Worn & Wound
The Lord Elgin “Chevron” Direct Read 7775 Jump Hour: Mid-Century Watch Design at Its Peak
Never has there been a more attention-grabbing timepiece in my watch box than the Lord Elgin Direct Read 7775, commonly nicknamed the Chevron by enthusiasts. Every collector has a watch (or two, or three, or four, or five, or…) they’ve always wanted to add to their collection but can’t, for reasons like price, availability, or both. The Chevron has been near the top of my list for many years. When it was released to the public in 1957, it cost customers $79.50, the equivalent of roughly $917.67 in 2025. While fortunately not fetching that price on the market currently, a rough condition example can still set a collector back hundreds of dollars. The disheartening state of my wallet has made acquiring one infeasible and, even more so, impractical. However, when I saw a Chevron in good condition pop up on eBay for a solid price a few months ago, a good friend of mine and I worked out a deal to acquire it and finally add one to my collection (thanks again, Mike!). Now, with an example of my own, I can rest assured knowing that my years of yearning were not in vain–this watch is truly a joy to own. History and Rundown on the Direct Reading Line When my love for the Chevron model first began, very little information regarding the watch’s history was available online. Outside of the occasional blog post or auction listing, there were no published articles or deep dives available (or at least easily locatable). Research conducted for this article was sparked when I ca...
