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Illinois Watch Co.
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Illinois 16s Bunn Special Variants

The following charts describe the 8 distinctive plate patterns and 52 known variants of the 16s Bunn Special produced by the Illinois Watch Company. Most variants are classified by model, jewel count, damaskeening pattern, and specific markings on each plate. Many variants are differentiated by very subtle changes in markings or placement, and a keen eye for detail is crucial for proper identification.

16-Size Bunn Special Damaskeening Patterns

	Pattern Code	Name	Production Notes
Image Credit: Jones & Horan	P1	Bright-Spotted	Estimated Production: 1,310
Image Credit: Jones & Horan	P2	Fishscale	Estimated Production: 2,920
Image Credit: Jones & Horan	P3	Sunburst	17j/19j Bunn Models Only
Image Credit: Jones & Horan	P4	Rayed	Estimated Production: 309,550-310,470
Image Credit: Jones & Horan	P5	Interrupted Ray	Estimated Production: 17,400-17,600 Introduced Early 1932
	P6	All-Over Gold Rayed	Estimated Production: 50-100
Image Credit: Bill Meggers	P7	Pinwheel	Estimated Production: 40-60
	P8	Sunburst/Rayed Hybrid	Extremely Rare, Only 1 Known Example

16-Size Bunn Special Variants

	Variant	Jewels	Model	Pattern/Finish	Train	Barrel	Balance	Pillar	Index Style	Note	Production
1	M9-P1-21J-v1	21	9	Bright-Spotted Black Inlay		21 Jewels Adjusted Temperature Six Positions		D'bl Roller	Checkerboard With Border		680
2	M9-P1-21J-v2	21	9	Bright-Spotted Black Inlay		21 Jewels Adjusted Temperature Six Positions		Double Roller	Checkerboard With Border		120*
3	M9-P1-23J-v1	23	9	Bright-Spotted Gilt Inlay		Jeweled Barrel 21 Jewels Adjusted Temperature Six Positions		D'bl Roller	Checkerboard With Border		200
4	M9-P1-23J-v2	23	9	Bright-Spotted Gilt Inlay		Jeweled Barrel 21 Jewels Adjusted Temperature Six Positions		Double Roller	Checkerboard With Border		300
5	M8-P2-21J	21	8	Fishscale Black Inlay		21 Jewels Adjusted Temp.& Six Pos'ns		Double Roller	Checkerboard With Border		100
6	M8-P2-23J	23	8	Fishscale Gilt Inlay		23 Jewels Jeweld Barrel Adjusted Temp.& Six Pos'ns		Double Roller	Checkerboard With Border		100
7	M9-P2-21J-v1	21	9	Fishscale Black Inlay		21 Jewels Adjusted Temperature Six Positions		Double Roller	Checkerboard With Border	Balance Screws Down	600
8	M9-P2-21J-v2	21	9	Fishscale Black Inlay		21 Jewels Adjusted Temperature Six Positions		Double Roller	Checkerboard With Border	Balance Screws Up	1,800*
9	M9-P2-23J	23	9	Fishscale Gilt Inlay		Jeweled Barrel 23 Jewels Adjusted Temperature Six Positions		Double Roller	Checkerboard With Border		320*
10	M8-P4-21J-vA	21	8	Rayed Black Inlay		21 Jewels Adjusted Temp.& Six Pos'ns		Double Roller	Checkerboard With Border		200
11	M8-P4-21J-vB	21	8	Rayed Black Inlay		21 Jewels Adj. Temp.& 6 Pos'ns		Double Roller	Checkerboard With Border		100
12	M8-P4-21J-vC	21	8	Rayed Black Inlay		21 Jewels Adj. Temp.&6 Pos'ns		Double Roller	Checkerboard With Border		650
13	M8-P4-21J-vD	21	8	Rayed Black Inlay		21 Jewels Adj. Temp.&6 Pos'ns		Double Roller	Slanted Without Border		700
14	M8-P4-23J-v1	23	8	Rayed Gilt Inlay		23 Jewels Jeweled Barrel Adjusted Temp.& Six Pos'ns		Double Roller	Checkerboard With Border		50
15	M8-P4-23J-v2	23	8	Rayed Red Inlay		23 Jewels Jeweled Barrel Adjusted Temp.& Six Pos'ns		Double Roller	Checkerboard With Border		100-120*
