DESCRIPTION:
APW - Illinois, Washington Watch Co, Lafayette, 24J, 18S, gold-filled OF recase with attractive engine turning and engraving detail, rear shield with initials, white enamel DS Gothic dial, SW-LS, fully capped lever escapement, capped third wheel, jeweled barrel arbor, bright spotted pattern nickel damascene, s#1606480. An attractive example of this top grade private label featuring a rarer damascene variant that is seen among only a fraction of Lafayette movements. Based on a close study of Washington Watch Co. production, we believe that the total production of the 24 jewel open face Lafayette to be approximately 770 made, and of this figure it appears that only 100 were made with the fully bright spotted damascene as seen on this example. The 100 examples produced with this damascene constitute the first run of Washington Lafayette production spanning serial numbers 1606401 to 1608500, while all examples we have observed from later runs are damascened in a different style having only a portion of bright spotted pattern arranged as a strip through their movement's center.
CONDITION:
Mvt: Ticking sluggishly on a full wind, overhaul recommended, excellent cosmetic mvt condition overall, some fine to micro-fine scratches with the most notable being near the lower case screw; dial with scattered outer chapter hls, edge rub under bezel which includes wearing away of the tops of the "5" and the "20" minute numerals; fine hands, oxide to tip of minute; case bezel threads stiffly and has a tendency to cross thread, case rear is sometimes challenging to start onto its threads, case shows little wear, short but deep scratch at upper-right perimeter of rear, short but deep scratch to lower portion of bezel, excellent engine turning and engraving detail, wear to brass to reeding of band, curved scratches inside rear; bow pivots freely, crown shows light wear; good glass crystal with small finish bubble at right side.
ESTIMATE:
$800
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$1200
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