18-size Two-Tone Grade 925 Rockford

The town of Rockford is located on the Rock River in Illinois and was the perfect choice for a pocket watch factory, since three rail lines converged on the town. The company was one of the smaller ones, with the factory making fewer than a million watches in their 40-year run. This handsome 18-size piece is a lever-set 17-jewel Grade 925, one of a run of two hundred with an unusual two-tone pattern - while the vertical alternating stripe motif was common in this grade, most of the other runs were a simple zigzag. This one is circular-milled, giving the pattern the appearance of having gold flecks. It fronts a similarly uncommon #670 double-sunk Roman-numeral dial with a single light hairline by the lever behind swelled spade hands. It was just restored and is ready to be enjoyed by the next owner, cased in a heavy 20-year gold-filled Philadelphia with either an elk or a mule deer on the back. The bow is tight, the crown is sharp, and the crystal is new glass.