Description

Folks we have a special offering for your consideration in this Illinois Pocket Watch Railroad Grade 187 circa 1901: truly the classic Lever Set Railroad Pocket Watch. The Illinois Grade 187 is rare and highly desired. These high grade 17 Jewel Pocket Watches were accepted by the railroads and this was used on the rails with “Railroad Watch Inspectors” marks on the inside back cover. This rare Grade 187 has the early 3 Finger Movement with the desired antique Sunburst damasking patterned movement. Illinois Pocket Watches are of the highest grade pocket watches manufactured. This Illinois Grade 187 is a size 16 measuring 2 inches in diameter, the most popular of sizes and still rare in 1901, most were a larger size 18. This classic Illinois Pocket Watch has the most desired configurations with the Grade 187 Movement, Double Sunk Montgomery Dial, classic Yellow Gold Fill Railroad Case highlighted with the Illinois heat treated Purple Spade/Whip Railroad Hands. This Grade 187 was again used on rails and does show years of appreciation. I so hope the pictures and extreme magnification help tell the story of this Illinois Railroad Grade 187 Pocket Watch.

This Illinois Pocket Watch is faced with one of the most popular of railroad dials, this Illinois Double Sunk Montgomery Dial. The Montgomery design has every minute maker in Arabic numerals around the outer circumference and every 5-minute marker highlighted in red, the height of functionality with little room left for error in timekeeping. Then we have a sunken center chapter for the Illinois Logo with a recessed sub chapter for the second hand. These fine dials are made using three Copper plates soldered together, then coated with many layers of baked silica for the rich glass/porcelain finish. This dial does show the years of appreciation with crazing in many places. This pocket watch still shows very well and is sure to be appreciated for generations to come.

This Illinois Grade 187 Movement is of the highest of grade movements and is rare with only 3,750 in total over 15 years. The antique Sunburst damasking and the 3 Figure Bridge Movement makes for a very desirable pocket watch. The movement is an excellent timekeeper showing only minor oxidation on the Mainspring Barrel. The total Grade 187 manufactured was again only 3,750 from 1898 thru 1901 for 2000 timepieces then from 1910 thru 1913 another 1,750 timepieces ending this limited production of the Grade 187. The Grade 187 was truly manufactured to the highest of standards with the beautiful damasked nickel plates and no reckless jewelers tool marks or abuse to the movement. The Grade 187 is lever set and stem wound with 17 fine Ruby Jewels and adjusted to 5 positions. The movement is also adjusted to heat and cold with a high-grade regulator, gold balance weights, raised gold jewel settings, gold center wheel and train with a steel escapement. This finest of pocket watches manufactured and is an excellent timekeeper, truly the scientific instrument of it day.

This is another excellent example of the late 19th early 20th Century ingenuity that made the American Pocket Watch a worldwide standard for accuracy and beauty in timekeeping.

All Antique Pocket Watches are cleaned, oiled and adjusted for accuracy and warranted for one full year from the date of purchase.