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Brief History: Illinois Watch Company Including Illinois Watch Serial Numbers and Production Dates Springfield, Illinois 1869 - 1927
Illinois Watch Factory The Illinois Springfield Watch Company was organized in 1869 primarily through the efforts of J. C. Adams. The first company Directors were J. T. Stuart, W. B. Miller, John Williams, John W. Bunn, George Black and George Passfield. John Stuart was a Springfield lawyer and former partner of Abraham Lincoln. John Williams was president of the First National bank of Springfield. William B. Miller was a local merchant. John B. Bunn owned a grocery business. Though the first movements were produced in 1872, the company really didn't achieve full production until 1875. By serial number, the first watch made was the "Stuart" model, followed in order by the "Mason," Bunn," "Miller," and finally the "Currier. The first stem-wind watch was produced in 1875. The early Illinois models were key-wound and key-set and are quite collectible today. Illinois later produced an extensive line of extremely fine and accurate Railroad-grade pocket watches like the "Sangamo Special," "Bunn Special" and "Santa Fe Special" (just to name a few).
Illinois: A Great American Watch Since 1870 In 1879, due to financial difficulties, the company was reorganized and the name changed to the Illinois Springfield Watch Company. By 1885 the company name was changed yet again to the Illinois Watch Company. Purchased by HamiltonThe Illinois Watch Company was purchased by Hamilton Watch Company in 1927, but continued to produce Illinois watches under Hamilton management until 1932 (the year the last "true" Illinois watch was made). Hamilton continued producing Illinois watches in the Hamilton factory until 1939. The Illinois Watch Company produced watches under contract for several different brands, including Burlington Watch Company (Chicago, Illinois) which operated primarily as a mail-order business, and Santa Fe Watch Company (Topeka, Kansas). There is some question as to whether Burlington was actually a subsidiary of Illinois. Watches produced under the Burlington name include some very fine (including some railroad grade) watches, which are nearly identical to Illinois movements. Illinois also produced watches for the Plymouth Watch Company (Sears Roebuck) and the Washington Watch Company (Montgomery Ward). Illinois Watch Case CompanyNOTE: The Illinois Watch Company should not be confused with the Illinois Watch Case Company of Elgin, Illinois. The Illinois Watch Case Company was a major manufacture in the city of Elgin, Illinois. It manufactured watch cases under many brands, such as "Elgin Giant," "Elgin Pride," "Tivoli," "Spartan," and "Elgin Commander." The use of the name "Elgin" in their brand names, or marking the cases with "Elgin USA" often leads people to believe that a watch was made by the Elgin National Watch Company when it was actually made by another manufacturer, or to think that a watch no longer has its original case because it is "now in an Elgin case."
SPONSORED ADVERTISEMENTS Illinois Watch Company Illinois Watch Serial Numbers and Production Dates Total Production: Approx. 5.7 Million Watches Year S/N1872 5000 1873 20,000 1874 50,000 1875 75,000 1876 100,000 1877 145,000 1878 210,000 1879 250,000 1880 300,000 1881 350,000 1882 400,000 1883 450,000 1884 500,000 1885 550,000 1886 600,000 1887 700,000 1888 800,000 1889 900,000 1890 1,000,000 1891 1,040,000 1892 1,080,000 Year S/N 1893 1,120,000 1894 1,160,000 1895 1,220,000 1896 1,250,000 1897 1,290,000 1898 1,330,000 1899 1,370,000 1900 1,410,000 1901 1,450,000 1902 1,500,000 1903 1,650,000 1904 1,700,000 1905 1,800,000 1906 1,840,000 1907 1,900,000 1908 2,100,000 1909 2,150,000 1910 2,200,000 1911 2,300,000 1912 2,400,000 1913 2,500,000 Year S/N 1914 2,600,000 1915 2,700,000 1916 2,800,000 1917 3,000,000 1918 3,200,000 1919 3,400,000 1920 3,600,000 1921 3,750,000 1922 3,900,000 1923 4,000,000 1924 4,500,000 1925 4,700,000 1926 4,800,000 1927 5,000,000 - Sold to Hamilton - 1928 5,100,000 1929 5,200,000 1931 5,400,000 1934 5,500,000 1948 5,600,000 - -
IMPORTANT:
Be sure to use the serial number on the movement (the works) of the watch. Do not use the serial number from the watch case. Can’t find your serial number in the table? Click here for an explanation and example of how to use our serial number tables. Need help finding the serial number on your watch? Click here for instructions on how to identify and open most common case types. At Renaissance Watch Repair, we are experts in the repair and restoration of Illinois watches. We are also always looking for Illinois Watches to purchase. Please contact us if you have any questions about the repair of your vintage Illinois watch.
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