Elgin pocket watch crown - sleeve needed?

[DavidADav]

Hi everyone!

I recently discovered some pocket watches while going through my grandparents old house. One is an Elgin that seems to have never (or rarely) been used (here’s a link to the movement lookup: https://pocketwatchdatabase.com/search/result/elgin/1171878). 

I serviced the watch and it is running wonderfully, however it is missing what I believe to be the case sleeve, and I’m not sure what to buy or where. I’ve scoured manuals and part sites, even reaching out to a few vendors, but with no luck. The crown is loose, but given the short screw in the case and threads in the crown, it seems a piece is missing.

I have attached pictures of where the piece should go, but am not sure what additional information would help. The case serial is 255129. 

Does anyone know what part this is, and where I might be able to find it? I don’t have a lathe and have not yet learned how to make parts on my own, so I’m on a hunt for the exact piece. 
 

Many thanks,

Dave

[clockboy]

This is the normal pocket watch sleeve/ crown assembly.

 

They do come loose and a sleeve wrench is used to tighten. However this watch seems to have another style of crown assembly such this. Someone with more experience might be able to help.

Found this pic of an Elgin.

 

 

[DavidADav]

Thanks @clockboy - that's helpful information.  Someone did suggest I modify the stem to have a notch with a lathe (making it similar to the one below), then use a longer screw.

However, the existence of the threads on the stem made me figure that can't be the right way to do it, as at some point this configuration worked in the past...here's hoping someone knows what it was!

[KarlvonKoln]

With a lot of the watches I've worked on that had stems held in by a screw through the pendant, and it was a lever-set movement (which I'll bet yours is) that was the only thing holding them in.  And years upon years of winding and setting would wear the screw shorter.

A longer screw of the same diameter and thread pitch will work, but you'll need to cut it a little long, then file it down until you get a perfect fit.  

I more often see sleeves on crown-wind, crown set movements, where the stem must slide in and out, and yet remain retained.

Edited March 20, 2021 by KarlvonKoln

[JohnR725]

You need to look at the specifications in the pocket watch database. I doubt that you had a sleeve as it's a lever set.

4 hours ago, DavidADav said:

The crown is loose, but given the short screw in the case and threads in the crown, it seems a piece is missing.

On these older watches as others have mentioned the only thing holding the crown in is a small screw that goes into the notch into the stem part that's attached to the crown.

Sometimes what happens to the's is somebody will try to pull the crown out not realizing that it's lever set and break the screw, or damage the screw. Then with nothing to hold the crown in it got lost. You may have a replacement part somebody found and realized it doesn't quite work. As it's missing the Recess in the steel part.

 

[JohnR725]

I found an example of an Elgin 17 size watch using the same arrangement. Then if you have a hunting case like this that's where the lid opens up the slot has to be big enough to allow you to Be able to push in and do that. Otherwise you get by with a much smaller slot.

[DavidADav]

Thanks all, this is very helpful! I will continue my research with these posts in mind, and report back. 
 

Dave