Happy New Year! This is my first post since leaving for the Holidays, and I hope everyone had a great one! I received two pocketwatches for Christmas, and wondered if anyone could give me a thumbnail background about the Burlington watch co. of Chicago? I received a 21j 12s Burlington in a gold case, and though I vaguely remember seeing them before, I never really paid much attention to them. Oh yes, the other watch was a nice transitional Illinois 18s. Needs cleaning, but interesting watch as it has the choice of key or pendant wind, and the dial has script Illinois Watch Company on the dial, in the style of the old Hamilton Watch co. practice. I don't recall ever seening that before either. Lots of new experiences and info for me this year! Regards. Mark

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Would somebody be able to point me in the right direction to find out a little history about Burlington then? Hummm? Inquiring minds still want to know. Regards. Mark

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Mark,
It sems that the Burlington Watch Co. was a trade name for a line of watches made by Illinois, you can see a bit of a comment in this link:Illinois - Burlington

Nifty "Burlington Watch Co." ad on Wayne's Elgin site!

Stu

Mark,

I doubt your Burlington is in a "gold-case" but rather a "Gold-Strata" Case. My 21-Jewel 12-size in in a traditional Burlintgton-Marked case. Inside the back it says...

"The Burlington Watch Company, Chicago USA" along with "14K Gold Strata Case GUARANTEED TO WEAR FOR 25 YEARS"

Such are "gold-filled" cases. Anything stating a guaranteed wear period is a "gold-filled" case, not a solid-gold case.

As you can see in the Burlington ad Stu found on Elgin Wayne's Site, Burlingtons were mail-order watches which along with similar Santa-Fe models were private label Illinois Watch Company brands. Since they were mail order watches, of course they were factory-cased. As you no doubt by now realize the movements are similar in many ways to regular Illinois models.

What you failed to provide was the one piece of information vital in order to look up your movement... the serial number! Same thing on the "transitional" you mentioned.

Lindell


Below, Burlington 21-Jewel 12-Size in the correct original case...

Thank you, Fearless Leader, as well as Carlos and Stu! You're sure right, I ALWAYS forget to include numbers, don't I? The transitional is on it's way to our good friend Rich Kuhn for a cleaning, but I'm carrying the Burlington at this very moment. The case is inscribed exactly as you state and show. The serial number is 3875266, and the movement is identical to your photo. As ususal, THANK YOU! You and others here are a fountain of knowledge! High regards. Mark

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NAWCC-IHC Member 163

Mark,

Your Burlington number 3875266 is a Pendant-Set Open-Faced 21-Jewel Model 3 and Grade 275 finished in 1921 for "Burlington Watch Company" by Illinois according to their records. Yours is 266th out of a run of a thousand such movements. The one I posted above is the same exact style movement finished a bit later in the same year. These 21-Jewel Burlingtons are truly high-quality watches and fine time-keepers!

Hope this information is of help to you.

Lindell

Absolutely everything I could hope to find out. Once again, thank you VERY much! Regards. Mark

NAWCC Member 157508
NAWCC-IHC Member 163