Acme America Atlas Solar Sun-Dial (low grade watches)
From around 1897 to 1899, Elgin made three grades of watches
that they didn't sell under their own name, or so it appears.
One was the G=177, a 6s hunter case watch, one was the G=178, an
18s hunter case watch, and the last was the G=179, an 18s open
face watch. They were all very low quality (7
jewels, unadjusted watches) and it appears that most
of them had "fake" compensated balances. That is, the
balance wheel was made to look like a bi-metallic temperature
compensating balance, but it wasn't, but they were solid brass.
What Elgin lacked in quality in these watches, they made
up for in quantity. Almost a half million of these
watches were produced. Considering the quality, it is
understandable why Elgin didn't sell these under their
own name. While these watches are by far the worst watches that Elgin produced, they were still better than the "dollar watches" that started to sell in great numbers around this time and there were better than the low end Swiss watches, which usually had cylinder escapements.
These watches were sold under the "Sun-Dial", "Atlas",
"Acme", "America" and "Solar" names. Usually these were
marked as such on both the movement and the dial.
Sometimes the movement did mention "Elgin", but not
"Elgin National Watch Co.".
I get the impression that Solar Watch Co and the Atlas
Watch Co were trying to be "real" watch companies, even
though they resold other peoples movements, much like
the Ball Watch company was a "real" watch company. It
appears that Solar sold watches made by both Elgin and
New York Standard, while Atlas sold watches made by
Elgin and United States Watch Co. Sun-Dial and Acme may
have just been names that Elgin used so they could dump
cheap junk onto the market.
| Name |
Serial Number |
Date |
Description |
Dial |
Movement |
Comment |
| Acme |
7538030 |
1897 |
18s, Gr179, Model 5, 7j |
Acme Watch Co |
Acme Watch Co |
|
| Name |
Serial Number |
Date |
Description |
Dial |
Movement |
Comment |
| America |
7235401 |
1897 |
6s, Gr177, Model 2, 7j |
Elgin |
"America" "Philadelphia U.S.A." |
|
| America |
8049217 |
1898 |
18s, Gr178, Model 2, 7j |
"America" "Philadelphia, U.S.A." |
"America" "Philadelphia, U.S.A." |
|
| America |
8784558 |
1899 |
18s, Gr178, Model 2, 7j |
"America Philadelphia U.S.A." |
"America Philadelphia U.S.A." |
|
| Name |
Serial Number |
Date |
Description |
Dial |
Movement |
Comment |
| Atlas Watch Co., Chicago Ill. |
7080584 |
1897 |
6s, Gr177, Model 2, 7j |
"Atlas Watch Co." |
"Atlas Watch Co. Chicago, U.S.A" |
|
| Atlas Watch Co., Chicago Ill. |
7083568 |
1897 |
6s, Gr177, Model 2, 7j |
"Atlas Watch Co." |
"Atlas Watch Co. Chicago, U.S.A" |
engraved "Oct. 14 '75/Love Always/Randy" |
| Atlas Watch Co., Chicago Ill. |
7085419 |
1897 |
18s, Gr178, Model 2, 7j |
"Atlas Watch Co." |
"Atlas Watch Co. Chicago, U.S.A" |
|
| Atlas Watch Co., Chicago Ill. |
7099152 |
1897 |
6s, Gr177, Model 2, 7j |
"Atlas Watch Co." |
"Atlas Watch Co. Chicago, U.S.A." |
|
| Atlas Watch Co., Chicago Ill. |
7108476 |
1897 |
6s, Gr177, Model 2, 7j |
"Atlas Watch Co." |
"Atlas Watch Co. Chicago, U.S.A." |
|
| Atlas Watch Co., Chicago Ill. |
7155903 |
1897 |
18s, Gr179, Model 5, 7j |
"Atlas Watch Co." |
"Atlas Watch Co. Chicago, U.S.A." |
|