16	M9-P4-21J-vA	21	9	Rayed Black Inlay		21 Jewels Adjusted Temperature Six Positions		Double Roller	Checkerboard With Border		7,090
17	M9-P4-21J-vB	21	9	Rayed Black Inlay		21 Jewels Adjusted Temp. And Six Positions		Double Roller	Checkerboard With Border		103,100
18	M9-P4-21J-vC	21	9	Rayed Black Inlay		21 Jewels Adjusted Temp. And Six Positions		Double Roller	Slanted With Border		32,950*
19	M9-P4-21J-vD	21	9	Rayed Black Inlay		21 Jewels Adjusted Temp. And Six Positions		Double Roller	Slanted Without Border		18,450*
20	M9-P4-23J-v1	23	9	Rayed Gilt Inlay		Jeweled Barrel 23 Jewels Adjusted Temperature Six Positions		Double Roller	Checkerboard With Border		2,100-2,160*
21	M9-P4-23J-v2	23	9	Rayed Red Inlay		Jeweled Barrel 23 Jewels Adjusted Temperature Six Positions		Double Roller	Checkerboard With Border		1,700-1,730*
22	M9-P4-21J-vDE	21	9	Rayed Black Inlay		21 Jewels Adjusted Temp. And Six Positions		Double Roller	Checkerboard With Border	Delong Escapement	30-40*
23	M9-P6-21J	21	9	Rayed All-Over Gold Black Inlay		21 Jewels Adjusted Temp. And Six Positions		Double Roller	Checkerboard With Border		50-100*
24	M9-P7-21J	21	9	Pinwheel Black Inlay		21 Jewels Adjusted Temp. And Six Positions		Double Roller	Checkerboard With Border		40-60*
25	M11-P4-23J-vA	23	11	Rayed Red Inlay		Motor Barrel 23 Jewels Adjusted Temp. And Six Positions		Double Roller	Checkerboard With Border	Counter-Sunk Barrel Cap Gold Setting	6,600*
26	M11-P4-23J-vB	23	11	Rayed Red Inlay		Motor Barrel 23 Jewels Adjusted Temp. And Six Positions		Double Roller	Checkerboard With Border	No Counter-Sunk Barrel Cap No Gold Setting	6,100*
27	M11-P4-23J-vC	23	11	Rayed Red Inlay		Motor Barrel 23 Jewels Adjusted Temp. And Six Positions		Double Roller	Slanted With Border		200*
28	M11-P4-23J-vD	23	11	Rayed Red Inlay		Motor Barrel 23 Jewels Adjusted Temp. And Six Positions		Double Roller	Slanted Without Border		300*
29	M11-P1-23J	23	11	Bright-Spotted		Motor Barrel 23 Jewels Adjusted Temp. And Six Positions		Double Roller	Checkerboard With Border		10*
30	M11-P8-23J	23	11	Sunburst/Rayed Hybrid		Motor Barrel 23 Jewels Adjusted Temp. And Six Positions		Double Roller	Checkerboard With Border		<5*
31	M12-P4-23J	23	12	Rayed Red Inlay		Motor Barrel 23 Jewels Adj Temp.&6 Pos'ns		Double Roller	Checkerboard With Border		300
32	M14-P4-21J-TypeI	21	14	Rayed Black Inlay		Motor Barrel 60 21 Jewels Adjusted Temp. And Six Positions		Double Roller	Slanted Without Border		6,400*
33	M14-P4-21J-TypeII	21	14	Rayed Black Inlay	Sixty Hour	Motor Barrel 60 21 Jewels Adjusted Temp. And Six Positions		Double Roller	Slanted Without Border		6,700*
34	M14-P4-21J-TypeIII	21	14	Rayed Black Inlay	Sixty Hour	Motor Barrel 21 Jewels Adjusted Temp. And Six Positions		Double Roller	Slanted Without Border		89,800*
35	M14-P4-23J-TypeI	23	14	Rayed Red Inlay		Motor Barrel 60 23 Jewels Adjusted Temp. And Six Positions		Double Roller	Slanted Without Border		950*
36	M14-P4-23J-TypeII	23	14	Rayed Red Inlay	Sixty Hour	Motor Barrel 60 23 Jewels Adjusted Temp. And Six Positions		Double Roller	Slanted Without Border		450-650
37	M14-P4-23J-TypeIII	23	14	Rayed Red Inlay	Sixty Hour	Motor Barrel 23 Jewels Adjusted Temp. And Six Positions		Double Roller	Slanted Without Border		11,190*
