Store 8

Watch Description

After the leadership change and subsequent renaming of the Springfield Watch Co, the decision was made to manufacture only higher-grade watches, meaning anything under 15-jewel was out, leaving the factory to concentrate on fully-jeweled watches and eventually becoming the only American watch company to offer 26-jewel watches as regular production grades. This fantastic 16-size original-combination Bunn Special was just thoroughly restored for its next steward, resetting the roller jewel and polishing the balance pivots. All of its jeweling is still present and intact, an increasingly rare thing; even the factory dust band is still there after a century of service. The correct arrows-in dial is snow-white with only a single light hairline at the 9-minute-mark behind a full set of plum spade-and-poker hands. It's housed in an unusual two-tone 25-year Philadelphia case with a yellow-gold frame and white-gold covers that shows a lifetime of service marks on the inside of the caseback, all appearing to be from the same careful watchmaker. It has a new beveled glass crystal and a blank shield. Matching lanyard and display stand included.

Watch Specs

Manufacturer - Illinois Watch Co

Serial Number - 4005785

Watch Size - 16

Watch Model - 9

Watch Grade - Bunn Special

Jewel Count - 21

Winding/Setting - Stem/Lever

Production Year - 1923

Company History

Just What Restored Means

Restoring a watch doesn't mean to make it brand new again, which isn't possible. Nobody can remove the mileage, the scratches, and the history.

What it means is complete disassembly and cleaning, and to examine every component for defects under a 30x scope. It means making sure that every gear, every screw, every spring, everything under the dial is the correct part and operating within the tolerances set at the factory all those years ago. It means timing it in all positions as close to zero error as its escapement will allow. It means making sure the dial is the proper one for a given model and that it's cleaned well and repaired if necessary. It means that all the hands are the ones that are supposed to be there and not just any ones found in a jar. It means the case is immersed in a tank and the pendant cleaned separately, that the bow and crown are right for that brand, and a new crystal.

It means a mechanical work of art you can be proud of.

Buy Back Policy

There will come a time when you want or need to sell this watch for one of several reasons. If it's going to a fellow collector or someone who will genuinely appreciate it, then that's fine. On the other hand, if you're consigning it to an auction house or selling it to your local jeweler or gold hog it will almost certainly end up on eBay in pieces with the case melted down.

Instead of the watch being parted out for the bottom feeders to pick over, we will gladly buy the watch back from you, less 10% and the cost of a COA, plus anything else needed to return the piece to the condition in which you originally bought it.

American Timekeeper

Illinois 16-size 21-jewel Bunn Special in a Two-tone Case

Watch Description

Watch Specs

Just What Restored Means

The Accessories

Leather Straps

Leather Straps

Leather Straps

Display Cases

Leather Straps

Leather Straps

Buy Back Policy

The Warranty