Antique 1920s Art Deco NEUCHATEL WATCH 15 and 16 similar items

OFFERING a 1920s NEUCHATEL SWISS-ASSEMBLED ART DECO WHITE GOLD FILLED 15 JEWEL LADIES WRISTWATCH WITH FOUR SAPPHIRES SEE VIEWS ABOVE ASSEMBLED IN SWITZERLAND IN THE JURA MOUNTAINS IN THE "CRADLE OF THE WATCHMAKING INDUSTRY" THIS WORKS AND KEEPS PERFECT TIME ILLINOIS WATCH CASE COMPANY CASE IS CALLED "NAPOLEON" THE FACE OF THE WATCH HAS A WONDERFUL ELEGANT ART DECO LOOK WITH CURVED "CUT CORNERS" WOVEN FABRIC BAND IS MARKED "HONG KONG" IN TWO PLACES, SO IS A LATER ADDITION AND NOT THE ORIGINAL BAND SIZE ABOUT 7" LONG IN THE CLOSED POSITION SLIGHTLY DOMED CRYSTAL WHITE GOLD FILLED ILLINOIS WATCH CASE MARKED ON THE INSIDE: "NAPOLEON I. W. C. Co. 8620007" THE NAPOLEON CASE, MADE BY ILLINOIS WATCH CASE COMPANY, WAS GUARANTEED FOR 25 YEARS AT THIS TIME (prior to 1900 they were only guaranteed for 10 years) SO THIS IS A FINE QUALITY GOLD FILLED CASE WITH A HINGE TO OPEN IT MARKED ON THE BACK OF THE WATCH MOVEMENT: "MILTON WATCH CO. TWO 2 ADJUSTMENTS FIFTEEN 15 JEWELS SWISS" THERE IS A FAST - SLOW SWITCH MARKED ON THE FACE OF THE WATCH: "NEUCHATEL" with ARABIC NUMERALS THERE ARE ETCHED SILVER CURLEY CUES AND ART DECO LINING AT THE TOP AND THE BOTTOM OF THE WATCH FACE NO MARKINGS ON THE OUTSIDE OF THE CASE THERE ARE 4 SMALL SQUARE CUT SAPPHIRES SET AT EACH CORNER OF THE CASE EACH OF THESE IS ABOUT 1/16" SQUARE (about 0.635 total carat weight) THE OTHER HIGHER POINTS NEAR THE SAPPHIRES ARE DIAMOND CUTS IN THE METAL A BEAUTIFUL LITTLE ART DECO ELEGANT 1920's LADIES WRISTWATCH TO EXPLAIN THE VARIOUS COMPONENTS IN THIS WATCH (Illinois, Milton, Neuchatel): THE FOLLOWING IS FROM THE INTERNET SOMEPLACE I CAN'T REMEMBER WHERE I FOUND THIS and I CAN'T FIND IT AGAIN Based on watchmaking industry practices in the 1920s, a Neuchâtel watch could have a Milton movement due to the widespread use of the établissage system. In this system, watches were assembled from components manufactured by specialized workshops, not always in the same location. The practice was especially common for "private label" watches, where a retailer or other company would have watches made with a custom-branded dial. This was not a deceptive practice, but a standard industry workflow at the time. Here are the specific reasons and historical context that explain this pairing: 1. The établissage system The Swiss watchmaking industry, centered in regions like Neuchâtel, relied heavily on a decentralized production model called établissage. Specialization: Different workshops or companies specialized in producing specific parts, such as ébauches (unfinished movements), cases, and dials. Assembly: An assembler or a specific brand would source these parts and combine them to create the final, finished watch. Mass production: This division of labor allowed Swiss watchmakers to produce high-quality movements at a faster pace and larger scale than their European neighbors, leading to Swiss dominance in the market. 2. Private label branding The use of a Milton movement in a Neuchâtel-branded watch is likely an example of a private label product. Custom branding: A business or a retailer in Neuchâtel could order movements from a manufacturer like Milton, but request their own name be put on the watch dial and sometimes the movement. Retailer-focused market: Before the rise of modern watch brands, retailers often sold products under their own name rather than the manufacturer's. This practice was particularly common in the British market until the 1920s. 3. Lack of a large Milton brand presence in the 1920s While Neuchâtel was a major Swiss watchmaking hub, Milton was likely a smaller supplier. Search results for "Milton watch movements" specifically point to a 1940s Hamilton Milton model, with little information about a distinct Milton movement company in the 1920s. This suggests that the "Milton" marking on the movement likely refers to: A smaller ébauche maker: A specialized manufacturer of movement blanks or components that supplied larger assemblers. A foreign component: It is possible the movement was sourced from outside Switzerland, though that would be less common for watches branded with a Swiss canton name. For example, some search results mention American companies like Hamilton, which were also movement makers during this era. 4. Neuchâtel as a watchmaking region, not a single manufacturer Neuchâtel was a canton and a center of watchmaking, not a single brand. Watchmaking cities within the canton, such as La Chaux-de-Fonds and Le Locle, were home to many different manufacturers, workshops, and assemblers. A "Neuchâtel watch" would simply mean a watch from this region, which was built through the cooperative établissage system using parts from various suppliers. AUTHENTICATION FOR THIS LOVELY WATCH! BID NOW! BUYER PREPAYS PLUS SHIPPING saleS MUST BE PAID WITHIN 7 DAYS OF AUCTION END FOREIGN SHIPPING ARRANGED MASSACHUSETTS CUSTOMERS ADD 6.25% SALES TAX WE'LL SHIP ANYWHERE AS LONG AS YOU PAY THE SHIPPING!