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The Encyclopedia of Horology

Pocket watch · Open-face pocket watch

Illinois Watch Company Sixty Hour Bunn Special Open Face Pocket Watch

Partially verified

This Illinois Watch Company pocket watch is identified as a Sixty Hour Bunn Special, produced circa 1927. The watch features a 16-size movement with 21 jewels and a lever-set mechanism, classified as railroad grade. It is housed in a 10K gold-filled case manufactured by the Keystone Watch Case Company. The dial is of an open-face configuration, displaying bold Arabic numerals for the primary hours and a continuous outer minute track marked in one-minute increments with five-minute indicators highlighted in red. A sunken subsidiary seconds dial is positioned at the 6 o'clock mark. The watch indicates a sixty-hour power reserve capacity. The construction is designed to meet the rigorous timekeeping requirements necessitated by railroad service during this period, with the dial and movement components specifically arranged for high legibility and precise adjustment.

Close-up view of the Illinois Watch Company Sixty Hour Bunn Special, showing the white dial with black Arabic numerals, the red five-minute markers, and the subsidiary seconds dial.
Close-up view of the Illinois Watch Company Sixty Hour Bunn Special, showing the white dial with black Arabic numerals, the red five-minute markers, and the subsidiary seconds dial. — Joe Haupt. Rights pending — permission not yet requested. Original source

Catalogue identity

Source
commons.wikimedia.org
Category
Pocket watch · Open-face pocket watch
Maker / attribution
Illinois Watch Company
Reference
Model 14
Catalogue / lot identifier
Source URL identifies the listing
Source-reported date
circa 1927
Source-reported place
United States

Source-reported attribution and specifications are not independent authentication. A listing does not establish present ownership, current display, availability or permission to reproduce.

Object description

Dial and Configuration

The watch features an open-face dial, characterized by a clean white background with black Arabic hour markers. The perimeter of the dial includes a detailed minute track which designates every single minute from 1 to 60. The 5-minute intervals are indicated by prominent red numbers to facilitate quick reading.

Positioned at the 6 o'clock mark is a sunken subsidiary seconds dial, marked in increments of ten seconds. The configuration is specifically styled for high visibility, matching the requirements of the railroad grade classification.

Evidence for this section
  • “Open Face Pocket Watch”
  • “Sixty Hour Bunn Special”

Movement and Construction

The timepiece is powered by an Illinois Watch Company movement identified as Model 14. It is built with 21 jewels, which serve to reduce friction in the gear train. The movement is a lever-set type, meaning the time is adjusted by pulling a small lever located at the edge of the dial or near the bezel before turning the crown.

The movement is engineered to run for sixty hours on a full wind, a feature that distinguishes it as the 'Sixty Hour' variant of the Bunn Special line.

Evidence for this section
  • “Model 14, Size 16s, 21 Jewels, Lever Set”
  • “Sixty Hour Bunn Special”

Case Specifications

The movement is contained within a 10K gold-filled case produced by the Keystone Watch Case Company. The case features a decorative milled finish on the outer edge of the front bezel, providing a textured grip.

The bow and crown assembly are positioned at the 12 o'clock location, consistent with open-face pocket watch design.

Evidence for this section
  • “10K Gold-Filled Keystone Watch Case”

Open research questions

  • What is the specific movement serial number range for this Model 14 variant?
  • Can the exact production date be narrowed beyond 'circa 1927' using movement records?

Source evidence

Recorded claims and source quotations for Illinois Watch Company Sixty Hour Bunn Special Open Face Pocket Watch
FieldSource-reported valueSource quotation
MakerIllinois Watch Company“Illinois Watch Company”
ModelModel 14“Model 14”
Jewels21 jewels“21 Jewels”
Size16s“Size 16s”
Case material10K Gold-Filled“10K Gold-Filled Keystone Watch Case”
GradeRailroad Grade“Railroad Grade”
Setting mechanismLever set“Lever Set”
Datecirca 1927“Circa 1927”

Visible details

  • White enamel dial with Arabic numerals and double-digit minute track
  • Sunken subsidiary seconds dial at the 6 o'clock position
  • Gold-filled case with decorative milling on the bezel
  • Lever-set mechanism located near the dial edge

Research qualifications

  • Specific serial number not provided in source
  • Provenance and service history are not documented

Photograph identity and source facts were screened before import; rights clearance remains pending.

Consulted source

Illinois Watch Company open-face pocket watch, Sixty Hour Bunn Special, circa 1927

Reviewed 2026-11-02 · Record ff9df94dac

Terms in this record

Glossary explanations for terms named in this object’s record.

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