Factory Adjustments Applied to the Elgin 18-Size “Veritas” Model 8
By Excerpt from Elgin’s 1901 “The Watch Word is Elgin: Timemakers and Timekeepers” promotional booklet, describing the factory adjustments applied to the new “Veritas” model:
“The new “Veritas” model is very carefully adjusted for all degrees of temperature between the extreme of cold and the greatest heat of the locomotive cab, as well as for isochronism and position.
The two first mentioned of these adjustments are carried on in artificially cooled and heated chambers, in each of which the watch is run for a sufficient length of time to observe its rate. If at expiration of the time of trial-run errors are noted, suitable corrections are made, and the watch is again submitted to the temperature test. Thus by alternate trials and corrections, repeated as many times as necessary, the errors arising from variations in temperature are eliminated.
The next test is for isochronism, a property of the hairspring that compels the balance wheel to perform its vibrations in equal time, regardless of whether the arcs are long or short. The balance is accordingly first caused to vibrate through its maximum arc, and the rate of the watch noted. It is then vibrated through the minimum arc, and the rate again observed. If the two rates do not agree, the hairspring is manipulated and another trial made, to be followed by as many further trials and corrections as may be necessary to bring about substantial agreement in the rates obtained under both conditions.
The watch is now ready for the final operations of position adjustment, which insures its accuracy in whatever position it may be given in the pocket or out of it. The same methods of trial and correction obtain here as in the adjustment for isochronism, except that the balance is always taking its normal arc of vibration, and the rate of the watch in each position is observed before attempting to apply a remedy for such errors as may appear.
Just prior to shipment from the factory every “Veritas” watch is closely regulated, and, unless roughly handled in transit, is ready to begin at once its career as a faithful friend and servitor.”The Watch Word is Elgin: Timemakers and Timekeepers, c.1901
The full promotional booklet introducing the Model 8 grades can be viewed in its entirety online:
https://pocketwatchdatabase.com/guide/company/elgin/catalogs/elgin-watch-co-timemakers-and-timekeepers-c.1904
