New Addition to the Digital Archive: 1884 Illinois Watch Company Catalog
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The Illinois Watch Company distributed this small illustrated catalog in 1884 to promote its line of watch movements offered at the time.
The introduction to the catalog mentions several improvements implemented by the company, including a “new and improved style of engraving on plates, improved strong stem winding bridge, and improved method of securing the yoke cap […] new keywinding click and click-spring, improved letting down lever, improved dustring [… and] improved dials with full figured sunk seconds on all grades.”
The company also noted that “all adjusted grades are timed in positions, thereby obviating the possibility of variations of time, when carrying the watch in the pocket.” This interesting inclusion suggests watches from the Illinois Watch Company marked “adjusted” during this period were adjusted to position even if not explicitly stated elsewhere.
The catalog begins with the most prestigious movement offered by the company at the time: the No. 105, promoted as “the most elegant full plate watch on the market.” Due to the fine finishing, premium features, and limited production, the No. 105 is highly sought after by collectors.
Other grades offered in the catalog include the Stuart, No. 108, Bunn, No. 106, Miller, No. 102, Currier, No. 101, No. 4 (Railroader), No. 3, No. 1, No. 2, No. 156, No. 154, No. 152, and No. 151.
Another interesting takeaway from this 1884 is that the Illinois Watch Company advertised the No. 4 Railroader as a watch for the railroad trade. Despite only featuring 11 jewels and being unadjusted, the movement was described as “regulated down fine, specially for the railroad trade.” The end page of the catalog also draws attention to the No. 4, stating it had “been expressly modelled and manufactured for railroad purposes, where an accurate but medium priced watch is in demand.”
During this era, general railroad timekeeping standards had not been established, but most watches advertised for railroad use at the time were “fully jeweled” (15 jewels) and adjusted. For this reason, the Illinois No. 4 Railroader is not typically considered a “railroad-grade” watch.
This catalog has been digitized and is freely available for viewing online thanks to gracious supporters of the Pocket Watch Database.
I’ve had the honor of touring what remains of the Illinois Watch Factory in Springfield. I was even able to stand below the clock tower, although the original movement was switched out many years ago.