I don’t know a lot about pocket watches and there value. As many of you know I have focused on wristwatches. I just got this one and would like some input from the Pocket watch experts. Over the years I have seen many Illinois including many private label models. I have not seen this one before. I have seen a number of grade 604s some of them being three finger bridge’s. The movement is not perfect but in reasonable condition.
I would appreciate any input and judgments.

2

3

4

5

6
I don’t know what happened to the inside of the case back. The rest of the case is very nice.

7

Some chipping at 11.00

9

The bow has some brassing.

Thank you all in advance for you input.

Hi Rich -

Since I began keeping Illinois private-label serial numbers, I have seen 17 jewel grade 604 "Texas Special" marked watches at #'s ...

3121185
3121190
3121316
3121401
3121462
3136048
3136054
3136116
3136194
3136572
3136897

... and each of watches have had a dial marked "Illinois". In the 3136001-3137000 run I do not have any other markings noted so it may be that these entire 1000 are marked "Texas Special. In the 3121001-3121700 run I have the ones noted above, but also a pair of "Stewart" marked watches at 3121502 and 3121641 so a quick guess might be that the first 500 watches of this run were marked "Texas Special". But of course as additional watches turn up from these runs the picture could change somewhat but the above is what I now have and would guess.

Your watch falls in a grade 604 run of 3081801-3082000 for which Russ Snyder's IL database does not have complete information (missing the jewel count), and I do not have any other private-label sightings from. I wouldn't be surprised though if when additional watches from this run are spotted that they are "Texas Special" marked and identical to yours.

Also I believe the dial on your watch is correct, all the "Texas Special"s I've seen have had "Illinois" marked dials and I know at least a few have been the exact same style dial as yours.

As for value I would say that most of these later mid-grade Illinois private-labels aren't that hotly pursued, but that the "Texas Special" name might have a little more appeal than some of the others. I would think to use a factory marked 17 jewel 604 as your starting point and then maybe adding $25 to $75 to this depending on just how interesting you find this "Texas Special" name.

Fred

p.s. Illinois also made a mid-grade 19 and 21 jewel 3 position watch around this time named the "Texan". I would expect this and the "Texas Special" were related and perhaps made for the same party, but I haven't seen any advertising or other evidence to confirm this.

We currently own S# 3121316 Texas Special , it's about # 3 on Fred's list, that one has a slightly different dial on it ,
however ... we have 2 Texan watches S#'s 3108922 & 3108926
grade 706 , 21 jewels , ( the Illinois book said they are yet to see a grade 706 21 jewel watch )they have the same dial as
Rich's watch .........
Does any one have any addition information / value for the Texan twins ??
Ken and Dougas Lynn