Aurora Higher Grades

[Robert J. Moore]

I only just came by my latest high Grade 8 wheel and flower damaskeening pattern Aurora recently. The only damaskeening pattern that I'm seeking now is what I call the Aurora Grade 8 checkerboard and bar pattern and if I find an example I'll be done. This particular one seems somewhat difficult to come by. So far I've got 2 - Grade 10s in the checkerboard and snowflake pattern, 2 - Grade 8s in the small checkerboard pattern and 2 - Grade 8s in the wheel and flower pattern. All hunter cased.
In the past I feel that Aurora watches have been dealt a bad hand as far as their quality. At least the higher grades (7, 8, 9, and 10) were the equal to their more numerous competitors for the time period. I freely admit my bias as 3 generations of my family were born and raised in Aurora and at one time I lived within 12 blocks of the original factory site on the east side of town.
I'll post pics of all in the near future. Thanks.

 

[musicguy]

I'll post pics of all in the near future.

Sounds good.

Rob

 

[Greg Frauenhoff]

Can't wait to see some of your Auroras. They made a good variety of high quality movements. But since they were a relatively small maker and only lasted about 9 years their better quality mvts can be hard to locate. Also, many many Auroras are known to have been used in RR service, e. g. on the Burlington Route in 1889/1890. Part of the bad rap they get is from a "throw away" comment made by Crossman in the 1880s that Aurora made mostly low and medium grades. What people today don't realize is that in the 1880s almost every maker (Waltham, Elgin, Illinois) made mostly low and medium grades (numerically that is).

 

[Greg Frauenhoff]

A couple Auroras home from the bank. Both are grade no. 8-htg. One has the two-tone flower-and-wheel pattern, the other has checkerboard with side bars.

 

[Greg Frauenhoff]

A grade 8-OF with one of the checkerboard variants.

 

[Greg Frauenhoff]

A grade 8-htg in damaskeened nickel.

 

[Rick Hufnagel]

Wow! Those are wonderful Greg, thank you for sharing them.

I am loving the flower and wheel pattern!

 

[Robert J. Moore]

I've got the first of the pics done, just got to figure out how to post them. My latest Grade 8 flower and wheel variant is a private label one that is close and sentimental to my heart from a jeweler originally located in Newark.Ohio. My family vacationed in that area during the mid 1980s. Greg, I covet your Grade 8 variant in the checkerboard pattern with sidebars. It is the only one I'm missing and I might be willing to trade a Grade 10 for it.

 

[Robert J. Moore]

my Aurora Grade 10s are serial numbers 100166 and 100293. Both are the El Dorado pattern.

 

[Robert J. Moore]

Does anyone have guidelines on the procedure to post photos. Its been to long. Thanks.

 

[Rick Hufnagel]

Hello sir, I sent you a private message with some instructions, but there is also this post from Bruce which may be more helpful if you are using a computer.

How To Attach Photos To Your Posts

Please ask any questions if something isn't working right for you.

 

[Robert J. Moore]

Hope this worked. Thanks.

 

[Robert J. Moore]

Ill try one at a time. Sorry

 

[Robert J. Moore]

Okay, worked that time. Thanks Rick.

 

[Greg Frauenhoff]

Super nice Auroras. Thanks for posting the pics.