Pocket Watch Database
Contributor
AIexander
Supporter
Member Since
August 18, 2023
Watches
83
Verifications
1
This Watch Was Admired By:
Illinois 171
Serial #1301326
Movement Image
Dial Image
Case Exterior Image
Case Markings Image
| Manufacturer | Illinois |
| Grade | 171 |
| Serial Number | 1301326 |
| Size | 16s |
| Model | 5 |
| Jewel Count | 11j |
| Setting | Lever |
| Finish | Gilt |
| Case Material | |
| Case Manufacturer | |
| Case Grade/Model | |
| Case Serial # | |
| Case Details | |
| Dial Material | Enamel |
| Dial Type | Double-Sunk |
| Dial Style | Arabic |
| Dial Signing Name | H. Von Der Heydt |
| Dial Details | A German by birth, Hermann von der Heydt moved to the US in 1881 where he settled in Chicago, later becoming a naturalized US citizen in 1888. In Chicago he set up a jewelry business and developed a self-winding watch in 1883, which was later patented in February of 1884. Von der Heydt produced around 35 of his self-winding watches, which were available with either a gilt finish for $75 or a nickel finish for $90. During the early 1890s, the Von Der Heydt Self-Winding Watch Company was incorporated in Des Moines, Iowa and the self-winding watches were exhibited for the jewelers of the city. It appears that the Des Moines company did not pan out, as nothing came about from this venture and later watches indicate that the operation stayed in Chicago, with some of his watch dials signed either Chicago Self-Winding Co. or Chicago S.W. Co. In 1891, von der Heydt was in talks with a man by the name of Charles C. Hinckley in the hopes of getting 50,000 movements produced. Hinckley had recently left the Aurora Watch Company in 1896 and had prior work experience with everyone under the sun, including the likes of E. Howard, Waltham, USWC (Marion), New York Watch Co., Rockford, and Illinois. At this time, Hinckley owned the Hinckley Mfg. Co., which made watch tools and machinery. However, the business was short-lived, and folded in 1891. Hermann von der Heydt also had talks with larger watch companies such as the Peoria, Aurora, and Elgin Watch Company about the mass production of his watch. The Peoria Watch Company talks occurred around the early 1890s. For reasons unknown, the talks with Peoria fell through and the Peoria Watch Company would go under in 1895. Von der Heydt had also considered purchasing the Aurora factory in 1892 to bring his watches to market. However, the Hamilton Watch Company would swoop in and purchase Aurora before von der Heydt, and moved all the factory machinery to Lancaster, PA. Around 1905, Von der Heydt once again tried selling his design. This time it was to the Elgin Watch Company. Von der Heydt became so convinced that Elgin would end up paying the licensing fee for his watch that in 1906 he preemptively sold his business at 461 Ogden Avenue and announced his retirement. This move backfired entirely, as Elgin withdrew their interest from the project. From here on, von der Heydt repaired clocks and watches out of his house at 709 South Oak Park Avenue. He passed away at 85 years of age on December 26, 1934 and is buried in Forest Park Cemetery in Forest Park, Illinois. One possible reason as to why none of these attempts worked out for von der Heydt is that he was quite fussy about the use of his patent, as even the Jewelers’ Circular described him as being “somewhat of a crank”, which contributed to the watches never being manufactured on a large scale. |
| Movement Markings | H. Von Der Heydt 1301326 Safety Pinion |
Contributed to the database by AIexander on February 2, 2025.
This collection record was most recently edited on February 2, 2025.
This collection record was most recently edited on February 2, 2025.