Who Made This Watch?James Russell & Co, Hartford Conn#24281 from Boris Ioffe (purchased watch from jewelry store in Pittsburgh PA) This James Russell is of the higher grade "AT&Co. M57 look-a-like" watch, at least because of the exposed hairspring stud, expansion balance and script signature on the movement facing the center. However, it does not have jewel settings; but rather pressed in burnished jewels like Russell #23283 and #24353. This use of plates with burnished jewels on the high JR grade supports the hypothesis that the maker of JR movements incorporated Waltham parts. Note the dial has Roman Numerals, but the signature is in a straight line like the other higher grade movements with Arabic dials (ditto JR #20716 and #20788). |
