Including Illinois Watch Serial Numbers and Production Dates
- Elgin Case Serial Numbers Search
- Elgin Pocket Watch Case Serial Number Lookup Case
- Elgin Pocket Watch Case Serial Number Lookup By Name
- Elgin Pocket Watch Case Serial Number Lookup Free
I put a serial number in from an Elgin wrist watch movement i have, and it returned information that seems to match, but i don't know enough about wrist watches to know if it is real. For instance, the serial number i put in comes back as for an 18s watch made around 1895. Columbus Watch Co. The Columbus Watch Co. Was founded in Columbus, Ohio in 1883 and was sold t o the South Bend Watch Co. 90,000 -1883 200,000 -1895.
Springfield, Illinois
Philadelphia Watch Case Co Serial Number Lookup have a graphic associated with the other. Philadelphia Watch Case Co Serial Number Lookup It also will feature a picture of a sort that could be seen in the gallery of Philadelphia Watch Case Co Serial Number Lookup. The collection that consisting of chosen picture and the best amongst others.
1869 - 1927
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 Hamilton
The 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 Company
NOTE: 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.'
Illinois Watch Company
Total Production: Approx. 5.7 Million Watches
| Year | S/N |
|---|---|
| 1872 | 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 |
| - | - |
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.
Elgin Case Serial Numbers Search
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.
Also called: Dueber-Hampden Watch Company
Including Dueber-Hampden Watch Serial Numbers and Production Dates
Elgin Pocket Watch Case Serial Number Lookup Case
Springfield, Mass then Canton, Ohio
1877 - 1930
Donald J. Mozart produced his three-wheel watch in 1864, and with the assistance of Samuel Rice formed the New York Watch Company in 1866 in Providence, Rhode Island. It was moved to Springfield, Massachusetts in 1867 and two grades of watches were produced. The company started with an 18s 3/4 plate model signed 'Springfield.' and a 16s 3/4 plate 'State Street' model that featured steel parts and gold-plated balance and escape wheels. The company became the Hampden Watch Company in 1877.
Dueber-Hampden Advertisement
John C. Dueber had been manufacturing watch cases since 1864 and bought controlling interest in a case company in about 1886. At about this time an anti-trust law was passed and the watch case manufacturers formed a boycott against Dueber. In order to remain in business, Dueber bought the Hampden Watch Co. in Springfield in 1888, then moved it to Canton. By 1890, the company was producing 600 watches a day, had 1000 employees, and possessed net assets of $2,600,000. Hampden produced some very fine quality watches, and introduced the first 16 size, 23 jewel movement made in America.
Dueber controlled all aspects of the company from manufacturing to sales. Dueber sold the company to Walter Vrettman in 1925. Vrettman went bankrupt in 1927 and sold all of the company's equipment to Amtorg, a Russian purchasing company. Nearly 30 boxcars of machinery left Canton in 1931 with 21 former Dueber Hampden employees who contracted for one year to teach the Russians the craft of watchmaking. Conflicting information exists about the fate of the Russian enterprise, but Henry Fried, a horology professor at New York University, reported seeing Dueber-Hampden machinery being used in China in 1986.
Hampden / Dueber Watch Company
Elgin Pocket Watch Case Serial Number Lookup By Name
Total Production: Approx. 4.6 Million Watches
| Year | S/N |
|---|---|
| 1877 | 59,000 |
| 1878 | 70,000 |
| 1879 | 100,000 |
| 1880 | 140,000 |
| 1881 | 180,000 |
| 1882 | 215,000 |
| 1883 | 250,000 |
| 1884 | 300,000 |
| 1885 | 350,000 |
| 1886 | 400,000 |
| 1887 | 480,000 |
| 1888 | 560,000 |
| 1889 | 640,000 |
| 1890 | 740,000 |
| 1891 | 805,000 |
| 1892 | 835,000 |
| 1893 | 865,000 |
| 1894 | 900,000 |
| Year | S/N |
|---|---|
| 1895 | 930,000 |
| 1896 | 970,000 |
| 1897 | 1,000,000 |
| 1898 | 1,120,000 |
| 1899 | 1,255,000 |
| 1900 | 1,384,000 |
| 1901 | 1,512,000 |
| 1902 | 1,642,000 |
| 1903 | 1,768,000 |
| 1904 | 1,896,000 |
| 1905 | 2,024,000 |
| 1906 | 2,152,000 |
| 1907 | 2,280,000 |
| 1908 | 2,400,000 |
| 1909 | 2,520,000 |
| 1910 | 2,650,000 |
| 1911 | 2,700,000 |
| 1912 | 2,760,000 |
Elgin Pocket Watch Case Serial Number Lookup Free
| Year | S/N |
|---|---|
| 1913 | 2,850,000 |
| 1914 | 2,920,000 |
| 1915 | 3,000,000 |
| 1916 | 3,100,000 |
| 1917 | 3,240,000 |
| 1918 | 3,390,000 |
| 1919 | 3,500,000 |
| 1920 | 3,600,000 |
| 1921 | 3,700,000 |
| 1922 | 3,750,000 |
| 1923 | 3,800,000 |
| 1924 | 3,850,000 |
| 1925 | 3,900,000 |
| 1926 | 3,950,000 |
| 1927 | 3,980,000 |
| - | - |
| - | - |
| - | - |
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.
