empressissi™ is pleased to offer this fantastic, uncommon, large and strong running 16 size American ILLINOIS pocket watch in a sturdy case. The watch is running perfectly and keeping excellent time.
The watch houses an early high grade 306 Nickel finish crown wind/set movement running on 21 jewels which is not railroad approved but designed in such style and marked 'Great Northern Special'.
The movement is cased in a sturdy KEYSTONE base metal open face case in railroad style which appears to be missing some of its plating but presents very nicely with a firm bow, original crown and mint acrylic crystal.
The dial is a double sunken enamel in classic RR style with an original set of hands.
This large and impressive American pocket watch measures 51mm side to side (excluding crown).
The story behind the railroad watch. Why were these watches built to such strict standards? It began with a four-minute error on a single track in Ohio in 1891, and the uncompromising rules written in its wake. To read the full story, visit our blog, Second Hand Stories: A Brief History of the Railroad Watch, and the Four Minutes That Created It.
