1916 Illinois WWI Offset Trench Watch - 17 Jewel Solid Silverode Case, Rare Early Military Timepiece

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$857.00

• Details
  I am pleased to offer a hard to find 1916 WW1 Trench Watch by Illinois. This is not your ordinary Trench Watch. Of course would you expect anything less from me? This is a 3/0 Illinois 17 jewel power plant that was manufactured in 1916. Notice the dial orientation. This was often called a “Drivers Watch” I have carefully put this together. The case has silverode stamped on it; it is believed that Philadelphia Watch Case company made these cases. It is hard to find a 3/0 1916 Illinois movement. Illinois only made 700 17 jewel 3/0 movements in 1916, The total production run was only 9180 for the life of this movement. This was a limited production movement. I wait months to see these
  
  Note: Don’t take the offset design lightly. this watch is a catch, 3/0 size 1916 year, 17 jewel movement, exceptionally hard to find today. Offset case, it keeps adding up to a real treasure. If you are a collector, you know this is a find, you could look months and never see one.
  
  
  Illinois watches were considered the one of best mechanically in their day. Their engineering was considered to be top quality. Illinois watches are highly collectible and cherished for their horological significance, especially since their production time ran short when Hamilton acquired them.
  
  
  The dial was sent to a dial refinishing house for a complete dial and hand refinish. Notice I had the luminous material applied. they are one of the few dial restoration companies that have some of the original dial templates from that era.
  
  
  I have gently polished this case to bring back the high shine that silverode can bring out. The advantage with having a nickel case that it is slightly more durable than a sterling silver case. This case has one or two flea bites on the case, not bad considering it is 107 years young!
  
  
  Illinois Watch History:
  
  
  Of the entire true American made wrist watch manufacturers, Illinois probably attracts the most fanatical group of collectors. While the company was in business for some 60 years, it only produced wrist watches for a handful of those years toward the end of the company’s existence in the 1920s and '30s. Only about 800,000 wrist watch movements total were ever produced, and of course not all those found their way into cases. Those wrist watches are considered by many to be some of the finest wrist watches ever made in America and certainly some of the most beautiful. The Piccadilly, the Ritz, the Marquis and other models reflect the height of art deco design, which was in full swing at that time.
  
  
  History
  
  
  The Illinois Watch Company was founded on December 23, 1870, in Springfield, Illinois. John W. Bunn was one of the company’s founders. His brother, Jacob Bunn, became president in 1878. Twenty years later, Jacob Bunn Jr. took over and ran the company until his death in 1926.
  The passing of Jacob Jr. threw the company into disarray. In 1928, it was purchased by the Hamilton Watch Co., of Lancaster, Pa., which continued to operate the factory under the Illinois name and shifted the emphasis from pocket to wrist watch production. By 1932, the Great Depression forced Hamilton to close the Illinois factory, though they retained possession of the brand name.
  
  
  The Watches
  
  
  Most Illinois collectors agree there are four basic "periods" of watch production. The first period from the 1910s to the early '20s. Most of these are converted pocket watch movements. Gent's military and military-style specimens are seen, often featuring porcelain dials. Which is what I am offering!
  
  
  
  The second period -- from the early to mid 1920s -- includes movements and dials which were sold to be cased by individual jewelers. These were mostly 6/0-size movements with 6:00 or 9:00 subsidiary seconds. Some were also cased at the factory using generic cases from a variety of sources. Some of the better-known models from that latter category include the Stephen, Canby, Bennett, Cushion, and Barrel. Also, 3/0-size movements were cased at the factory in this way -- the Champion, Special, Maxine, Ronald, Pilot, Aviator, and Prince, for example.
  
  
  The case measures 30.5 MM 12 o’clock to 6 o’clock from
  
  
  The sublime oversized crown measures 6.2MM
  
  
  The band is a 12MM custom made Black Open Ended Alligator Calf with a high polished stainless steel buckle, with red leather lining
  
  
  The watch has new:
  
  
  Crystal
  
  
  Watch Band
  
  
  Complete service
  
  
  Complete case restoration, review pics
  
  
  The watch had a complete mechanical service by a Trench Watch specialist
  
  
  WW1 for those history buffs was from 28 July 1914 to 11 November 1918.
  
  
  What is a ”Trench Watch”, for those who don’t know here is a brief explanation.
  
  
  What are WW1 or Trench watches? They were created using 3/0 and 0 size pocket watch movements and installing into watch cases that were meant to worn on the wrist.
  
  
  They often have some of the following characteristics:
  
  
  Fixed or Wire Lug: No traditional spring bar attachment as found in today’s watches.
  
  
  Case Material: It or often Solid Gold / Sterling Silver (925) / Silverode or Gold Filled.
  
  
  *For more practical purposes, a special alloy was developed which went by several different names, such as, "Silveroid, Silverore, Silverode or Silverine. "Silveroid" appears to have become the standard name for this metal that consisted of 45% nickel, 54% copper and 1% manganese. This metal was fairly hard wearing and could withstand the rigors of everyday use, for instance on the Railroads.
  
  
  Case Manufactures: There were many case manufacturers that made cases for Trench Watches. Some of the more well know were: Depollier and Sons, Dennison (English Manufacturer) Illinois (not affiliated with the Illinois Watch Company) Wadsworth, Fahys, Philadelphia, Fortune and many more
  
  
  This case measures:
  
  
  31.70 from 12 o’clock to 6 o’clock
  
  
  31.50 from 3 o’clock to 9 o’clock
  
  
  Lug size is 16 MM Heavy wire lug
  
  
  Grade: 24
  
  
  Manufacturer: Illinois
  
  
  Manufacturer Location: Springfield, Illinois
  
  
  Movement Serial Number: 2964565
  
  
  Model: 3
  
  
  Estimated Production Year: 1916
  
  
  
  Run Quantity: 700
  
  
  Grade/Model Run: 9 of 20
  
  
  Grade/Model Total Production: 9,180
  
  
  Size: 3/0s
  
  
  Jewels: 17 Jewel
  
  
  Movement Configuration: Openface
  
  
  Movement Finish: Nickel
  
  
  Movement Setting: Pendant
  
  
  Plate: Bridge Plate
  
  
  Bridge Type: False
  
  
  Railroad Grade: No
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