Chicago IL, 60618
Noon - Five
This Illinois 16 size open face pocket watch is simply spectacular. The 21 jewel movement is unsurpassed for this era and the "Bunn Special" iterations are some of the most desirable railroad watches ever made! The case is yellow gold-filled, measuring 50mm in diameter, by 68mm (including the sleeve and bow), by 13mm thick (including the crystal). These cases were designed to have a screw back & screw bezel, thereby preventing dust and debris from entering the movement. The user would simply unscrew the front bezel to access the lever for setting and, if he wanted to see the movement, he would unscrew the back of the case. When you take a look at the "Zoom-In" photos of the movement, you can see that it is as clean as the proverbial whistle. Our master watchmakers have it timed to within an inch of its life and it is performing like new. Make sure you notice the interesting damaskeening pattern on the plates. Pride of workmanship is everywhere on this watch. The double sunk, porcelain dial is a spectacular "Montgomery Dial" displaying red, numeral 5-minute indicators as well as all the minutes in the hour. Railroad watches were the most accurate watches of their time and they rival many mechanicals made today. This particular "Bunn Special" was made circa 1918 and was well-cared-for over the years. When you take a gander at the "Zoom-In" photos you will see what we mean... it is beautiful! The back has a personalization in very fancy script that gives it a Art Nouveau feeling. The movement is a 3/4 plate nickel killer that has gold jewel cups and a gold center wheel. It is a double roller with a micrometric regulator and is adjusted to temperature and 6 positions. It is all housed in a 10K yellow gold-filled, 20 year railroad case.
The Illinois Watch Company had its beginnings in several other incarnations, starting in December of 1870 in Springfield, Illinois. The two founders were John Whitfield Bunn and John C. Adams. They started the Springfield Watch Company by attracting several other investors, until they had amassed the princely sum of $100,000, which in those days was no small task. William B. Miller was to be their first secretary as they started production and a journey over what was to be a bumpy financial road. By 1877, after some difficulty, the company was reorganized and renamed the Illinois Springfield Watch Company and Erastus Newton Bates was chosen to lead them out of the financial difficulties they had encountered. But, by July of 1878, they were once again faced with a re-organization and the name changed, once again, to The Illinois Watch Company, the final iteration that we know today. The chief executive was Jacob Bunn Sr. (1814-1897) and he was an all-around entrepreneur with his fingers in finance, newspapers, land development, coal, banking, railroads, wholesale groceries, politics, and even the manufacture of rope. The Bunn brothers, John & Jacob, were close friends with Abraham Lincoln, whose political career was financed and managed by them. The enterprise grew steadily from this point on, under the management of the Bunn brothers. The fortunes of the company were starting to rise and, by 1880, they had over 400 employees, up from 260 in 1879 and, ultimately, 1200 at their apex. Production was up as well, from 33,285 in 1879 to 47,065 by 1880. Just ten years later, they could boast offices in New York, San Francisco, and Chicago. With the advent of The Railroad Commission, in 1893, Illinois became one of the leading forces behind the design and manufacturing of the highly accurate railroad timepieces that became world standards for precision and reliability. If you are longing for a very precise, high-grade, railroad watch then this may be the one for you. It is fully restored and warrantied for a year, for parts and labor, so that you may buy with confidence.
