Starke and Hermann were foremen at Illinois Watch before starting in business for themselves. The immediate predecessor of the Star Watch Case Company was the Illinois Watch Case Company in Elgin, Illinois, that was founded in 1898 by Otto A. After the war wristwatch cases were added to the product line. Styles included open face and hunting cases. They were available in solid gold, gold filled, sterling silver, rolled nickel-silver or brass. Until World War I the company manufactured pocket watch cases exclusively. Star's watchmaker clients included Manistee Watch Company, Hamilton, Longines, Elgin, Gruen, Omega and Pulsar. The movements (mechanisms), dials, hands, crystals (glass watch faces), and some of the crowns (buttons used to wind the watch) were made by other vendors and shipped to Star for final assembly. The Star Watch Case Company designed, manufactured and assembled watch cases for a plethora of watchmakers.
