DESCRIPTION:
APW - Elgin, Lord Elgin, Grade 351, 23J, 16S, 14K gold OF recase with gold cuvette, white enamel DS dial, SW-SS, fully capped lever escapement, jeweled barrel arbor, raised gold jewel settings, gold center wheel, decorative gold disk around balance jewel, striped pattern nickel damascene, s#12718323. Gross weight of assembled watch 58.9 dwt (91.6 g). A scarce to rare top grade watch, the total production of the Lord Elgin Grade 351 appears to be approximately 550 made. Though Elgin blocked 2000 serial numbers in total for the production of this grade it seems that only a fraction of these serial ranges were completed as all examples we have observed fall within either an initial group of 500 stem-set movements (serials 12718001-12718500) or a later group of 50 lever-set movements (serials 15159001-15159050).
CONDITION:
Mvt: Running, fine-plus cosmetic mvt condition overall, bright plates with scattered fine to micro-fine scratches, some marring to escape jewel setting, some small specks of oxide to steelwork, lettering color loss to portion of "Safety Barrel" marking; dial with scattered faint outer chapter hls, tiny edge chip under bezel near 7; nearly mint hands of mismatched color, hour and minute are plum colored, seconds-hand is blue; case shows little wear, cuvette with many scattered pinprick nicks and with a fine scratch from a slipped past opening, no dents or dings; tight bow, crown shows light wear; good glass crystal.
ESTIMATE:
$1500
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$2000
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