Internet Horology Club 185
1881 Illinois Stuart 14K box HC 15J-HG2L-TI-RRG

This topic can be found at:
https://ihc185.infopop.cc/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/1086047761/m/4503939087

December 11, 2013, 17:00
Paul D. Trombley
1881 Illinois Stuart 14K box HC 15J-HG2L-TI-RRG
OK, so there I was, making my rounds of a couple local pawn shops... and I finally caught the owner in... and he says, If you like those, you might be interested in this one I have in the back. It was on pawn, but the owner now wants to sell it and I don't know how to value the appraisal for the seller.

S/N 51886

Then I try to run the numbers in the book and it just gets more confusing.

If I had to guess, I say this watch has the abbott conversion in that, I was able to wind the watch at the stem... and noticed it still has the key wind features. What I did not do was check the setting of the hands... Looking at the picture, there is no square stem for a key set... and I don't recall a lever cut out in the bezel.

Did the Abbotts conversion accomplish both?

Anyway... here are some quickie photos...

Ball park value?

Anyone interested at the right price?

Sorry, I totally spaced taking any outside case photos... but it is near perfect with nice art work.


December 11, 2013, 17:00
Paul D. Trombley
Dial




Engraved OF
December 11, 2013, 17:01
Paul D. Trombley
Serial number


December 11, 2013, 17:01
Paul D. Trombley
Case Mark


December 11, 2013, 17:06
Jon Hart
Sure, who would not be?

Box hinge 14k solid 1200-1500 in just gold (ballpark) - of course depending on weight

Guessing pendant/kw movement (transition) - 15j

If the movement is stamped "adjusted" - books as a 1 star

Big Grin
December 11, 2013, 17:11
Paul D. Trombley
You funny guy Jon...

Might help if I could give this guy a ball park number to work with.

What information would a potential buyer need to make and offer?

Better pics, more specifics on the wind set? Want me to take my timing machine in and give it an EKG?

I'm so glad I'm back with y'all... I love feeling like a rookie.
December 11, 2013, 17:15
Jon Hart
Honestly - Paul

Weight of the entire watch in grams (important)

Condition of case - crisp? dings? (important)

Dial - hairlines? chips?

Movement - tool marks?

From your basic pictures the movement looks pretty nice, only detect 1 set of case screw marks

Buy it, I'll have pay pal on the way Big Grin

What did he let the owner borrow against it? 500, 1k,???
December 11, 2013, 17:46
Paul D. Trombley
$400.00, But the owner will not let it go for that, he is asking the pawn store owner to make him an offer to buy it.

So, purveyor needs to know what he can get so he can make an offer to the owner.

Unless we can show the owner there is something wrong with the watch... say, it would have been worth this much, but because of this, this and this... it's only...
December 11, 2013, 18:08
Eugene Buffard
If you get the total weight , case,movement just as it is. Then it can be decided how much gold is in the case. Not a perfect science. As for as the movement goes. I can read Adjusted on the Balance cock. $80. to $120 for the Movement. I think Jon is on the right track. can't make any kind of assessment with out the weight.