That is some watch there, Ricky! Excellent one! (n/t)

Thank you my friend!
I had a feeling this one would tickle your fancy.

True that, brother! (n/t)

Congrats on your first Elgin! Cool little vintage. (n/t)

Still wearing it, and it's really growing on me.

I wouldn't do a thing to it...
...I used to avoid watches with "too much" patina or "wabbi" but I've come around and now believe that one should embrace vintage watches as they are, the've been around and have the War wounds to prove it. A vintage watch is not just a watch like any other, they are veterans with a story to tell and part of the story is the signs of age that they accumulate. A proper vintage should have at least some signs of age, even if just mild patina. Your Elgin has a alot of "character" and probably many stories to tell if it could talk, enjoy it just as it is and congratulations on your latest buy.

Well said! I do aspire to your philosophy, just as you state it.
And, on the whole, I believe I'm quite tolerant of a spot of wabi.

That being said, it can get to a point where I just can't hang with it. This Elgin is not quite at that place.. but you can see it from there.

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Paul J Costa
Your Elgin has..probably many stories to tell if it could talk..

I'm sure it does.

Mind you, I reckon one story might be how it sat in someone's Junk Drawer sans crystal for a good long period of time.

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Paul J Costa
..enjoy it just as it is and congratulations on your latest buy.

Bro. Paul, I surely plan to.

A unique French/American piece  (n/t)

I couldn't resist..
..googling Maîche...


..and, no surprise really, I was practically next door when I visited Le Locle last summer.

Really nice, Ricky. Congratulations. (n/t)

Vous remercier le Frère! (n/t)

Nice - I wouldn't swap dials, has good 'wabi'  (n/t)

Well.. not a priority, no. And I gotta say it..
.."The Camera Is Merciless".

To the naked eye, it's nowhere near the train wreck that it appears in hi-res photos.

More, as you say, a Pleasing Patina.

Ooh la, la! Gonna get a beret to wear with the kilt?
Neat vintage, enjoy!

It wouldn't be QUITE that fashion faux pas as is me kilt and cowboy hat, I'm thinkin'.
Thanks mate!

Nice one! Congrats  (n/t)

mate. (n/t)

Very nice score there Ricky!!! Congrats!!!! I love those older sportsmens....
Believe it or not, you may be able to find a dial for her if the Patina bothers you that much. The funny thing with these older Elgins is that parts are seemingly readily available, but, much searching is required!!! Congrats....she's a beauty!!!!

Re: Believe it or not, you may be able to find a dial for her if the Patina bothers you that much.
Ah, I can live with it.

It is on the fringes of what I find to be acceptable, though, so I'll certainly be on the lookout for a good dial. You never know!

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dano0
Congrats....she's a beauty!!!!

mate.

Congrats Ricky I love my Sportsman! ... (n/t)

Whoa! If mine looked anywhere NEAR that good I'd be over the moon! (n/t)

Looking good!  (n/t)

Thanks Bro. John. (n/t)

Bestfit says Elgin 723 = Jeambrun PS32 (n/t)

Yup, that's it alright!
Ranfft does show the Jeambrun PS32 and it looks like an exact match to me.

At first I thought it must actually be the PS31, but I just double-checked and, sure enough I mis-measured the movement diameter. It is indeed 11.5 ligne, not 10.5.

Note to self: "Next time remove the spacer ring before you measure a movement, ya big dummy!"

mate, I owe ya one...

I think I agree that it's a Swiss movement.
Really to my mind, a French-made Elgin is like a 1970's AMF Harley-Davidson. Just not quite "genuine".

Here's what an American-made movement would look like.

A more apt comparison would be an Aermacchi Harley-Davidson, made in Italy. (n/t)

It would at that. BTW, an Aermacchi-HD was my very first motorbike, at age 10.


More HERE.

I've also owned a couple of 350 Sprints...

Movement's French too, it turns out. Haven't been able to turn up a lot on Jeambrun..
But I did find this bit on The Metatechnical Cabinet:

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Christoph Lorenz
The Jeambrun..originates from France, from the village of Maîche of the departement Doubs near the northwest swiss border.

I'm actually pretty happy that my French-American watch is all French..

Re: Really to my mind, a French-made Elgin is like a 1970's AMF Harley-Davidson. Just not quite "genuine".
Got to agree.

You know, American watch companies were the vanguard of "off-shoring", when you think about it. A dubious distinction, I admit...

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Chris L
Here's what an American-made movement would look like.