A prized example produced by the renowned Elgin National Watch Company, one of the most important American watch manufacturers active between the mid-19th and 20th centuries.
Model 11, often identified as Grade 91, dates back to a period between 1890 and 1905. It is a large-format watch, known as “size 18,” with a manual-wind movement and a 7-jewel mechanism, crafted with great care, damascened finishes, and a screw balance, typical of the American watchmaking school of the late 19th century.

What makes this piece particularly fascinating is its refined case, signed Fahys Montauk No. 1.
Joseph Fahys was one of the most important manufacturers of pocket watch cases in the United States, and the Montauk No. 1 brand indicated high-quality gold plating, much appreciated for its durability and elegance.
This case, in addition to its robustness, stands out for its artistic craftsmanship: it is decorated with a finely engraved bucolic scene, depicting a house nestled in the woods, surrounded by floral motifs and ornamental details that add a romantic and refined touch to the piece. Inside, we find an engraving with Masonic motifs and the name of a Freemason brother.

The combination of an Elgin movement and a Fahys case was quite common at the time, but when cases featured such elaborate engravings, they were often produced in small series or even customized, thus increasing their historical and aesthetic value today.

Examples like this are highly valued by collectors today, not only for the quality of the movement but also for the uniqueness of the case decoration, which makes each piece almost a miniature work of art.

Case diameter 55 mm.