1918 Illinois grade 167 correct dial - Illinois Blue Book states: White glass enamel or silvered metal dial

1918 Illinois grade 167 movement serial number 5558134

1894 Illinois 18S Grade 65S PL correct dial - Source states: Double Sunk hard or glass enamel dial marked "Illinois Watch Co"

1894 Illinois 18S grade 65S movement serial number 1227502

1915 Illinois 21J Sangamo Special correct dial - Source States: Double sunk glass enamel Arabic numeral dial

1915 Illinois 21J Sangamo Special movement serial number 2790456

1927 J. Englel & Co. Baltimore Thirtieth Anniversary catalog

6 Position 60 Hour Sangamo Special correct dial

1927 J. Englel & Co. Baltimore Thirtieth Anniversary catalog

9 adjustment 6 position 60 hour Illinois Bunn Special correct dial

Lower half

1923 19J adj3p Illinois correct dial - Source States: Double sunk glass enamel dial

Note the red dot dial to distinguish this commercial grade watch, typically referred to as a Trolley Watch, from the Rail Road grade watches of the era.

Somewhere in this time frame, the seconds register also became much larger in diameter than earlier models. It will take a few examples to narrow down the transition period and which models this larger seconds section dial belong to. This example has the smaller seconds register. See the 305 further down to see an example of the larger seconds register.

movement serial number 4319257

1903 Illinois Getty Model 5 Grade 176 correct dial - Source States: Double sunk glass enamel dial

movement serial number 1678679

Illinois 4 foot dial - These dials were released in the transition era from model 5 Getty to model 6 movements. The extra foot could be cut to fit either the model 5 or the model 6 movement. This one is cut to fit a Getty model 5.

back side

1920 18S 17J adj3p grade 89 Illinois correct dial - Source states: Double sunk glass or hard enamel dial marked "Illinois Watch Co"

Movement serial number 3774915

1920 16S 17J adj Illinois grade 305 correct dial - source states: Double sunk glass enamel dial

This 305 has the much larger seconds bit... it comes almost all the way to the center hole.

Movement serial number 3757289

1922 Illinois Bunn Special model 9 21J adj6p correct dial - source states: Double sunk glass enamel or sunk seconds or silvered metal bold arabic numeral dial

movement serial number 4038924

1902 Illinois model 5 1 of 1300 grade 183 16J unadjusted, mixed hands, correct dial - source states: Double sunk glass enamel dial

movement serial number 1611397

If you like the idea of this project, please add examples of your own.

This is all about getting it right. You are not going to hurt my feelings if I've made a mistake above that needs to be corrected... or if you have additional information I can add to certain post to improve the information.

Probably best to email me direct rather than clutter the entries below with corrections... but either method is perfectly fine.

If we put the production date, Illinois, model and grade, plus the words "correct dial"... it will pop on any search for a correct dial with matching parameters.

My hope is that with enough entries... we can gather enough examples to define where the cut offs are for a few things like:
- red dot dial start and stop
- various examples of "white enamel dials" and what models they are found on
- dial options prior to the red dot dials
- script/curved/straight line Illinois signatures
- Arrows in/Arrows out/half circles/diamonds...

Some of these questions have already been answered in other post... I just need a bit of time to go find them... Things like... the straight line signature changed to a curved signature in either 1914 or 1917, depending on which post you read and believe.

I'm going to reserve the next entry space for consolidated notes that I'm able to glean from other post and comments further down in this post as it gains entries.

Happy Hunting, Paul-T

Reserved for collective notes

Link to several RR dial examples: https://ihc185.infopop.cc/eve/f...3967177/m/1333931587

This discussion figures the signature changed from straight line to curved in 1917: https://ihc185.infopop.cc/eve/f...6047761/m/9666069502

Paul, I commend your effort. Make sure that your "correct dial" designations don't imply that the dial shown is the only correct one. That generally isn't the case.

Ethan brings up an excellent point. During the pre-factory cased years... movements were purchased at or from a distributor. A jeweler, mercantile, your local inspector...

Case, dial and hand combinations could be chosen right there at the counter. Most conform to generally accepted conventions. I'm hoping that some of these will become more apparent as known examples continue to be added to this thread.

Things like, thin spade hands go with small Arabic numerals and bold spade hands go with bold Arabic numerals.

The long thin spades with a distinct waist are correct for early 18S Roman Numeral dials...

I'm hoping Buster and some others will offer up some examples of correct Gothic dial and hand combinations to help us isolate the years and models those are correct to.

The dial, hand and movement combinations demonstrated in the Blue Hampden book have been assimilated from known examples believed to be correct. These are not hard and fast rules... but more a process of data stacking.

You can email photos of watches or scans of catalogs to me for entry if you don't want to spend the time cropping them and building the narratives.

1902 Illinois Sangamo correct dial - source states: Double-sunk glass enamel Gothic style Arabic numeral dial marked "Illinois Watch Co." in Old English

Movement serial number 1451890. 1 of 1,000 total in grade. Model 4 Sangamo Getty 21RJ-HN4L-T6PI-RRG
Ruby jewels in gold settings, gold balance screws, polished gold train wheels and rounded spokes, patent regulator. Gold inlaid ribbon (second) pattern, damaskeened nickle black filled engraving.
This watch is one of a few "pink" versions within this grade.

1920 Great Northern Special, red dot, large seconds, curved signature. Source simply says: Double sunk glass enamel dial

https://ihc185.infopop.cc/eve/f...853936487#3853936487

Movement

18S Illinois Bunn - Bunn Special correct dial and movement combinations.

Compliments of the late Ed Parsons

https://ihc185.infopop.cc/eve/f...1029912/m/4753958877