Mobster Al Capone spotted wearing a Illinois Watch Company

When RR Auction brought this Illinois Watch Company pocket watch to market in 2017, it wasn't merely selling a timepiece — it was selling a primary artifact of American Prohibition-era criminality. The watch, custom-commissioned for Al Capone himself, realized $84,375 hammer price, a figure that reflects both its horological rarity and its extraordinary provenance. Few wristwatches or pocket watches can claim direct, documented association with a single historical figure of Capone's notoriety.

The watch presents in a distinctive triangular — technically a Reuleaux triangle — case in 14K white gold, a form that was fashionable among high-end American pocket watch makers during the late 1920s. The bezel is set with 72 cut diamonds, framing a platinum dial marked with gold-tone Arabic numerals and matching gilt hands. The caseback bears the engraved initials 'AC,' confirming the personal commission. Illinois Watch Company, headquartered in Springfield, Illinois, was among the most respected domestic movement manufacturers of its era before Hamilton acquired the firm in 1927, continuing to use the Illinois name until 1932.

From a collector standpoint, Illinois Watch Company movements were known for precision and robust construction, favored by American railroads for their accuracy under demanding conditions. A custom diamond-set piece of this complexity would have represented the very top of Illinois's commercial output — bespoke work reserved for clients of exceptional means and, evidently, exceptional taste for conspicuous display.

Capone, who ran Chicago's South Side during the height of Prohibition, was famously attentive to personal presentation. He favored tailored suits, custom silk shirts, and jewelry that broadcast wealth without subtlety. A triangular pocket watch with 72 diamonds was entirely on-brand — a wearable statement of power in an era when such signaling carried real social weight in certain circles.

On the current market, Illinois Watch Company pieces with standard configurations trade modestly — typically under $1,000. This watch exists in an entirely separate category, defined purely by provenance. The 2017 auction result remains the benchmark, and any future sale would likely test or exceed it given the sustained appetite for Prohibition-era Americana at the major auction houses.