This striking black dial Lord Elgin 23-jewel wristwatch recently came in for a full mechanical watch service. Powered by the Elgin Caliber 730 movement, it features a distinctive and sophisticated design element—a free-sprung balance with a spiral hairspring, an uncommon feature in American watchmaking. Unlike traditional regulator systems, this movement is adjusted by rotating a weighted balance arm.. During servicing, the movement was completely disassembled, cleaned in a professional ultrasonic watch cleaning machine, lubricated with modern synthetic oils, and reassembled and regulated. The result is a good quality vintage watch that not only looks elegant with its crisp black dial but also performs with the precision expected from Elgin’s higher-grade models.
If you would like to initiate the repair of your vintage timepiece, be sure to visit getting started. For additional information on watches we work on please visit these pages: Vintage Rolex repair, Vintage Breitling repair, Vintage Omega repair, and Vintage Heuer repair.
Then reassembled, oiled and regulated.
Note: An observant reader pointed out that the crystal that was on this watch is not correct, as it should span the entire bezel.
History of the Lord Elgin
The Lord Elgin watch line represents the pinnacle of American watchmaking by the Elgin National Watch Company, a brand renowned for producing high-quality timepieces from the late 19th century through the mid-20th century. Introduced in the 1950s, the Lord Elgin Caliber 730 was one of the company’s finest manual-wind movements, featuring 23 jewels and a free-sprung balance with a spiral hairspring—a rare feature in American watches of the era. Known for its precision and durability, the Caliber 730 is a standout among vintage American movements and remains a favorite among collectors.