21-jewel Illinois Model 5 Sangamo

As the story goes, the Illinois Sangamo grade was named either for the local Indian tribe that occupied that part of Illinois or the Sangamo Electric Co, a spin-off of the watch factory that was founded in early 1899 for the purpose of manufacturing watthour meters using Ludwig Gutmann's design after the eventual choice of Westinghouse's alternating current over Edison's direct current. It eventually became one of Illinois's top grades and was the platform for several of the industry's highest-jeweled watches, including the 25-jewel Benjamin Franklin. This beautiful example has twenty-one ruby jewels in gold settings and was just thoroughly restored with a new alloy mainspring for the next proud owner. The correct snow-white dial with the Gothic signature is flawless behind matching plum hands. The 20-year gold-filled Dueber case has the lever slot in the proper 8-minute-mark position and has not been widened to accommodate the setting lever, with a blank shield on the back, a tight bow, a sharp crown, and a beveled glass crystal.