Inside the Watch: Elgin Grade No. 390 B.W. Raymond
By A quick look between the plates of an Elgin 390 B.W. Raymond reveals the winding mechanism, mainspring barrel, and train. Conventional American pocket watch trains are composed of five wheels. The mainspring barrel, acting as the first wheel, provides the energy to the rest of the train. The center wheel carries the minute hand indicator around the dial. The third wheel acts as an intermediary between the center and fourth wheel. The fourth wheel carries the seconds hand by means of an arbor that protrudes through a small hole in the dial. And, the escape wheel works with the pallet fork, allowing the movement to release energy at a predictable rate through the escapement and balance wheel.
