1914, Lancaster, PA
Official RR Standard with 23-jewel De Long escapement
Dial: white porcelain dial, bold black Arabic numeral hour markers, outer minute divisions, sunken sub-seconds, blued steel spade hands, signed: Trade Mark Official RR Standard Ball Watch Co. Cleveland
Movement: 23 jewel, Hamilton grade: 999N, #B605764, 16 size, stem-wind and lever-set, adjusted to heat, cold, isochronism, and 5 positions, nickel finish, circular damascening, split 3/4 plate, straight line De Long lever escapement with upright sapphire pallets, cut bimetallic compensation balance, blued steel Breguet balance spring, swan-neck patented Ball's micrometric regulator, motor barrel, signed: Trade Mark Official RR Standard / The Ball Watch Co. Cleveland. O / Pat. Nov. 17. 96 / Pat. 8. 08
Case: 10K gold-filled open-face case by Keystone for Ball, #9138666, screw-down bezel and back, engine-turned and engraved back
51mm Dia.
99 grams gross

Notes: The story that Ball made watches with De Long escapements using a 23-jewel model could not be confirmed until the appearance of the present example. Hamilton and Illinois made some examples with Le Long escapements in a limited run; probably less than 100. Hamilton employed the De Long in its 21-jewel model. This watch was purchased by Morris Alister Ball, probably a son of Webb C. Ball.
Charles De Long (1871-1942) was a very talented engineer/watch maker working first for the McIntyre Watch Co. and subsequently for the Illinois Watch Co. The latter must have held him in very high regard; in 1919 the company sent him to Switzerland to investigate new developments in the Swiss watch industry. He invented his semicircular upright lever escapement probably about 1915, judging by the initial patent date (July 25th 1916). The advantage of this escapement is a strong draw with no recoil. The idea was not new; Charles Fasoldt had it in mind constructing his escapement, however his was unidirectional. It appears that the De Long Escapement, if set properly, performs excellently.

Good overall condition. Winds, sets and runs. Dial: Good overall condition. Movement: Good overall condition. Some surface abrasion. Case: Good overall condition. Even wear throughout.