Project Watches
Perfect for the novice watchmaker - an assortment of complete watches and parts movements in a range of jewel counts. Practice on one to hone your skills or restore it for a reliable carry watch.
All items are in as-is condition and there are no warrantees.
All prices include domestic shipping only.
Elgin
Model 4
18-size 7-jewel lever-set Elgin hunter appears to be an original combination in an uncommon sterling silver case with a gold-filled frame. Good mainspring and balance staff, but a messed-up hairspring. The dial has hairlines and the crystal is missing. S/N 11516638.
Elgin
Model 5
18-size 7-jewel pendant-set Grade 288 has a good balance staff and mainspring, but is overbanked. The dial has a couple of small hairlines and all three hands are actually correct. It's housed in a huge Philadelphia Silverode case and would make a great daily carry piece. S/N 13753440.
Elgin
Model 7
Original-combination 16-size 7-jewel pendant-set Grade 291 has a bad balance staff but a good mainspring. It won't go into set mode, meaning that the stem depth is likely off. The dial appears hairline-free and the crystal is glass. Excellent daily carry piece if treated right. S/N 23487275.
Illinois
Model 7
16-size 17-jewel pendant-set original-combination Illinois that would make a nice carry watch if fixed up. Good balance staff, but the mainspring is unhooked or broken. Matching hands cannot be set, so the shuttle spring is likely broken. Metal dial and glass crystal. S/N 2975535.
Rockford
Model 1
18-size key-wind 9 or 11-jewel Rockford in its original Dueber nickel-silver hinged case. The balance staff is blown but the mainspring has tension, the dial is excellent and all three hands are correct. S/N 156818.
Rockford
Model 4
16-size 17-jewel pendant-set Grade 572 sidewinder looks to be an original combination and is running fairly well but would doubtless benefit from a good cleaning. The double-sunk dial has a couple of light hairline clusters and all three hands are correct. Illinois Spartan case. S/N 733995.
Waltham
Model '83
18-size key-wind Waltham in the P S Bartlett grade with an unusual jewel count of thirteen, running fairly well but could definitely use a cleaning. The dial has a light hairline and the seconds and hour hands are wrong. Matching American Waltham coin-silver case. S/N 3295717.
Waltham
Model '99
16-size 7-jewel pendant-set Grade 610 with a good balance staff and mainspring, but the roller jewel is missing. The crown spins freely, so the stem is probably broken. Correct dial and hands and a glass crystal. The gold-filled Defiance case is fairly nice with an intact lift spring. S/N 12229728.
Waltham
Model '99
Original-combination 16-size 15-jewel pendant-set Grade 620 with a good balance staff and mainspring, but is too gummed up to run. The gold-filled case is a 25-year Fahy's with a broken lift spring and the crystal is missing. The hour and second hands are correct. S/N 11688830.
Columbus
Model 2
Private label 18-size 11-jewel Columbus hunter for Philadelphia jeweler Reynolds Brothers. Missing the setting lever and the mainspring does not build tension, but the balance staff appears good. The dial looks to be in exceptional shape and the hour hand is correct. S/N 178938.
Model 2
Early 18-size 15-jewel lever-set Model 2 Columbus hunter, running fairly well but could use a proper servicing. Gilt movement has a complete regulator and an excellent private-label dial for a C P Swanson in Jamestown, NY. S/N 35976.
Elgin
Model 3
An always-interesting male-stem 16-size hunting lever-set Model 3 in the 15-jewel Grade 2, the first hunter made by Elgin in that size. The balance staff is shot but the mainspring is good and the regulator assembly is intact. The dial appears flawless and all three hands are correct. S/N 5467236.
Model 3
18-size 15-jewel lever-set Grade 82 Elgin hunter with a blown mainspring but a good balance staff and a full set of blued hardware. The Roman numeral dial has a minor edge chip at the 12:00 position but all three hands are correct. S/N 1767261.
Model 6
16-size 17-jewel pendant-set 3FB hunting Grade 381, far too gummed up to run. It fronts a nice metal conversion dial, which allowed hunter movements to be sold as open-face, and three matching hands. The case frame is missing the bezel and rear cover. S/N 15875627.