Illinois Watch Company
Total Production: Approx. 5.7 Million Watches
| Year | S/N |
|---|---|
| 1872 | 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 |
| - | - |
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.
Elgin Case Serial Numbers Search
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.
Also called: Dueber-Hampden Watch Company
Including Dueber-Hampden Watch Serial Numbers and Production Dates
Elgin Pocket Watch Case Serial Number Lookup Case
Springfield, Mass then Canton, Ohio
1877 - 1930
Donald J. Mozart produced his three-wheel watch in 1864, and with the assistance of Samuel Rice formed the New York Watch Company in 1866 in Providence, Rhode Island. It was moved to Springfield, Massachusetts in 1867 and two grades of watches were produced. The company started with an 18s 3/4 plate model signed 'Springfield.' and a 16s 3/4 plate 'State Street' model that featured steel parts and gold-plated balance and escape wheels. The company became the Hampden Watch Company in 1877.
Dueber-Hampden Advertisement
John C. Dueber had been manufacturing watch cases since 1864 and bought controlling interest in a case company in about 1886. At about this time an anti-trust law was passed and the watch case manufacturers formed a boycott against Dueber. In order to remain in business, Dueber bought the Hampden Watch Co. in Springfield in 1888, then moved it to Canton. By 1890, the company was producing 600 watches a day, had 1000 employees, and possessed net assets of $2,600,000. Hampden produced some very fine quality watches, and introduced the first 16 size, 23 jewel movement made in America.
Dueber controlled all aspects of the company from manufacturing to sales. Dueber sold the company to Walter Vrettman in 1925. Vrettman went bankrupt in 1927 and sold all of the company's equipment to Amtorg, a Russian purchasing company. Nearly 30 boxcars of machinery left Canton in 1931 with 21 former Dueber Hampden employees who contracted for one year to teach the Russians the craft of watchmaking. Conflicting information exists about the fate of the Russian enterprise, but Henry Fried, a horology professor at New York University, reported seeing Dueber-Hampden machinery being used in China in 1986.
Hampden / Dueber Watch Company
Elgin Pocket Watch Case Serial Number Lookup By Name
Total Production: Approx. 4.6 Million Watches
| Year | S/N |
|---|---|
| 1877 | 59,000 |
| 1878 | 70,000 |
| 1879 | 100,000 |
| 1880 | 140,000 |
| 1881 | 180,000 |
| 1882 | 215,000 |
| 1883 | 250,000 |
| 1884 | 300,000 |
| 1885 | 350,000 |
| 1886 | 400,000 |
| 1887 | 480,000 |
| 1888 | 560,000 |
| 1889 | 640,000 |
| 1890 | 740,000 |
| 1891 | 805,000 |
| 1892 | 835,000 |
| 1893 | 865,000 |
| 1894 | 900,000 |
| Year | S/N |
|---|---|
| 1895 | 930,000 |
| 1896 | 970,000 |
| 1897 | 1,000,000 |
| 1898 | 1,120,000 |
| 1899 | 1,255,000 |
| 1900 | 1,384,000 |
| 1901 | 1,512,000 |
| 1902 | 1,642,000 |
| 1903 | 1,768,000 |
| 1904 | 1,896,000 |
| 1905 | 2,024,000 |
| 1906 | 2,152,000 |
| 1907 | 2,280,000 |
| 1908 | 2,400,000 |
| 1909 | 2,520,000 |
| 1910 | 2,650,000 |
| 1911 | 2,700,000 |
| 1912 | 2,760,000 |
Elgin Pocket Watch Case Serial Number Lookup Free
| Year | S/N |
|---|---|
| 1913 | 2,850,000 |
| 1914 | 2,920,000 |
| 1915 | 3,000,000 |
| 1916 | 3,100,000 |
| 1917 | 3,240,000 |
| 1918 | 3,390,000 |
| 1919 | 3,500,000 |
| 1920 | 3,600,000 |
| 1921 | 3,700,000 |
| 1922 | 3,750,000 |
| 1923 | 3,800,000 |
| 1924 | 3,850,000 |
| 1925 | 3,900,000 |
| 1926 | 3,950,000 |
| 1927 | 3,980,000 |
| - | - |
| - | - |
| - | - |
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 Dueber and Hampden watches. Please contact us if you have any questions about the repair of your vintage Hampden watch.
