I got this booklet of Illinois metal dials; it came with some books I bought.
It’s a Circular by the Illinois Watch Co. dated May 1927 and called Circular 102,
It Illustrates Size 12 metal dials numbering each design and in some cases giving a number for the figure type.
The dial types are numbered from No. 37 to No. 84, has anyone came across an earlier
circular I would love to have a copy.

Jim Carroll

Here iis some jpegs of the booklet.

Jim Carroll

Thanks for posting this! I have never seen this circular before and it is the first documentary recognition I have seen of the two basic 12-size dials. In the circular they refer to "regular 12 size" and "Autocrat" as separate dial sizes. Regular 12-size Illinois dials (enamel or metal) actually measure 10-size and fit into a recessed pillar-plate. I am assuming that the "Autocrat" refers to the slightly larger (~12-size) metal dials that were used on factory-cased watches such as the Autocrat, certain A.Lincoln and the Ball contract watches. These movements do not have a recess for the dial and also will not fit a standard 12-size case.

I discussed this in the past with Bill Meggers, and he had not been aware of the difference. The serial number records also do not differentiate these.

I would love to see the 12-size and thin-model dial pages.

Jerry,
I'll e-mail you later and post you a copy of the Booklet

Jim Carroll