KT Gold Filled 25 Years", a good-quality gold-filled case, bright and crisp, with a plain polished back. Case number 5175689. Star was founded in Elgin, Illinois in the late 1890s and had moved its works to Ludington by 1906. There are old watchmaker service initials ("VW") inside the back.
The dial is where this watch earns its character: a printed "poker" dial showing a ring of playing cards around the chapter, the queen and king of hearts at twelve, marked Elgin National Watch Co. and Atlantic City, with a sub-seconds register at six. The dial is a later decorative replacement, not Elgin factory work. It is well executed. There is a fine hairline at twelve between the queen and king, fine surface crazing, and no chips or losses.
A genuine period Elgin, a quality octagonal gold-filled case, and an eye-catching card dial, a fun, wearable novelty.
