1919 Elgin Trench / WW1 Watch with very rare case, 20 grams of solid sterling silver! Grade 462

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$921.00

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• Details
  Own a Piece of History: 1919 Elgin Black Star Trench Watch
  
  Some watches aren’t just tools—they are time capsules, carrying a story of craftsmanship, precision, and history. This 1919 Elgin, part of the rare Black Star series, is one such treasure.
  
  Housed in a tonneau-shaped solid sterling silver case weighing 22 grams, it’s substantial, rare, and beautifully preserved—a survivor from the formative years of the wristwatch.
  
  The Dial – A Legacy in Design
  
  The Black Star dial is the crown jewel of this watch. Designed during a pivotal era in American watchmaking, the dial reflects Elgin’s dedication to precision, elegance, and readability. Its bold, well-proportioned design made it highly legible and visually striking—a necessity for early wristwatches that were moving from pocket watches into daily wear.
  
  Collectors prize the Black Star dials not only for their rarity—produced for a short window from roughly 1917–1920—but for the story they tell: each minute marker and carefully crafted element reflects precision, innovation, and attention to detail. This dial is more than decoration; it is a symbol of an era when wristwatches were proving their value, both on and off the battlefield.
  
  Movement That Keeps the Story Alive
  
  
  The Elgin Star Dial Series: A Brilliant Moment in American Horology
  
  Between 1917 and 1920, as the First World War reshaped modern life and the wristwatch rose from novelty to necessity, the Elgin National Watch Company quietly created one of the most captivating design experiments in early American timekeeping — the Elgin Star Dial Series.
  
  This short-lived run of dials — only five known variations — has since become the stuff of legend among collectors. Each bore a distinctive star emblem beneath the “Elgin” signature, a subtle mark that set these wartime watches apart from all others. What began as a utilitarian design for soldiers in the trenches evolved into a small but defining symbol of Elgin’s ingenuity and the dawn of American wristwatch design.
  
  Production began in November 1917, when Elgin released the first white metal dial bearing the star insignia. This initial pattern was soon followed by a second white version, also in metal. These early dials were intended for clarity under duress — crisp numerals, bold hands, and the clean face that soldiers could read at a glance, even in low light.
  
  Then, in May 1918, Elgin introduced something extraordinary: the small-font black enamel “Star Dial.” Deep, glossy enamel replaced metal, and the dial’s dark tone gave the watch a striking military presence. It was beautiful, but brief. Within just three months, production ceased — not because of failure, but because the U.S. Army wanted the numerals to be larger and more legible in the field.
  
  By July 1918, Elgin answered with the large-font black enamel Star Dial, the fourth in the series and arguably the most iconic. With its strong white numerals glowing against a deep black field, it was a masterpiece of contrast, purpose, and style. It became the preferred face of American trench watches through the war’s end and into the early 1920s.
  
  Finally came the rarest of them all — the white enamel “Star Dial.” Believed to have been produced only briefly before the series concluded in mid-1920, fewer than ten authentic examples are known to exist today. It stands as a ghost of the era — proof that even in wartime, Elgin pursued beauty alongside precision.
  
  
  • Grade: 462
  
  
  • Manufacturer: Elgin, Elgin, Illinois
  
  
  • Serial Number: 21531947
  
  
  • Model: 2
  
  
  • Size: 3/0s
  
  
  • Jewels: 7
  
  
  • Movement Configuration: Hunting
  
  
  • Finish: Nickel, 3/4 Plate
  
  
  • Double Roller: Yes
  
  
  • Barrel: Going
  
  
  • Balance Type: Expansion, Ruby Balance Jewels
  
  
  • Train: Quick
  
  
  • Regulator: Plain
  
  
  • Hairspring: Breguet
  
  
  • Estimated Production Year: 1919
  
  
  • Run Quantity: 13,000
  
  
  • Grade/Model Run: 11 of 133
  
  Every time you glance at this watch, the Black Star dial connects you to a century of history, a design that guided wearers of its era and still commands admiration today.
  
  
  This watch isn’t just about keeping time—it’s about holding a story on your wrist, a piece of history that inspires, excites, and elevates any collection. Packaged with care and fully insured, it’s ready to be treasured for generations.
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