Antique railroad watch

[Caleb Bogart]

Hi, all! I graduated from high school a few weeks ago, and got this from my uncle...

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[jamespowers]

Hi, all! I graduated from high school a few weeks ago, and got this from my uncle...

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You did very well. Illinois is on of the premier makers of railroad grade watches of the time. In fact, most of their offerings were simply works of art. Is it a Bunn Special?
http://www.pocketwatchrepair.com/histories/illinois.html

 

[Caleb Bogart]

You did very well. Illinois is on of the premier makers of railroad grade watches of the time. In fact, most of their offerings were simply works of art. Is it a Bunn Special?
http://www.pocketwatchrepair.com/histories/illinois.html

Yes, it is a bunn special movement, but I cant find anything on the case...it might be custom or something. 21 jewels, made around 1897

 

[jamespowers]

Yes, it is a bunn special movement, but I cant find anything on the case...it might be custom or something. 21 jewels, made around 1897

Many Bunn Specials will say so on the case but some do not. The ones that do, look like this:

They are highly collectable and collectors try to get a representative example of each model change or upgrade. I have a few but I bought them for practically nothing. What you have is definitely worth money. Around $600 is not unheard of. If it had the 60 hour movement then even more.....

 

[jamespowers]

http://youtu.be/dRIgkwRr6mI
I thought you might like to see this as it is likely how your watch looked originally.

 

[Shangas]

Caleb,

Congratulations on your graduation from high school! And what a beautiful Illinois Bunn Special railroad pocketwatch!

My Ball RR watch says "Hello!":

Inside:

 

[jamespowers]

Caleb,

Congratulations on your graduation from high school! And what a beautiful Illinois Bunn Special railroad pocketwatch!

My Ball RR watch says "Hello!":

That is a nice one too! Post your Sangamo Special next

 

[Shangas]

...my what?

 

[jamespowers]

...my what?

You know, your Sangamo Special pocketwatch. The one like this:

 

[Shangas]

Haha! I'm sure you know that I don't have one of those!!

 

[Caleb Bogart]

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Here is what my movement looks like.

 

[jamespowers]

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Here is what my movement looks like.

Yes, just like figured. Nice screwed down gold jeweled settings and all. That IS a nice gift.

 

[jamespowers]

Haha! I'm sure you know that I don't have one of those!!

I thought you had two.

 

[Shangas]

Caleb, you should be proud of what you have there! It's a stunning watch.

James, I have FIVE pocketwatches. Only one of them is a railroad watch.

I have one late-Victorian IWC.
I have one Waltham from 1899.
I have one Elgin from 1918.
I have one Ball from 1950 (the one I showed earlier).
I have one dress pocketwatch from the 1920s.

The only one I use regularly is the Ball. I used to wear the Elgin as well whenever I went overseas (easier to set to local times, not as valuable if I lose it, etc). Half of them aren't even serviced. I've wanted to have the IWC serviced for a long time, but have never gotten around to it.

 

[freakazoid]

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Here is what my movement looks like.

Very nice.
What are those cylinder things that stick out of the ring thing?

 

[Shangas]

The ring is the balance-wheel, with the hairspring in the middle. Not sure what the little nubs are.

 

[freakazoid]

The ring is the balance-wheel, with the hairspring in the middle. Not sure what the little nubs are.

Ok, so I'm assuming then that the nubs act like a flywheel and also as a balancer like wheel weights on a car. Would explain why there are extra holes. Interesting.

 

[jamespowers]

Ok, so I'm assuming then that the nubs act like a flywheel and also as a balancer like wheel weights on a car. Would explain why there are extra holes. Interesting.

The balance wheel has screws on it to adjust the balance and time it. Adding or subtracting screws is indeed like wheel weights to a car---making the balance run true.

 

[jamespowers]

James, I have FIVE pocketwatches. Only one of them is a railroad watch.

I have one late-Victorian IWC.
I have one Waltham from 1899.
I have one Elgin from 1918.
I have one Ball from 1950 (the one I showed earlier).
I have one dress pocketwatch from the 1920s.

The only one I use regularly is the Ball. I used to wear the Elgin as well whenever I went overseas (easier to set to local times, not as valuable if I lose it, etc). Half of them aren't even serviced. I've wanted to have the IWC serviced for a long time, but have never gotten around to it.

Oh, I was kidding. You don't want to knowhow many I have. Then again, I forget how many I have now.
You have a fair amount of variety there. To find out everything you wanted to know about the Elgin, go to elginwatches.org.