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1897 Illinois Bunn Special 24 Jewel 14K Solid Gold 18s Open Faced Pocket Watch. The white enamel dial with black numerals, sub seconds at 6, outer minutes tracking in black & red numbers with matching blue steel hands is signed Howard, minor chips to edge of dial. The manual wind 24 jewel 18s lever railroad chronometer movement with bright spotted finish, ruby jewels, gold settings and jewelled to the barrel is working well, just serviced by us, fully signed Bunn Special Springfield, Ill. 24 Ruby Jewels Adjusted. The large 57mm 14k solid gold case with screw front & hinged movement is in nice original condition, dint at bottom, minor, case is signed F.W.C.Co 14K pat April 22D 1879. Total weight 148 grams. Dont miss this one in stunning condition, one of the best looking and high preforming movements to own. HNCO is one of the leading sellers of Pocket watches on eBay Australia, with over 100+ Pocket watches on offer. We are constantly adding to ever increasing range and have a large assortment of American Railroad Grade Pocket Watches.
American Railroad Pocket watches were amongst the highest grade watches made, having been made for the railways makes them a great choice to use every day, mainly for their durability over time. Their lower production quantities and of course their high grade movements make them also a great gift or investment.
A typical railroad's requirements for a pocket watch in the early 20th century might include: - Only American-made watches may be used (depending on availability of spare parts).
- Only open-faced dials, with the stem at 12 o’clock.
- Minimum of 17 functional jewels in the movement.
- Size 16 or 18 only.
- Maximum variation of 30 seconds (approximately 4 seconds daily) per weekly check.
- Watch adjusted to at least five positions: Face up and face down (the positions a watch might commonly take when laid on a flat surface); then crown up, crown pointing left, and crown pointing right (the positions a watch might commonly take in a pocket). Occasionally a sixth position, crown pointing down, would be included.
- Adjusted for severe temperature variance and isochronism (variance in spring tension)
- Indication of time with bold legible Arabic numerals, outer minute division, second dial, heavy hands.
- Lever used to set the time (no risk of inadvertently setting the watch to an erroneous time, when winding the watch with the stem)
- Breguet balance spring
- Micrometer adjustment regulator
- Double roller escapement
- Steel escape wheel
- Anti-magnetic protection (after the advent of diesel-electric locomotives)
The minimum requirements were raised several times as watch-making technology progressed, and the watch companies produced newer, even more reliable models. By WW2, many railroads required watches that were of a much higher grade (as many as 23 jewels, for example) than those made to comply with the original 1891 standard.
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