38	M15-P4-21J-TypeIIIE	21	15	Rayed Black Inlay	Sixty Hour	Motor Barrel 21 Jewels Adjusted Temp. And Six Positions	Elinvar	Double Roller	Slanted Without Border		20-30*
39	M14-P4-21J-161-TypeI	21	14	Rayed Black Inlay	Sixty Hour	Motor Barrel 21 Jewels 161 Adjusted Temp. And Six Positions		Double Roller	Slanted Without Border		350-500
40	M15-P4-21J-161-TypeIE	21	15	Rayed Black Inlay	Sixty Hour	Motor Barrel 21 Jewels 161 Adjusted Temp. And Six Positions	Elinvar	Double Roller	Slanted Without Border		10-50*
41	M14-P4-21J-161-TypeII	21	14	Rayed Black Inlay	21 Jewels	Motor Barrel Sixty Hour 161 Adjusted Temp. And Six Positions		Double Roller	Slanted Without Border		3,500-3,600
42	M15-P4-21J-161-TypeIIE	21	15	Rayed Black Inlay	21 Jewels	Motor Barrel Sixty Hour 161 Adjusted Temp. And Six Positions	Elinvar	Double Roller	Slanted Without Border		3,350-3,550*
43	M15-P5-21J-161A-TypeIIB	21	15	Interrupted Ray Black Inlay	Elinvar 21 Jewels	Motor Barrel Sixty Hour 161A Adjusted Temp. And Six Positions		Double Roller	Slanted Without Border		5,300-5,400
44	M15-P5-21J-161A-TypeIIP	21	15	Interrupted Ray Black Inlay	Double Roller 21 Jewels	Motor Barrel Sixty Hour 161A Adjusted Temp. And Six Positions		Elinvar	Slanted Without Border		8,950-9,050
45	M15-P5-21J-161B	21	15	Interrupted Ray Black Inlay	Double Roller 21 Jewels	Motor Barrel Sixty Hour 161B Adjusted Temp. And Six Positions		Elinvar	Slanted Without Border		50*
46	M14-P4-23J-163-TypeIR	23	14	Rayed Red Inlay	Sixty Hour	163 Motor Barrel 23 Jewels Adjusted Temp. And Six Positions		Double Roller	Slanted Without Border		850
47	M14-P4-23J-163-TypeI	23	14	Rayed Red Inlay	Sixty Hour	Motor Barrel 23 Jewels 163 Adjusted Temp. And Six Positions		Double Roller	Slanted Without Border		3,810-3,860*
48	M15-P4-23J-163-TypeIE	23	15	Rayed Red Inlay	Sixty Hour	Motor Barrel 23 Jewels 163 Adjusted Temp. And Six Positions	Elinvar	Double Roller	Slanted Without Border		1,080-1,130*
49	M14-P4-23J-163-TypeII	23	14	Rayed Red Inlay	23 Jewels	Motor Barrel Sixty Hour 163 Adjusted Temp. And Six Positions		Double Roller	Slanted Without Border		50*
50	M15-P4-23J-163-TypeIIE	23	15	Rayed Red Inlay	23 Jewels	Motor Barrel Sixty Hour 163 Adjusted Temp. And Six Positions	Elinvar	Double Roller	Slanted Without Border		320*
51	M15-P5-23J-163A-TypeIIB	23	15	Interrupted Ray Red Inlay	Elinvar 23 Jewels	Motor Barrel Sixty Hour 163A Adjusted Temp. And Six Positions		Double Roller	Slanted Without Border		1,800*
52	M15-P5-23J-163A-TypeIIP	23	15	Interrupted Ray Red Inlay	Double Roller 23 Jewels	Motor Barrel Sixty Hour 163A Adjusted Temp. And Six Positions		Elinvar	Slanted Without Border		1,300

* Indicates approximated production total.

Data Sources:
American Pocket Watches Illinois Watch Co. (Volume 2), William "Bill" Meggers and Roy Ehrhardt, 1985
American Pocket Watches Identification and Price Guide: Beginning to End, Roy Ehrhardt and William "Bill" Meggers, 1999
The 16-Size Bunn Special, 1913-1948, Michael Chamelin, 2013
Note: Many classifications have been assigned by Bill Meggers during research efforts and subsequent publications. These are not to be confused with company classification systems used during the time of production.

Pocket Watch Database

Research Topics

Illinois Watch Co. Research & Media

Illinois 16s Bunn Special Variants

16-Size Bunn Special Damaskeening Patterns

16-Size Bunn Special Variants

Illinois Watch Co.
Research & Media