Hello Sterling,
Thank you for sending in your Illinois pocket watch to mearto.com for an appraisal. I will try to help you with that today.
TITLE:
Gent’s 18s, silveroid, key wound, key set, open face pocket watch, S/N 668821, grade 2, Model 1, made by the Illinois watch company of Springfield, Illinois, USA, circa 1886.
DESCRIPTION:
CASE – size 18, with 2.25” diameter silveroid case. The back cover not shown but said to be marked silveroid (made of many different white metals, e.g. zinc, tin, lead etc. all except there was no amount of silver ever included in silveroid cases) and case no. 1617328. There s a ball pendant and round bow placed at the twelve position and attached to a single Albert watch chain with key fob. (The name of this type of chain was in tribute to Price Albert the Prince Consort of Queen Victoria of England). . .
DIAL – White enameled dial with Roman hours, closed minute ring, sunken subsidiary seconds, American style steel spade hands and the upper dial marked “Illinois”. . .
Movement: size 18, full gilt plate, key wound and key set movement, made and signed by the Illinois Watch Company of Springfield, Illinois, S/N 66882, made in 1886 in a run of 70000 such movements. It is the 18 size, Grade 2, Model 1 with 11 jewels, a going barrel, coarse train, unadjusted for position and this movement is not of railroad grade. There is a bimetallic balance wheel with measure ruler on the top of the plate and engraved index regulator. Signed and numbered by the Illinois watch company. . .
Condition: case – I cannot see the exterior or interior of the back cover but is said to have normal wear and tear. Movement is in very nice condition and remains functional. The dial has a bad chip at the fifty-minute marker but no evidence of hairlines.
HISTORICAL:
Illinois Watch Company
The Illinois Watch Company (IWC) was formed by seven partners in 1869 under the name of the Illinois Springfield Watch Company. In 1879, a year they made their first nickel movement the name became the Springfield Illinois Watch Company. In 1882 they made their first mainspring in their own plant and the following year produced enamel dials for the first time. The final name change took place in 1885 when the name became the IWC. They used more names on their movements than any other company. The earliest watches bore the names of some of the original watchmaking partners on the movements and are the most valuable to collectors: e.g. Stuart, Mason, Bunn, Miller and Currier. The IWC was sold to the Hamilton Watch company in 1927. As the manufacture of watch movements developed both in quality and quantity, the American producer was quick to learn the lesson of their time, i.e. the necessity of specialization of watch movements for the use by railroad employees. The Illinois Watch Company was among the first to realize this lesson, and during the latter years of the 19th century, while not discontinuing its large output of moderate priced watches, nor abating constant effort to improve the quality of same, nevertheless sought the most highly skilled aid of workmen and inventors in producing a watch of the highest perfection. This means a watch to meet the exacting requirements of railroad service, and Illinois made a special effort in this direction by furnishing the "Sangamo" and the "Bunn", "Bunn Special", and "A. Lincoln" movements in 18 size, for the use of railroad men, so that those movements were well known wherever railroads were operated, and became the recognized standard watches for railway service.
In pristine condition the fair market value of this pocket watch would be about $165/175.
The chip on the dial reduces the value to a range of $80-$120. The retail value would be somewhat higher depending on the retailer.
I hope this has been of some help to you. Thank you again for submitting your pocket watch to mearto.
My best,
David