Can you help please?

[UKJohn]

Hi all, 

I’ve just joined the forum, my name is John and I’m from the UK but I reside in Dubai. 

I can see from the forums, everyone seems very helpful, so I’m hoping someone can assist me with a new project I have. 

I’ve spent many years repairing and servicing my own collection of watches (pocket & wrist) These are mainly Swiss or UK in original origin, however, a friend of mine recently asked me to look at a watch that belongs to his family and see if I can help him to get it working. It’s an Elgin, it’s a beautiful pocket watch but I don’t have much experience of them. It’s a calibre 451 in a gold case dating back to 1921. At first inspection, it looks like it needs a clean and someone has previously removed the balance bridge and not reinstalled it properly (impulse jewel isn’t aligned I think) but before I can fully ascertain what’s wrong, I need to remove the mechanism. This is where my problems begin. It’s a hinged back lid. I’ve inspected it under a microscope and I can’t see any marks to the case showing how the front should be removed. I’m not sure if it’s a screw fit or friction fit and I don’t want to assume anything as it belongs to a good friend. 

Can anyone help please. I’ve attached a couple of pictures for reference. 

 

[Nucejoe]

Welcome to WRT forum John.

The case might be two halves that you turn to close/ open. 

 

 

[watchweasol]

Hello and welcome to the forum,  The likelyhood of it being screwed from that era is questionable but not impossible. can you post some pictures of the side view of the watch for reference, also if you can open the back there should be a number, if so have a look on the pocketwatchdatabase. you may gather a bit more information.

[KarlvonKoln]

Could you please post a picture of the inside of the back cover; I would like to know if it is a case made by Crescent.  I have encountered a couple 1920-era cases that were hinge-back & screw-bezel, and I believe they were made by Crescent.

Addendum: if you have not found a lip or a depression by the bexel to indicate that it would snap on or off, then I would first try to unscrew it by hand.  That is the safest thing to try.

Edited October 2, 2021 by KarlvonKoln

[UKJohn]

Thank you all for the responses. What mad me question if it was a screw fit was the absence of almost any case markings from previous attempts to open it. 

I’ve attached a couple more pictures for the case, just in case this helps a little. 

[KarlvonKoln]

Hmmm.  Well, it isn't a Crescent case.  But I'd lay good odds that it's a screw bezel.

And if I'm wrong and it does not unscrew, then it's a snap.  But I wouldn't try prying with a case knife *first*.

[UKJohn]

Thanks for the feedback, it’s my thinking also but it doesn’t seem to want to budge. I don’t want to be aggressive with it as I don’t want to damage it. 

[Michael1962]

Welcome to the forum John.

It looks very much like some watches are like on of those Japanese puzzle boxes. No discernible way to get it open, but you know that it has to.