Vintage Elgin Watch Models to Modern Watches.
There are vintage wristwatches and pocket watch models. Elgin’s most significant Men’s and Women’s watches.
Here’s a list of notable Elgin watch models and series — from their early pocket watches to later wristwatch lines — organized roughly by era:
Pocket Watches (1867–1950s)
Elgin’s pocket watches were their core business for decades.
- B.W. Raymond – Premier railroad-grade watch, multiple grades (15–23 jewels).
- Father Time – High-grade railroad watch, often 21 or 23 jewels.
- Veritas – Precision line, beautifully finished, railroad-approved.
- Grade 240 / Grade 571 / Grade 572 – Late, high-grade railroad movements.
- Grade 149 / Grade 181 – Early 19th-century fine watches.
- Grade 390 / 478 / 540 – Popular railroad pocket watch grades.
- G.M. Wheeler – Mid-grade pocket watch, widely sold.
- Lady Elgin – Smaller, elegant ladies’ pocket watches.
- Convertible Grades (e.g. 91, 103) – Can be used as open-face or hunter case.
- Elgin Observatory-Adjusted Watches – Precision-tested at the Elgin Observatory.
Military Watches (WWI–WWII)
- Elgin Trench Watches – WWI wristwatches with wire lugs and radium dials.
- Elgin A-11 – WWII hack watch, known as “the Watch that Won the War.”
- Elgin Timer & Stopwatches – Produced for aviation and military use.
- Elgin GCT (Grade 581) – WWII navigation master pocket watch for pilots.
Early Wristwatches (1920s–1940s)
- Streamline – Early tonneau-shaped wristwatch.
- Driver’s Watch – Unique offset dial design for easy reading while driving.
- De Luxe – Mid-tier line with Art Deco styling.
- Sport Watch – Early rugged wristwatches.
Lord Elgin Series (1930s–1960s)
- Lord Elgin De Luxe – 21-jewel movements, higher-grade cases.
- Lord Elgin Curvex/Driver Styles – Rectangular or curved cases.
- Lord Elgin Automatic – Early self-winding models.
Durabalance & Self-Winding Watches (1950s–1960s)
- Elgin Shockmaster – Durable shock-protected line.
- Elgin Durabalance – Featuring their patented free-sprung balance wheel.
- Elgin Automatic (Grades 760/761) – In-house automatic movements.
- Elgin Thin Series – Sleek dress watches.
Electric & Transitional Watches (1957–1960s)
- Elgin Electric – Early battery-powered watch competing with Hamilton Electric.
- Elgin Electronic – Tuning fork-based models (precursors to quartz).