American 14 Carat gold Art nouveau full hunter cased watch Circa 1890

Heavy magnificently engraved watch with three lids
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A heavy American Art nouveau full hunter cased watch, made by Benjamin Wright Raymond cofounder of the Elgin National Watch Co. in Elgin, America, circa 1890. The magnificently engraved and numbered case of this watch with three lids was crafted from 14 Carat gold. The white enamel dial has black Roman hour numerals, subsidiary seconds dial with black Arabic numerals at six o’clock and especially beautiful filigree steel hands. The numbered American precision movement has an Elgin quality Raymond lever escapement and screwed chatons. Dial and movement are signed.
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Diameter: 53.5 mm
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Weight: 136 g
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Signed: Elgin National Watch Co. (dial) and  B. W. Raymond (movement)              
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Elgin National Watch Co.
The company, initially called the National Watch Co., was founded in Chicago during the Civil War by a group of investors, including Benjamin Wright Raymond, a former Chicago mayor and John C. Adams, a watchmaker from Chicago. The company quickly became one of the world’s leading watch manufacturers. Other founders of this new company were Ira G. Blake and PS Bartlett, both of whom previously worked at the American Horology Company (later renamed Waltham ) in Massachusetts.

In 1867, the company began manufacturing clocks in its new purpose built factory in Elgin, west of Chicago. Their self developed 18 size movement was equipped with a full plate and was named after the company founder Benjamin W. Raymond. In the years leading up to 1870, Elgin produced around 25.000 clocks worth around $ 600.000. At that time, the workforce consisted of about 300 men and 200 women. Until 1870 the calibers H.Z. Culver, JT Rayerson, HH Taylor, GM Wheeler and Laflin were produced. In the years that followed, new movements called WH Ferry, MD Ogden, JV Farwell and Ch. Fargo appeared. The first remontoir pocket watches followed in 1873 .

From 1874 the company was called the Elgin National Watch Co.. When TM Avery took over the company’s management in the early 1870’s, Elgin produced over 30.000 watches a year. Avery manages to increase the number of pieces to around 500.000 per year in a short time (by the late 1880’s). The company employs almost 2500 people at this time.