Model 7
16-size 17-jewel pendant-set open-face Grade 159, running weakly and doubtless could use a thorough cleaning. Single-sunk dial has a tight cluster of light hairlines that should soak out and all three hands are correct. S/N 7778842.
Hampden
Model 3
16-size 7-jewel lever-set hunting Model 3 with gilt plates, too gummed up to run. All visible hardware looks to be present and correct, the dial has a light hairline at the lever, both case screws are there, and all three hands are correct. S/N 1870951.
Model 3
Fairly early 18-size 15-jewel lever-set open-face Grade 55 with a good balance staff and mainspring, but it's too gummed up to run. The upgrade regulator is in nice shape with no corrosion. S/N 356508.
Model 4
16-size 17-jewel lever-set bridge General Stark, running weakly and could certainly use a cleaning. The heavy Arabic dial is in good shape with an edge chip at the lever, the hour and minute hands are correct, and the dust band is still there. S/N 2307549.
Model 4
16-size 17-jewel lever-set Hampden hunter with a good balance staff and matching case screws but has a blown mainspring. The double-sunk Arabic dial is in nice shape. S/N 2072748.
Rockford
16-size 17-jewel lever-set open-face Grade 575 Model 2 Rockford, running weakly but could definitely use a thorough cleaning. Correct single-sunk dial with the cursive signature has several light hairlines. S/N 567364.
18-size 16-jewel lever-set two-tone hunting Model 8 with a very interesting private label marking of "Our Own". Running weakly, so it has a good staff and mainspring but the center post has been sheared off at the plate. S/N 379504.
Seth Thomas
Model 2
Rare California private label for an A J Nichols from Lompoc; in fact the only one logged at Seth Thomas Research. 18-size 15-jewel Grade 152 with a broken balance staff and the mainspring does not build tension. Excellent matching dial and all three hands are correct. S/N 60719.
Model 3
Early 11-jewel 18-size open-face lever-set Grade 55 (the M3 debuted at S/N 10901) with a good balance staff and mainspring but is too gummed up to run. Correct dial is in decent shape but the seconds bit has become detached. S/N 11648.
Model 5
Rare 15-jewel 18-size Grade 204 in the Chautauqua grade, presumably for the Chautauqua Institute in New York. Only eight have been logged and only three with matching dials. This matching fancy dial is salvageable and is only the second one logged at Seth Thomas Research. Running weakly and definitely needs servicing. S/N 221224.
Model 5
Scarce 18-size 21-jewel lever-set Grade 291 Seth Thomas with a good balance staff and mainspring but but is too gummy to run. The two-tone pattern is fairly bright and the 4th pivot is intact. The total production was 1,100 pieces in four separate runs. S/N 235768.
Trenton
16-size 7-jewel pendant-set open-face Model 3 Ingersoll-Trenton. Blown balance staff but the mainspring has tension. Distinctive blue and black Arabic dial has some mild edge chipping but the fourth pinion is intact. S/N 3266203.
Waltham
Model '94
12/14-size 15-jewel pendant-set open-face Waltham with a good staff and mainspring, but is too gummed up to run. Art-Deco metal dial and correct hour hand are still there. Add a case and you've got a great pre-WWI carry watch. S/N 13598934.
Model '99
16-size 15-jewel pendant-set Grade 620 Waltham hunter is running weakly and no doubt needs a thorough cleaning. It fronts an unusual open-face conversion dial with no seconds bit and correct hands. Add a case and you've got a great WWI-era watch. S/N 21976589.
Model '99
Open-face 16-size 17-jewel pendant-set Grade 630 is trying to run but is far too gunked up to accomplish it. The pressed Arabic dial is flawless and the dust band is still there. These make great daily carry pieces. S/N 15035217.
Model '83
One of the easiest American models to work on - the 18-size 7-jewel pendant-set Grade 1 Waltham hunter, running weakly and would no doubt benefit from a cleaning. Single-sunk Arabic dial has some light hairlines. S/N 16203290.
Restoration Highlights
One of Illinois's rarest watches was the 23-jewel Washington Lafayette. Only 190 were ever made.