Bidspirit auction | Illinois Watch Co. 15 Jewel

Illinois Watch Co. 15 Jewel Open Face Pocket Watch with Magner's Private Label Dial - This antique open-face pocket watch features a mechanical movement produced by the Illinois Watch Co. in Springfield, Illinois. The manual wind movement is a 15-jewel grade featuring decorative damaskeened plates and is engraved with serial number 2227697, dating its production to approximately 1910. The white enamel dial is signed Magner's for a private label retailer and displays black Arabic numerals, red marginal minute markers, and a subsidiary seconds dial at the 6 o'clock position. The hands are of an ornate blued steel design. The watch is housed in a yellow gold-filled case manufactured by the Philadelphia Watch Case Co., which bears a twenty-year guarantee and case serial number 8032883. The case exterior is embellished with intricate floral and scrollwork engravings, with the case back featuring a central shield cartouche containing a script monogram. Case size: 1.75 inches (Size 16s). The enamel dial shows notable condition issues, including multiple hairline cracks and small chips concentrated between the 7 and 11 o'clock markers. The gold-filled case displays light surface scratches and minor oxidation to the engraved areas commensurate with age. The crystal shows light surface abrasions. The movement appears clean visually, but its working order and accuracy have not been verified.