This just "fell through the cracks" on eBay. one of only 3200 made from 1905 - 1915. It is next on the home bench . . . more about it soon!

Nice find David. Love the damaskeening pattern & "Bunn" signature!

Nice catch David....I have been wanting one of those as well as a 19 jewel but just haven't freed up the funds yet.

Steve

David,

Your post reminded me. A couple of weeks ago I went to the "ending soonest" way of listing items and this was sitting there with hardly any bids on it. I searched the serial number and found it was a Special gold inlaid demaskeen and only 200 were produced like this. I ended up snatching up a bargain. Deals are out there as we can both attest to. Do you by any chance have a nice dial like this? Meggers back then listed this as $850-1000. It was made in one run of 200 and this was the sixth one.

Steve

I have this one on another 21J Sangamo which has better script. Give me a cal or e-mail how we can haggle over it.

Well, after digging up a new mainspring, this started to come together. Great Balance motion!

INteresting differnce of parts needed for winding and setting these and those that make time . . .

But it runs very well

I used an Illinois swing case which is more appropriate . . .

I know the hands are new because I put them on, but a Bunn is a Bunn is a Bu . . . . whatta beautiful dial!

Dave,

That is a magnificent looking timepiece. Well done my friend, it is stunning. You did very well.

Steve

David,

Steve said it all and I concur whole heartedly....

You are indeed a horological wizard....Please, keep them coming....

Regards,
Jerry

Nice job on a great Illinois, Dave! I have one just like it, also in a swing-ring case.It's one of my favorite watches.Love that sun ray damaskeen pattern.Those dials usually have a lot of hairlines.Were they made thinner than other Illinois dials?

I do not know if the Porcelain is any thinner. The cracks (and other malfeasances of watchmanship) seem to be caused more by carelessness than "accident". I sometimes speculate that some Watch Shops were next to the local gin mill and too often the watchmakers might be "better oiled" than the watches they were attending to.

I have removed many a dial and have never really had any problems getting them off after loosening up the dial screws. I often wonder if those are stress induced of sort. It always seems they have the usual cracks near the dial feet and would this not caused by the pressure of the screws forcing the feet in and thermal expansion working outwords on the dial. I have never encountered a situation where it required to get a screw driver in there and pry up on the dial. Has anyone reading this actually ruined a dial or heard stories of this being done. I just can't imagine it being common practice.

Steve

Steve, I have never had a problem removing a dial either....however Chris worked on one of my watches recently and he had a dickens of a time getting all the glue off under the dial, he said it was a mess....
I have often wondered about the dials that are chipped out and they do seem that more times than not tobe chipped at the dial hold down screw locations....Your analysis may be correct....

However, Dave may be correct as well as far as some of those watch repair persons may in fact be well oiled by the end of the day....

Regards,
Jerry

As far as the chips go, I can see the watch being dropped while setting the time with the bezel off and landing on the edge of the dial. I also suspect hardworking men of the time having rough hands and no fingernails using their pocket knife to extend the lever to set the time resulting with chips out at the lever. Maybe that's why you find so many pocket knives used as fobs.

Jerry, why was there glue on your dial?

Steve

I have no idea, Steve, I had just purchased the watch and had it shipped directly to him....Why is glue sometimes used to hold dials in place....I don't know....

Regards,
Jerry