This is my 21J Sangamo Special that my great grandfather carried while he worked on the railroads. It recently got passed down to me.

I've had it serviced and it runs great.

The pictures aren't tht great, but I thought I'd share.

The serial number is 2790352. It appears to be from 1915 or 1916. It is adjusted Temp and 6 positions.

That's about all I know about this watch.

I would appreciate any comments and any more details about this if someone knows more about it than I do.

movement

movement pic2
these were taken before the watch was serviced.
It looks much better now.....

I would be honored to post all that I know about your particular Sangamo Special. Perhaps some of it you will be able to use and other parts are technical information that may or may not be of much use to you;

Sang. Spec. 21 J # 2790352

A lever~set, open face, 21 Jewel, Model 9, Sangamo Special grade.

Produced in 1915 in a run from 2790301-2791000

Adj. to Temperature, 6 positions, and isochronism. Diamond/ruby/sapphire jewels in raised gold jewel settings. Oval top & bottom pallet jewels. Gold balance screws, rounded/polished gold train wheels and gold guard pin. A true center bridge with gold lettering and furnished with a DSD.

Cap jewels on escape wheel pivots and flat capped diamond balance jewel with "screws up".

There were 2,420 like watches made with the same specifications as your watch. Today there will probably be 200-300 known surviving examples such as you have. Everything looks original to your watch with the exception of the case which is a later era case.

Hope some or all will be of use to you.

regards,
bb

Thanks BB.

It's nice to know that it fairly rare. It makes it a little more special.

Some of the terms you used are still unfamiliar to me. I've been trying to learn as much as I can, but I'm suffering from info overload. There are more details than I thought about 'just a watch'!!

I've seen the term "screws up" but I haven't really figured out what it means and whether or not it is a desirable feature.

Correct me if I am wrong, but, as I understand it, the SS open face watches were not cased at the factory. I guess that would mean that the case would be installed but the watchmaker/seller?
Would that explain why the case is of a later date?

I don't know enough about the history of the watch to know if the case had been replaced at some time. I'm not sure exactly when my great grandfather worked on the RR, but we assumed it was between 1900 and 1920.

I am also assuming the the 2,420 number covers multiple years of manufacture? It seems the run in 1915 was aroung 700 units.

The other thing I am curious about is the dial. I haven't found another dial like this one. I have seen a few with the straight "Illinois" label, but they were all 24 hour faces. It makes me wonder if this dial is correct for this watch.

I did come across a reference that said something about the Gothic face with the straight "Illinois" being phased out around 1915, but I'm not sure it that was refering to a 24 hour face or not.

Anyway, thanks for the info and your time

jla

The model 9 SS's were not factory cased and were made until 1923 in multiple runs and yours was made in the run of 700 units. They were cased individually by the jewelers as to what they had in stock or to the buyer's specifications. The case now on your watch was not available in 1915 and the case it was in in 1915 has been replaced at some point which is not uncommon over and considering that was 96 years ago.

There were several choices of dials in 1915 from Illinois for your watch and the straight line " Illinois" would be a correct choice. Yours is a numerical dial or Montgomery and adds even more overall appeal and value to your watch and was another of the choices.

The "screws up" is in reference to the balance jewel setting on the balance cock and at the time of manufacture they used the "screws up" to install the jewel setting. They later went to "screws down" which were easier to work on when required and on those you will be able to see from the back of the watch the screw heads.

One other extremely important note; Today we are all experiencing "info overload". This is a GOOD THING !!!! Perhaps now and only now will we be able to understand the truth behind ALL aspects of the many different watches...... REMEMBER THIS: Keep an open mind and debate all the new forthcoming information. If you shut someone out with their "NEW or OLD" information without debating, [perhaps because you can] , then you will be part of the problem and at some point that "new/old" info will come back and bite you as it should !!!!!!!! I for one had rather be part of the solution and not part of the problem....It's all about choices now isn't it ???

regards,
bb

Well said Buster!

Jeff, your watch is a keeper for sure! The information that you have gathered is right in line with what is available to collectors/researchers. For reference, I have been collecting data on these particular model 9 Sangamo Specials right here on IHC185. https://ihc185.infopop.cc/eve/f...81029912/m/907104411

If you have any additional questions don't hesitate to ask.

Thanks so much Carlos,

I consider you to be the "man" on the Sangamo Mod. 9's.

regards,
bb