Illinois 18S 15J key wind adj. "Miller" pocket watch #53550, gilt full plate movement with a brushed finish, screw-down jewel settings and a deeply engraved balance bridge has some small spots of cosmetic discoloration and also is missing the expected key wind post boot, neither of which will affect the running and winding capabilities; single sunk (SS) porcelain enamel dial with Roman numerals, a black minute markers and a black-marked subsidiary seconds register has a few tiny flakes at the edge of the dial, a ring of discoloration around the second hand from the the hand rubbing against the surface of the dial and a small patch of discoloration at 3 o'clock that may be a factory defect however no hairlines, blue steel spade style hands.
Re-cased into a heavy yellow gold filled (YGF) hinge back & bezel (HB&B) case with an engraving on the back of large monogram shield surrounded by floral patterns and displaying a detailed engraving of a village, reeded engraved pattern on the frame, floral & geometric engraving on the bezels, recessed hinges, a heavy sculpted pendant and large oversized heavy bow, case is showing moderate to heavy wear with brass showing on the bezels, back cover, frame & pendant along with notable smoothing to much of the engraved designs, measures approx. 55mm in diameter x 82mm in length x 20mm thick (crystal included). This watch was considered railroad grade at the time of production. A high grade Illinois from the 1880s that is showing its years but still running strong in good overall condition!
- Year Made: 1880-1881
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Company:
Illinois
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Movement Size:
0318S
- Jewels: 1315J
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Setting/Movement Type:
key wind
- Adjustments: 1-3 positions
- Model/Grade: Miller
- Serial #: 53550
- Movement Finish: gilt
- Movement Details: screw-down jewel settings
- Dial Material: porcelain enamel
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Hand Style:
spade
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Case Style:
HB&B
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Case Material:
Gold Filled - Yellow
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Case Details:
re-cased, recessed hinge
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Case Width/Diameter:
55mm (2.17 inches)
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Case Length, bow included:
82mm (3.23 inches)
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Case Thickness:
20mm (0.79 inches)
- Crystal Material: plastic
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Condition:
Good
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Gender:
Gentlemen's
The Illinois Watch Company was founded in Springfield, Illinois and began production of its earliest branded models in 1872, although the company had been producing small runs of watches with various other markings as early as 1869. In 1927, the Hamilton Watch Company purchased Illinois and manufactured watches in the Springfield factory up until 1932. Afterwards, Hamilton continued to produce watches with Illinois Watch Company markings from their main factory in Lancaster, Pennsylvania until 1939.
As an additional resource, we've posted a
Serial Number Production List which includes information for Illinois serial numbers and dates of manufacture.
The NAWCC also has a
comprehensive article about the company; additional information may also be found on
Wikipedia.
You may browse all of our men's pocket watches from this manufacturer at our
Vintage Men's Illinois Pocket Watches category.
This watch is in good running condition, unless otherwise noted in the description. This means that on receipt, pending any item-specific running conditions noted in the description, you can expect the watch to be winding and setting properly and to run smoothly while keeping reasonable time. We consider "reasonable time" to meet these basic guidelines:
- Railroad Grade Watches will be keeping +/- 5 minutes per day
- Pocket and Wrist Watches with 15 or more jewels will be keeping +/- 10 minutes per day
- All key wind watches and watches with 14 or fewer jewels will be keeping +/- 15 minutes per day
The above guideline is the lowest standard in which we would ship out a watch, however in most cases, you will see much better timekeeping. Most of our watches have been in storage for many years, so if you plan on carrying/wearing them everyday, you should consider having them cleaned and oiled soon, and then once a year thereafter to keep them in top running condition. If the watches will be for occasional use or display, they should be cleaned and serviced every 3 to 5 years depending on use.
As of November 1st, 2025, we are not offering a cleaning and service option through PM Time Service. While we do hope to offer this again in the future, we are unfortunately unable to meet customer requests for watch servicing at this time. Please note that, unless otherwise mentioned within the "Full Description" tab, this watch is being sold in good running condition and is ready to wear or carry on arrival.
Unlike modern quartz watches, most vintage watches need daily winding in order to keep the watch functioning for timekeeping. Additionally, there are a number of different ways to set the time other than simply pulling the crown away from the watch body. We are happy to provide an overview of each of the different setting types on our
"How To Use" page, where we also provide information on proper winding techniques for each style and some suggestions for the proper long term care and storage of your watch.
Please note: an appropriate winding and setting key (or keys) is included in the listed price for this item. Unless otherwise noted in the Full Description, the key is not original to the watch.
For additional information on gold colors and how they are classified, please check out
this helpful Wikipedia article.
For your gift giving convenience, please find a consolidated overview of the information on this item, with no reference to the price, on this
printer-optimized page.
