Thought the members might like this one ... an Illinois, 18 size HC Bunn Special grade private-label for Wards.



Fred

Yet another watch I'll probably never see in person let alone own. Very nice Fred.

Larry

Fred,
WOW

Thanks, Fred !

...now that's nice!!!great photo too!!!...thanks!...

Realized I never put the dial photo along with this one ...



Fred

Fred,

This is a very nice watch and the photos are really great!

Just how scarce is the Illinois Display Case that this one is housed in?

Harder to find than the 16 size for sure, but they do turn up and I would guess I've seen 4 or so pass through eBay in the last year.

But the 12 size Illinois display cases may be an even tougher find yet.

Fred

Fred, Thanks for the post of the dial also. I like this one a lot. Super nice Illinois. Heh! I know I guy with a 16 size grade 179 Monty Ward Extra RR Timer Special Thin Model that would love to have an 18 size one like this one also.

Great watch Fred! Has all the bells and whistles: two tone, private label, limited production, ?gold banking pins, Chalmers regulator,the totally appropriate display case, and an absolutely wonderfully "Gothic" reminescent dial done in Roman. Of course it does have one glaring fault---it's NOT MINE!!!!

Doug, are we going to see some shots of the 16 size version from this "guy"????

Sam, Fred and others,

Here is a pix of the 16 size grade 179 Monty Ward Extra RR Timer Special Thin Model I have. I thought I posted it sometime ago. The pix is so-so. Need to take another one.

Question.....Note that mine has gold flashing on the balance staff. I wonder if that is correct? For comparison, I will post another private label 179 that Fred posted last year (hope that is OK Fred). I searched on 'grade 179'. It is a really nice thread (some great pix).

Anyhow, note the slight differences in the flashing on mine and the one Fred showed, such as mine shows flashing on the balance staff and Fred's does not. Makes me wonder if mine is proper. Anyhow, I just found this interesting.

Link to other grade 179

If I messed up the URL above, here is the pix that Fred showed of another grade 179 very similar to mine tp compare.

Link to other grade 179

If I messed up the URL above, here is the pix that Fred showed of another grade 179 very similar to mine to compare.

Hi Doug -

I love those "Special Thin Model" markings on the Wards Getty Models, and with the "Extra Railroad Timer" as well on your 179 it is definitely a great combo!

Regarding the 2-tone pattern though another area of difference you might notice is that the Harris is not gold colored in the area below the click. Not saying that yours is incorrect, just that it is a little different in certain ways than the rest I am used to.

Another point you might look at is the boundary between the nickel and gold regions. Here is a close-up on the train bridge of that of the Harris marked 179 ...



... and you can see rather than ending as a simple circle, there is instead a boundary line of nickel finish and then after this a small surrounding row of gold colored spikes (almost like the teeth on a winding wheel).

I'm not sure if all 179's I've seen originally had these "spikes", so there may well be some minor variations in the pattern. But overall I would expect all of this grade to have a clear and precise boundary between gold and nickel regions, and if I were suspicious of a watch I would definitely look for any unevenness or inconsistency in this boundary.

And one other 2-tone 179 for comparison ...

http://interstatetime.com/WatchOTM/images/Grade179/Gr179HansenMvt.jpg

Fred

Fred, wrap-it-up to go.



Frank

Fred, Thanks again for the input. Looking closer, I am suspicious that someone 'touched up' the one I have. So it will go up for sale or to another member so he can have consecutive serial numbers.

Unfortunately, it does not have the Monty Ward private label dial. One it does have is pictured. My guess all these should have a private label dial.