Illinois Watch Information

[testguy]

I am giving these watches as Christmas presents, and would like to provide as much information as possible.
Watch #1 Illinois , Serial 2423779, 18 size, 17 jewel, adjusted with a Canadian 24 hour railroad dial.
Watch #2 Illinois/Plymouth, Serial 1912269, 16 size, 17 jewel adjusted.
Thanks for your help.
Brian

[testguy]

I am giving these watches as Christmas presents, and would like to provide as much information as possible.
Watch #1 Illinois , Serial 2423779, 18 size, 17 jewel, adjusted with a Canadian 24 hour railroad dial.
Watch #2 Illinois/Plymouth, Serial 1912269, 16 size, 17 jewel adjusted.
Thanks for your help.
Brian

[Kent]

Hi Brian:

Welcome to the NAWCC Pocket Watch Message Board!

According to information in Russell W Snyder's Illinois Data Base CD (http://nawcc-mb.infopop.cc/eve/ubb.x/a/tpc/f/4316035461/m/2401056421/r/8541060521#8541060521), serial number 2423779 is an Illinois grade No. 89, built in about 1912. You can see a description of the movement, and where it fit into Illinois' line, on page S2 of the 1917 Oskamp-Nolting Catalog at:
www.elginwatches.com/scans/sales_catalogs/1917_Oskamp-Nolting/m_index.html

To view, go to the Elgin Watch Collectors Site Home Page at elginwatches.com, then copy and paste the address in your browser's address bar and click on 'Go'.

Serial number 1912269 is a grade No. 175, built in about 1906.

[testguy]

Kent,
Thank you for your quick response. Was either of these watches in railroad service? Also, is the grade no. 175 properly referred to as a "Getty"?
Thanks
Brian

[Kent]

Brian:

Neither of these watches met the requirements for railroad time service at the time that they were built.

The grade No. 175 is a 16-size, model 5 which, along with the 16-size model 4, is commonly referred to as the Getty model.

[testguy]

Dear Kent,
Many thanks for your info. Both of these examples, at least in my estimation, are nice examples of American-made watches of these times. I hope that my eldest son, and my son-in-law appreciate where these watches fit into this history, and that inspires them to go where they have never gone before. My youngest son (age 13) is already a collector (3 watches) and my youngest daughter (age 10) has an Omega marked "Regina" engraved XMas 1911.
Thank you.
Brian

[Kent]

Brian:

I forgot to mention that Plymouth was the house brand for Sears, Roebuck & Co.

Would you please tell us more about the Regina-signed Omega - size, number of jewels, serial number, etc. I ask because I have an interest in Regina watches, for example, here's a picture of a Regina Watch (http://static.flickr.com/21/33468828_d839672d24_o.jpg) that I was told was built prior to Omega's acquisition of Regina.

[testguy]

The Omega Regina watch is Serial # 2895412. We don't know the size (small) or number of jewels.
My 10 year old deaf daughter is beyond herself with interest as to what you might have to say.
Thank you.
Brian

[Kent]

Brian:

There's not much that can be told about Omega pocket watches from the serial numbers. Those made for the North American market tend to have been made in samll lots.

Omega documentation* shows:
1,000,000 = 1907-1910-1912
2,000,000 = 1904 - 1916
3,000,000 = 1906 - 1919
4,000,000 = 1910 - 1919
5,000,000 = 1916 - 1927
6,000,000 = 1923 - 1927
7,000,000 = 1920 - 1935

* Omega memo:
From: Departement: Controle Central de Fabrication
Bienne la 16 Fevrier 1970
Concerne Annees de fabrication

It seems that, like Hamilton and, to some extent, Hampden and Seth Thomas, Omega may have pre-assigned huge blocks of serial numbers to different models or grades. This would account for overlapping series' of numbers, spanning a number of years.

There don't seem to be any North American railroad watches in the 1,000,000 series or 4,000,000 series and there are only small groups of North American railroad watches in the 3,000,000 series or 5,000,000 series. The bulk of the North American railroad watches seem to be between 2,360,000 and 2,600,000.

Omega movements were made in sizes to fit American cases, as shown in this 1908 Ad (http://photos23.flickr.com/35246731_604b147129_o.jpg).

Regina-labeled Omega watches are generally believed to be a lesser grade than those marketed under the Omega brand name, not having been finished as nicely.