Three-quarter plate railroad-grade movement with a long-running barrel arrangement marked for a 60-hour run, produced in the final independent years of the Illinois Watch Company.
Marked as approximately 60 hours, from which the grades take their collector name
Winding
Stem wind
Setting
Lever set on railway-service examples
Escapement
Swiss lever with jewelled pallets
Balance
Compensation balance with micrometric regulator
Complications
Subsidiary seconds
Identification features
'60 Hour' marking on the movement alongside the Bunn Special grade name
Motor-barrel style long-run barrel
Lever set, as required for railway service in this period
Known variants
21-jewel grades
23-jewel grades
Examples finished or assembled after Hamilton acquired Illinois
Servicing notes
Parts are scarcer than for Hamilton equivalents, and correct replacement barrels in particular are difficult to source. Movement work belongs with a watchmaker familiar with American railroad grades.
General guidance only. Antique movements should be serviced by a qualified watchmaker.
Historical significance
One of the most sought-after American railroad grades, and the standard example cited when discussing extended power reserve in service watches.
Photographs
Vintage Illinois Watch Company, Springfield Illinois, Gold-Filled Pocket Watch, Bunn Special, 21 Jewels, B&B Royal 20-Year Case, A. Lincoln Grade Movement (9174547388) — Joe Haupt from USA, CC BY-SA 2.0. Wikimedia Commons file page
Illinois Pocket Watch Given to Charles A. Lindbergh By the Citizens of Springfield, Illinois - DPLA - 3b1bc5931f62b8671461c98149620235 (page 1) — Illinois Watch Company; Warner Jewelry Case Company; Keystone Watch Case Company, Public domain. Wikimedia Commons file page
Illinois Pocket Watch Given to Charles A. Lindbergh By the Citizens of Springfield, Illinois - DPLA - 3b1bc5931f62b8671461c98149620235 (page 2) — Illinois Watch Company; Warner Jewelry Case Company; Keystone Watch Case Company, Public domain. Wikimedia Commons file page
Illinois Pocket Watch Given to Charles A. Lindbergh By the Citizens of Springfield, Illinois - DPLA - 3b1bc5931f62b8671461c98149620235 (page 3) — Illinois Watch Company; Warner Jewelry Case Company; Keystone Watch Case Company, Public domain. Wikimedia Commons file page
Rare 16s 21J Illinois Bunn Special 60 Hour pocket watch c1928 — atlam-watches.co.uk, Rights unverified — web image search result, review pending. Web page (atlam-watches.co.uk)
Illinois Bunn Special 163A Railroad Watch (#0018) on May 14, 2022 ... — liveauctioneers.com, Rights unverified — web image search result, review pending. Web page (liveauctioneers.com)
Classic 16s 21J Illinois Bunn Special Rail road pocket watch c1923 — atlam-watches.co.uk, Rights unverified — web image search result, review pending. Web page (atlam-watches.co.uk)
Sold Price: Illinois Watch Co., Springfield, Illinois, "Bunn Special ... — invaluable.com, Rights unverified — web image search result, review pending. Web page (invaluable.com)
Rare 16s 23J Illinois Bunn Special 60 Hour Mark III pocket watch c1929 ... — antiquesboutique.com, Rights unverified — web image search result, review pending. Web page (antiquesboutique.com)
ILLINOIS BUNN SPECIAL RAILROAD WATCH - 1923 » Watch Museum: Discover ... — watchmuseum.org, Rights unverified — web image search result, review pending. Web page (watchmuseum.org)
1918 Illinois Bunn Special PW 21J — Cool Vintage Watches — coolvintagewatches.com, Rights unverified — web image search result, review pending. Web page (coolvintagewatches.com)
Rare 16s 23J Illinois Bunn Special 60 Hour Mark III pocket watch c1929 ... — antiquesboutique.com, Rights unverified — web image search result, review pending. Web page (antiquesboutique.com)
Illinois Bunn Special 14k Gold Filled Pocket Watch Auction — liveauctioneers.com, Rights unverified — web image search result, review pending. Web page (liveauctioneers.com)
An Illinois Bunn Special 163 Type 1 Pocket Watch Auction — liveauctioneers.com, Rights unverified — web image search result, review pending. Web page (liveauctioneers.com)
Illinois Bunn Special Railroad Pocket Watch For Sale at 1stDibs ... — 1stdibs.com, Rights unverified — web image search result, review pending. Web page (1stdibs.com)
Angled view of an Illinois Bunn Special 60 Hour pocket watch — Antiques Boutique / Atlam Watches, Rights pending — permission not yet requested. Web page (www.antiquesboutique.com)
Side profile and dial view of an Illinois Bunn Special 60 Hour pocket watch — Antiques Boutique / Atlam Watches, Rights pending — permission not yet requested. Web page (www.antiquesboutique.com)
Front view of an Illinois Bunn Special 60 Hour pocket watch with bezel removed — Antiques Boutique / Atlam Watches, Rights pending — permission not yet requested. Web page (www.antiquesboutique.com)
Closeup of the dial of an Illinois Bunn Special 60 Hour pocket watch with setting lever pulled — Antiques Boutique / Atlam Watches, Rights pending — permission not yet requested. Web page (www.antiquesboutique.com)
Direct front view of an Illinois Bunn Special 60 Hour watch dial — Atlam Watches / Antiques Boutique, Rights pending — permission not yet requested. Web page (www.antiquesboutique.com)
Front view of an Illinois Bunn Special 60 Hour pocket watch with lever set visible — Atlam Watches / Antiques Boutique, Rights pending — permission not yet requested. Web page (www.antiquesboutique.com)
Oblique side perspective of an Illinois Bunn Special 60 Hour pocket watch — Atlam Watches / Antiques Boutique, Rights pending — permission not yet requested. Web page (www.antiquesboutique.com)
Profile view of an Illinois Bunn Special 60 Hour pocket watch exterior — Atlam Watches / Antiques Boutique, Rights pending — permission not yet requested. Web page (www.antiquesboutique.com)
Photographs are illustrative examples of the type, not necessarily the exact object described. Verify details against the source file page.
Sources & references
Illinois Watch Company factory literature as reproduced in NAWCC publications
Grade-by-grade production totals differ between published sources and are given here only as ranges.
Where sources disagree, the disagreement is stated rather than resolved silently.
