Pocket Watches · Pocket watch
Illinois Pocket Watch
- Maker / attribution
- Unrecorded in source
- Date
- 20th century
- Historical period
- Golden Age of Mechanical Watchmaking (1900 – 1945)
- Country of origin
- United States
- Object type
- Pocket watch
- Dealer
- WatchMuseum.org shop
- Stock no.
- Product 3085
- Credit line
- Dealer listing, WatchMuseum.org shop (product 3085)
- Catalogue title (original)
- Illinois Pocket Watch (English)
View the source record (dealer listing) ↗ (opens another website in a new tab)Suggest a correction
Record summary
Catalogued by WatchMuseum.org shop (stock number Product 3085), this is a pocket watch, made in United States, dated 20th century. The Atlas places it in the Golden Age of Mechanical Watchmaking period (1900 – 1945) of its Pocket Watches collection. The record is illustrated with 4 photographs.
Assembled from the source record's structured fields. Dates and attributions are given as the source states them; where a field is missing the Atlas leaves it blank rather than estimating.
Catalogue description
Dealer description — WatchMuseum.org shop
Step back in time with the Illinois Pocket Watch, a quintessential piece from the 20th century that embodies the elegance and meticulous craftsmanship of a bygone era. This exquisite timepiece, meticulously crafted in 10k, features a manual winding mechanism, ensuring that each moment is marked with precision and care. Its 43.2mm round case, complemented by an ivory number dial, exudes a classic aesthetic that is both timeless and sophisticated. Certified as pre-owned and vintage, this watch is in excellent condition, making it a rare find for any watch enthusiast or collector. The Illinois Pocket Watch is not just a timekeeping device; it is a testament to the enduring charm of traditional watchmaking, a piece of history that you can carry with you and cherish for years to come. Add this remarkable watch to your collection today and experience the unparalleled beauty and craftsmanship that define the Illinois brand. Discover a piece of history with this handsome Illinois pocket watch, finely crafted in 10k and featuring a manual winding mechanism. Certified as pre-owned and vintage, this exceptional timepiece boasts a 43.2mm case with a round caseback and standout ivory number dial, giving it a truly classic look and feel. With its timeless design and enduring craftsmanship, this Illinois watch is a must-have for any watch enthusiast or collector. Add this exceptional piece to your collection today and appreciate the elegance and charm of traditional watchmaking for years to come. Creator: Illinois Case Shape: Round Movement: Manual Wind Case Dimensions: Width: 43.2 mm (1.71 in)Length: 24 mm (0.95 in) Period: 20th Century Date of Manufacture: Unknown Condition: Excellent
Historical context
Golden Age of Mechanical Watchmaking (1900 – 1945)
The wristwatch displaces the pocket watch; waterproof cases, self-winding and grand complications.
The pocket watch reached technical maturity and then began to give way to the wristwatch after the First World War. Complicated watches for collectors such as Henry Graves Jr. and James Ward Packard, railroad watches, and slim Art Deco dress watches are characteristic.
Read the period in the timelineMore pocket watches from this periodEarlier: Industrial Revolution
Atlas type guide
Pocket watches
The pocket watch was the dominant personal timekeeper from the late seventeenth century until the First World War. Its development tracks the history of the escapement: verge watches with fusees until the late eighteenth century; Thomas Mudge's lever escapement (c. 1755) and the cylinder escapement popularised by George Graham and later by Swiss makers; and the Swiss and English lever watches of the nineteenth century. Lépine's bar-bridge calibre and keyless winding made watches thinner and easier to use.
Industrialisation transformed the trade: American factories such as Waltham (from 1850) and Elgin produced interchangeable parts by machine, and Swiss makers responded with their own mechanisation after the 1876 Philadelphia Exhibition. By 1900 a reliable watch was affordable to millions; the finest makers continued to produce complications and precision watches.
What to look for
- The escapement: verge (crown wheel), cylinder, duplex, English or Swiss lever.
- Key winding (a square arbor in dial or back) or keyless crown winding.
- Signatures and serial numbers on the movement, dial and inside case back.
- Hallmarks, case maker's marks and gold or silver standards stamped in the case.
- Dial material: enamel, silver, gold, later printed metal.
Dating clues
- Verge watches dominate before c. 1800; cylinder watches c. 1770–1900; lever watches after c. 1820.
- Keyless winding: increasingly common after c. 1860.
- Manufacturer serial number lists exist for Waltham, Elgin, Longines, Omega, Patek Philippe and others.
General guidance written by the Atlas editors about this kind of object. It is not a statement about this particular piece; for that, rely on the source record above and on physical examination.
Read next:Verge escapementDetached lever escapementFuseeIdentification Centre
Related records
Pocket Watches · c. 1900
Pocket watch by American Waltham Watch Company, United States, c. 1900
Science Museum Group, London
Pocket Watches · c. 1900
Pocket watch by Robt. H. und Bro. Ingersoll, United States, c. 1900
German Clock Museum
Pocket Watches · 1904
Pocket watch by American Waltham Watch Company and Dennison Watch Case Co, United States, 1904
Science Museum Group, London
Pocket Watches · c. 1905
Pocket watch by Brooklyn Watch Case Co. B. W. C., United States, c. 1905
German Clock Museum
Pocket Watches · c. 1910
Pocket watch by New Haven Clock Co., United States, c. 1910
German Clock Museum
Pocket Watches · c. 1910
Pocket watch by Robt. H. und Bro. Ingersoll, United States, c. 1910
German Clock Museum
Pocket Watches · c. 1915
Pocket watch by Robt. H. und Bro. Ingersoll, United States, c. 1915
German Clock Museum
Pocket Watches · c. 1915
Pocket watch by Waltham A. W. W. Co., United States, c. 1915
German Clock Museum