| Atlas Watch Co., Chicago Ill. |
7156962 |
1897 |
18s, Gr179. Model 5, 7j |
"Atlas Watch Co." |
"Atlas Watch Co. Chicago, U.S.A." |
|
| Atlas Watch Co., Chicago Ill. |
7162582 |
1897 |
6s, Gr177. Model 2, 7j |
"Atlas Watch Co." |
"Atlas Watch Co. Chicago, U.S.A." |
|
| Atlas Watch Co., Chicago Ill. |
7170885 |
1897 |
18s, Gr178, Model 2, 7j |
"Atlas Watch Co." |
"Atlas Watch Co. Chicago, U.S.A." |
|
| Atlas Watch Co., Chicago Ill. |
7173700 |
1897 |
18s, Gr178, Model 2, 7j |
"Atlas Watch Co." |
"Atlas Watch Co. Chicago, U.S.A." |
|
| Atlas Watch Co., Chicago Ill. |
7185020 |
1897 |
6s, Gr177, Model 2, 7j |
"Atlas Watch Co." |
"Atlas Watch Co. Chicago, U.S.A." |
|
| Atlas Watch Co., Chicago Ill. |
7204736 |
1897 |
18s, Gr179. Model 5, 7j |
"Atlas Watch Co." |
"Atlas Watch Co. Chicago, U.S.A." |
|
| Atlas Watch Co., Chicago Ill. |
7260628 |
1897 |
18s, Gr179. Model 5, 7j |
"Atlas Watch Co." |
"Atlas Watch Co. Chicago, U.S.A." |
|
| Atlas Watch Co., Chicago Ill. |
7282720 |
1897 |
18s, Gr179. Model 5, 7j |
|
"Atlas Watch Co. Chicago, U.S.A." |
movement only; has Waltham dial |
| Atlas Watch Co., Chicago Ill. |
7285206 |
1897 |
18s, Gr179, Model 5,7j |
"Atlas Watch Co." |
"Atlas Watch Co. Chicago, U.S.A." |
damaged dial |
| Atlas Watch Co., Chicago Ill. |
7290571 |
1897 |
18s, Gr179, Model 5, 7j |
"Atlas Watch Co." |
"Atlas Watch Co. Chicago, U.S.A." |
|
| Atlas Watch Co., Chicago Ill. |
7302713 |
1897 |
18s, Gr179, Model 5, 7j |
"Atlas Watch Co." |
"Atlas Watch Co. Chicago, U.S.A." |
|
| Atlas Watch Co., Chicago Ill. |
7376271 |
1897 |
6s, Gr179. Model 2, 7j |
"Atlas Watch Co." |
"Atlas Watch Co. Chicago, U.S.A." |
|
| Atlas Watch Co., Chicago Ill. |
7382140 |
1897 |
18s, Gr178, Model 2, 7j |
"Atlas Watch Co." |
"Atlas Watch Co. Chicago, U.S.A." |
|
| Atlas Watch Co., Chicago Ill. |
7528504 |
1897 |
6s, Gr179. Model 2, 7j |
"Atlas Watch Co." |
"Atlas Watch Co. Chicago, U.S.A." |
|
| Atlas Watch Co., Chicago Ill. |
7647570 |
1898 |
6s, Gr177. Model 2, 7j |
"Atlas Watch Co." |
"Atlas Watch Co. Chicago, U.S.A." |
|
| Atlas Watch Co., Chicago Ill. |
7711618 |
1898 |
18s, Gr179, Model 5, 7j |
|
"Atlas Watch Co. Chicago, U.S.A." |
Elgin roman numeral dial |
| Atlas Watch Co., Chicago Ill. |
7804490 |
1898 |
6s, Gr177. Model 2, 7j |
"Atlas Watch Co." |
"Atlas Watch Co. Chicago, U.S.A." |
|
| Name |
Serial Number |
Date |
Description |
Dial |
Movement |
Comment |
| Solar Watch Co., Chicago Ill. |
7451734 |
1897 |
18s, Gr179, Model 5, 7j |
"Solar" |
"Solar Watch Co. Chicago" |
|
| Solar Watch Co., Chicago Ill. |
7452984 |
1897 |
18s, Gr179, Model 5, 7j |
"Solar" |
"Solar Watch Co. Chicago 1865" |
|
| Solar Watch Co., Chicago Ill. |
7593803 |
1898 |
18s, Gr178, Model 2, 7j |
"Solar" |
"Solar Watch Co. Chicago 1865" |
|
| Name |
Serial Number |
Date |
Description |
Dial |
Movement |
Comment |
| Sun-Dial |
7330445 |
1897 |
18s, Gr73, Model 5, 7j |
Sun-Dial |
Sun-Dial |
|
| Sun-Dial |
7359883 |
1897 |
18s, Gr179, Model 5, 7j |
Sun dial |
Sun-Dial |
|
| Sun-Dial |
7387837 |
1897 |
6s, Gr177, Model 2, 7j |
Sun-Dial |
Sun-Dial |
|
| Sun-Dial |
7891768 |
1898 |
18s, Gr178, Model 2, 7j |
Sun-Dial |
Sun-Dial |
|
| Sun-Dial |
7945597 |
1898 |
18s, Gr178, Model 2, 7j |
Sun-Dial |
Sun-Dial |
|
|
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