Illinois Watch Company--Ariston Private Label Watch?

[Melus28]

I know it was a private label watch for Marshall Field's in Chicago, but that's it. It's marked Ariston USA 15 jewels.

Any information you could tell me would be very helpful.

Kind regards,

Melus

[rschussel]

Without a movement serial number it is difficult to offer much in the way of specfics.

These watches ALWAYS came with an Ariston marked dial and case.


On some of the higher grade movements ,Marshall Field had these watches finished to a higher standard than the equivalent Illinois watch.Some watches were marked Ariston Jr. or Ariston Rated.I have a 12 size 23j Grade 510 that comes with a rating card similar to railroad watches. In some movements the plate shape differs from a standard Illinois.

Aristons came in womens,12 and 16 size watches.They are an underappreciated Private Label.

Bob Schussel

[Melus28]

The serial number of the watch in question is 2904355.
Any information would be appreciated.
Thanks.

Kind regards,

Melus


Without a movement serial number it is difficult to offer much in the way of specfics.

These watches ALWAYS came with an Ariston marked dial and case.


On some of the higher grade movements ,Marshall Field had these watches finished to a higher standard than the equivalent Illinois watch.Some watches were marked Ariston Jr. or Ariston Rated.I have a 12 size 23j Grade 510 that comes with a rating card similar to railroad watches. In some movements the plate shape differs from a standard Illinois.

Aristons came in womens,12 and 16 size watches.They are an underappreciated Private Label.

Bob Schussel

[Fred Hansen]

Your watch is a 12 size grade 403 movement produced in about 1916.

The total production of this grade in the open-face version was 32550 made between about 1911 and 1919, but only a small fraction of these would have been marked with the Marshall Fields "Ariston" private-label.

The information I have posted to this point is available in a CD database put together by NAWCC member Russ Snyder and that is distributed through NAWCC chapter 149. This database also shows some photos of examples of these watches, including another Ariston marked grade 403 movement at serial 2904289.

The Aristons are beautiful and elegant watches, and at the top end were made in some superb 23 jewel grades in both 12 and 16 size.

A 1915 Ariston advertiesment is reproduced on pages 287-289 of the Illinois Watch Co. book by Bill Meggers & Roy Ehrhardt, and original sales prices of the 12 size line are shown ranging from $17 for the 15 jewel grade in a nickel case up to $150 for the 23 jewel in an 18K gold case. Some of the lower grade 16 size are shown in this ad as available as "movement only", but the 12 size line and the higher grade 16 size are shown in the ad priced only as cased watches.

As a collector I have focused mainly on the 16 and 18 size Illinois production so can't speak to production figures for the 12 size private-labels, but from what I have seen the 16 size look to have been made in small batches and I believe with a relatively low total production in any one configuration. But Bob is a very knowledgable 12 size collector and there are others on this board also, and perhaps one of them has studied the 12 size Aristons and can comment to just how common/uncommon these are in the various grades.

Fred


Fixing typos

[Melus28]

Fred,

Thank you. That was very helpful.

Where do I find out more information on that cd from chapter 149?

kind regards,

Melus

[Fred Hansen]

Hi Melus -

You can contact Ch. 149 President Jon Hanson (jonontime@aol.com) regarding the Illinois database CD. This is an amazing tool and has become better and better over time as furthered research has come in from many contributors.

Also the Illinois Watch Co. encyclopedia put out in 1985 by Meggers & Ehrhardt is another great Illinois resource, but this can be tough to find and you might have to follow online sales areas for a while or with some luck might find one offered at NAWCC shows. I like the original printing the best ... but I know many collectors have struggled to find originals and have gone with the later reprints (or copies) instead.

Fred