Pocket Watch Database

Illinois Watch Co.
Research & Media

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.