Today, we’re pleased to showcase this antique and stunning piece initially manufactured by the Illinois Watch Company in 1925 — the Springfield 500. The original pocket features an elegant yet simple dial with stylish black numerals atop its cream-colored background. Its royal blue hour and minute hands glimmer vividly against the distinct and tasteful background. We encased the Illinois Watch Company’s original pocket watch within a solid bronze case and added a copper crown, which adds to the piece’s highly unique color design. On the back of the watch, you can view its 405-grade open-face movement with a going barrel, and a center bridge plate. This pocket watch was originally adjusted to three positions, however, we have regulated it to our standard of six positions. The watch’s rear also features a stylized “Sterling” engraving along with the “Illinois Watch Co.,” and it boasts bronze-plated gears powered by 17 opulent jewels. Finally, we equipped this sophisticated piece with our hand-crafted Natural leather watch strap along with a solid bronze buckle, tying the final design together perfectly. The Illinois Watch Company originally produced the Springfield 500’s pocket watch in 1925 — the same year that the Louisville-based newspaper The Courier-Journal held the first National Spelling Bee in the United States. Frank Neuhauser won the first national competition with the word “gladiolus.” The National Spelling Bee has taken place every year since its inaugural competition except for 1943-1945 due to World War II and 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Although the Spelling Bee typically only has one winner, in 2019, the event exhausted its list of challenging words, and the judges declared eight winners.