Recently picked this up and just got back from my watchmaker. Looks to have an original green 14k gold case and a dial, that if isn't original, has been with the watch a very long time. My first radium dial and it isn't in too bad of shape. But the 23 jewel Illini is the star here. In beautiful condition. Never thought I'd ever see one in person much less acquire one.

Here is the movement

and the dial

Congratulations. These are very scarce. Only 200 were made and only about 10 are still known to exist. See below for photos of my Illini 23j, which I purchased as a loose movement and cased in an appropriate 14k ygf case "lent" by an A. Lincoln.

Movement

Ethan, thanks for your post. Is the dial on your watch original to the watch as far as you know? I'm wondering because of the radium dial on my watch. I kind of doubt the radium dial would have been original, other than orginal as changed out in a jewelry store at the time of purchase. But, just a guess.

Michael:

Just a thought about the radium dial, which may not be worth anything.

It may depend on when your Illini was made. You know about the major problems with the radium girls who did the painting of these dials.

Offhand I do not remember when the government stepped in and put an end to the radium painting, but I'm sure that a quick web search will tell you the entire story.

BTW: Beautiful piece of work.

Marty

Michael, I haven't seen enough Illini 23s to really know what dials they originally had. I have lots of high-end Illinois 12s, 12/14s, and 13s. Some of them have dials similar to the one on the Illini. None of them have radium dials.

Here is one I picket up some time ago and it was a mess. But doesn't look too bad now. Sn 2933909

Best regards
Robert

The dust ring was bent and I replaced it.

Had a dial redone like the one in this picture.

This is what it looks like in the best case I could find to date.

With crystal off.

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