Men’s 1930 Illinois “Guardsman” Dress Watch

Men’s 1930 Illinois “Guardsman” Dress Watch

Item: W2399


Watch's origin: American


Number of jewels: 17


Case: Keystone Watch Case Company


Manufacturer: Illinois


Type of Watch:  Wrist


Lug Width: 16mm


Dimension: Approxiimately 31mm by 35mm


Composition: Gold-Filled


Other Attributes:   With Box

Price: $1,495.00

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The Illinois Watch Company is, without question, one of the jewels in the crown of American Watch Houses. Organized in Springfield, Ill. shortly after the Civil War, the company turned out during its 58-year run some of the most magnificent timepieces ever to come to light in this country. Pocket watches with names such as "Bunn Special," "Sangamo Special" and "Diamond, Ruby, Sapphire" and wristwatches such as the "Picadilly," "Marquis" and "Speedway" — all went from innovation, to wide reception to legend. Illinois was farsighted enough to be one of the first American manufacturers to chase the silly idea of marketing a wristlet for men. Having made "convertible wristlets" for women, which could be used as a pendant, hung from a pin or worn with a cord or chain around the wrist, Illinois saw the rabid reception that wristlets received during WWI and felt the time had come for expanded wristwatch manufacture.

Illinois Watch Company, known for their obsessive attention to detail, produced watches that were exciting, elegant, and extraordinarily well-crafted. Today these watches are prized by collectors and designers for their look and reliability.

With a look that exemplifies the Deco movement, this exceedingly rare and desirable men's white gold-filled "Guardsman" wristwatch has everything going for it: a great maker, fine condition, and extreme Deco styling. Considered one of the most attractive wristwatches in American watchmaking, this remarkable timepiece has a rotating discometer or subsidiary seconds indicator. Stylish and unusual, the rotating sub-seconds register adds another layer of desirability to an already prized work of American horological wrist art.

As the Illinois factory wrote in its advertisements of the day, their timepieces: " … ticked off the seconds with uncanny accuracy: Ample evidence of the great endurance of its 17 jeweled movement with a patent regulator and full luminous figure dial, fitted in a 14k white gold filled engraved bezel case."

What indication of gentility and class! We invite you to take a moment and enjoy the talent of the Illinois Watch Company design team by admiring the image of this dial! With its stylized numerals, daring rotating sub-seconds configuration and fine overall condition, this timepiece is one of the most fetching Deco wristwatches one could hope to sport upon the wrist.

We've taken the liberty of professionally restoring its dial and cleaning, oiling and calibrating the original 17 ruby jewel movement so that it keeps time as it was intended. The case measures approximately 31mm wide (not including crown) by 35mm from lug to lug.

Of course its Bakelite jeweler’s box and fitted black cordovan strap round out the perfect gift for the equally perfect recipient, ready to create insurmountable envy among partners, co-workers and business associates.