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The Encyclopedia of Horology

Serial-number guide

Illinois Watch Company Serial Numbers

Estimated

What a Illinois Watch Company serial number can establish, what it cannot, and how to record a date estimate another researcher could check.

Diagram

maker or gradeserialcase hallmarksimport and assay marks
Schematic: where markings are found. An outline schematic drawn to show the arrangement of the parts discussed here. It is not a dimensioned working drawing and does not depict a particular maker's calibre.

Method

Reading the number, step by step

  1. 1. Find the movement number

    Case numbers are independent of movement serials, as with the other American manufacturers in this list; Illinois watches were also frequently cased by independent casemakers.

  2. 2. Understand what it encodes

    Movement serial numbers suggest an approximate production era via published community tables; grade names/numbers on the movement carry additional specification information.

  3. 3. Judge how precise the date can be

    Estimated: treat published Illinois tables as approximate, with acknowledged gaps.

  4. 4. Check the records behind the tables

    Illinois production records are incompletely preserved; published serial tables are reconstructions similar in character to Elgin's, compiled by researchers and NAWCC-affiliated contributors rather than sourced from a complete surviving company ledger.

Quick facts

Manufacturer
Illinois Watch Company
Dating confidence
Estimate only — see notes
Editorial status
Estimated

Sources & references

  1. NAWCC published Illinois Watch Company resources

Where sources disagree, the disagreement is stated rather than resolved silently.

Limits

What the number does not prove

Questions

Frequently asked

Where is the serial number on a Illinois Watch Company watch?
Case numbers are independent of movement serials, as with the other American manufacturers in this list; Illinois watches were also frequently cased by independent casemakers.
What do Illinois Watch Company serial numbers mean?
Movement serial numbers suggest an approximate production era via published community tables; grade names/numbers on the movement carry additional specification information.
How accurate is dating a Illinois Watch Company watch by serial number?
Estimated: treat published Illinois tables as approximate, with acknowledged gaps.
Where are Illinois Watch Company production records held?
Illinois production records are incompletely preserved; published serial tables are reconstructions similar in character to Elgin's, compiled by researchers and NAWCC-affiliated contributors rather than sourced from a complete surviving company ledger.

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