Just purchased an Illinois Illini "Directoire"

[A.F.W.]

21 jewels adjusted to 5 positions, 14K yellow gold ( almost green ). I believe this is a 13 size. Are these models more desirable now or less than in the recent past. For one the price of gold drives the values up but what about the model itself ? Any more information on actual numbers produced.
From the inscription on the inside case cover( unsigned )the first owner was a fellow named Guggenheim... (?). He received this watch as a retirement gift after 45 years in Stein & Bloch Co.
IIA, afinewatch

[A.F.W.]

21 jewels adjusted to 5 positions, 14K yellow gold ( almost green ). I believe this is a 13 size. Are these models more desirable now or less than in the recent past. For one the price of gold drives the values up but what about the model itself ? Any more information on actual numbers produced.
From the inscription on the inside case cover( unsigned )the first owner was a fellow named Guggenheim... (?). He received this watch as a retirement gift after 45 years in Stein & Bloch Co.
IIA, afinewatch

[Jerry Treiman]

I think that interest is increasing in these. There were 3,100 Illini (grade 538), 400-1200 Illini (grade 528), and 330 Illini Extra (grade 539). The unusual DeLong click adds interest to these, in addition to the high quality, finish and fine gold cases used. I am not aware of any records of how many were cased in each of the various case styles. The principal cases that I have seen are the Empire and Directoire that were made by an as-yet unidentified casemaker (possibly Knapp) and a few case styles by Solidarity and Keystone. The recent practice of scrapping these (and other watches) for the gold cases is only going to increase the value of those remaining.