can any one check the serial # for me on this Illinois watch I will like to know total production watch serial # 1748692 its Washington Watch Co. Senate 17J Pictures are on the bottom of the post
Posts: 4395 | Location: Arizona in the USA | Registered: July 23, 2011
IHC Vice President Pitfalls Moderator IHC Life Member
posted
As Buster said, Washington Watch Co. was an Illinois private label sold by Montgomery Ward, and Senate was one of their named grades, which also included Army & Navy, Lafayette, Liberty Bell, Monroe, Mt. Vernon, and Potomac. Their highest Grade was Greenwich, with 23 diamond, ruby and Sapphire jewels, one of the highest quality watches ever made by Illinois. For more details see pages 258-259 of American Pocket Watches, Volume 2, by Meggers & Ehrhardt.
Best Regards,
Ed
Posts: 6696 | Location: Southwestern Pennsylvania, USA | Registered: April 19, 2004
photo will be posted once I have the watch restored. Thanks Ed, I do know who made it just was not sure of total production it was showing up on my end as 50 watches ever made. hers some pictures
Posts: 4395 | Location: Arizona in the USA | Registered: July 23, 2011
IHC Vice President Pitfalls Moderator IHC Life Member
posted
Nice-looking example Peter, but I think more than 50 were produced. That watch is a 16 size 17-jewel Model 4 Grade 175 hunter.
Your production run (#movement #1748651-1748700) was 50 watches, but a quick look at the movement number table reveals an earlier run of 400 hunters (movement #1746601-1747000), a later run of 100 hunters (movement #1807531-1807630) and there are others.
Some of the runs are identified in hand-written notes as Washington Watch Co. some as Plymouth Watch Co. and some (such as your run) are not marked as to PL specifics. I have a couple of Washington Watch Co. 18 size full-plate open-face Model 6 examples, a 17-jewel Senate (movement #1869260) and a 19-jewel Army & Navy (movement #1869514). They come from consecutive production runs in 1906.
Best Regards,
Ed
Posts: 6696 | Location: Southwestern Pennsylvania, USA | Registered: April 19, 2004