I realize this isn't a particularly rare 21 jewel Bunn Special but I'm wondering if anybody knows if the case is original to the movement? From the info I have it's a Mainliner model case but I don't know if it was offered with this movement.

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Jay

This is a mainliner STYLE case. A true mainliner case would be marked HAMILTON or HAMILTON RAILROAD MODEL.

This is a J-boss case that is frequently seen as a replacement case. Does your model have 2 cut outs for the setting lever (one at one o'clock and one at eleven)?

This is not a case that Illionis ever offered as a factory cased watch. Based on the serial #, your watch was most likely sold as a movement only and was cased by the jeweler. It could have been cased in this model case and could therefore be considered original, but there's no way to tell for sure. Absences of additional case screw marks would help confirm originality, but still not sure.

So, could be original, but not "offered by the factory" in this configuration.


Charlie

Hi Charlie,

It has one cut out.

Jay

Jay,
The only thing I might add to Charlie's excellent comments would be that a "True" Mainliner, was "only" used to factory case the Hamilton 950 Elinvar movement, beginning in 1937 and ending about 1939.

Robert