Waltham Pocket Watch Repair

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"I cannot tell you how thrilled I am that you were able to restore my 1908 Waltham railroad watch. I had at least 4 other so called "experts" look at it in several cities and no one was able to procure the parts, much less restore it to its original grandeur. The watch arrived safe and sound and is faithfully ticking away with absolute perfect time. I remain a VERY satisfied patron. THANK YOU!"

The Waltham Watch Company is so deeply responsible for ground-breaking manufacturing innovation, that their contribution to instrument engineering, design and marketing can't be overstated. Their approach to manufacturing and product reliability changed the world. And for the better. It was with great financial risk, daunting engineering hurdles, limited industrial infrastructure and the measurement of time being an unforgiving verdict, that these pioneers of early automated and portable mechanical computers - endeavored boldly and prevailed. Every antique Waltham pocket watch is confirmation of man's willingness to dream and ability to persevere. I've long specialized in Waltham pocket watch repair and look to gain you as life long customer, as I have with so may others in possession of such Waltham watches.

I'm glad you've found this page. I hope to ground guide you to more information on your Waltham pocket watch, and ultimately help you in the decision and the process of returning your treasured Waltham pocket watch back to a rightful meticulous state. Please know that I provide no service for modern battery operated watches, only antique mechanical pocket watch repair. The focus of this this is page introduce you to the antique Waltham products and provide you with guaranteed Waltham pocket watch repair and restoration.

Waltham Pocket Watch Serial Numbers / Dates:

1852 - 50 1853 - 400 1854 - 1,000 1855 - 2,500 1856 - 4,000 1857 - 6,000 1858 - 10,000 1859 - 15,000 1860 - 20,000 1861 - 30,000 1862 - 45,000 1863 - 65,000 1864 - 110,000 1865 - 180,000 1866 - 260,000 1867 - 330,000 1868 - 410,000 1869 - 460,000 1870 - 500,000 1871 - 540,000 1872 - 590,000 1873 - 680,000 1874 - 730,000 1875 - 810,000 1876 - 910,000 1877 - 1,000,000 1878 - 1,150,000

1879 - 1,350,000 1880 - 1,500,000 1881 - 1,670,000 1882 - 1,835,000 1883 - 2,000,000 1884 - 2,350,000 1885 - 2,650,000 1886 - 3,000,000 1887 - 3,400,000 1888 - 3,800,000 1889 - 4,200,000 1890 - 4,700,000 1891 - 5,200,000 1892 - 5,800,000 1893 - 6,300,000 1894 - 6,700,000 1895 - 7,100,000 1896 - 7,450,000 1897 - 8,100,000 1898 - 8,400,000 1899 - 9,000,000 1900 - 9,500,000 1901 - 10,200,000 1902 - 11,100,000 1903 - 12,100,000 1904 - 13,500,000 1905 - 14,300,000

1906 - 14,700,000 1907 - 15,500,000 1908 - 16,400,000 1909 - 17,600,000 1910 - 17,900,000 1911 - 18,100,000 1912 - 18,200,000 1913 - 18,900,000 1914 - 19,500,000 1915 - 20,000,000 1916 - 20,500,000 1917 - 20,900,000 1918 - 21,800,000 1919 - 22,500,000 1920 - 23,400,000 1921 - 23,900,000 1922 - 24,100,000 1923 - 24,300,000 1924 - 24,550,000 1925 - 24,800,000 1926 - 25,200,000 1927 - 26,100,000 1928 - 26,400,000 1929 - 26,900,000 1930 - 27,100,000 1931 - 27,300,000 1932 - 27,550,000

1933 - 27,750,000 1934 - 28,100,000 1935 - 28,600,000 1936 - 29,100,000 1937 - 29,400,000 1938 - 29,750,000 1939 - 30,050,000 1940 - 30,250,000 1941 - 30,750,000 1942 - 31,050,000 1943 - 31,700,000 1944 - 32,100,000 1945 - 32,100,000 1946 - 32,350,000 1947 - 32,750,000 1948 - 33,100,000 1949 - 33,500,000 1950 - 33,560,000 1951 - 33,600,000 1952 - 33,700,000 1953 - 33,800,000 1954 - 34,100,000 1955 - 34,450,000 1956 - 34,700,000 1957 - 35,000,000

The innovators of Waltham Watch Co. - earlier know as the American Waltham Watch Company, set out to do what no other watch manufacture could - make a complete watch for broad marketing - under one roof. Rival Swiss companies would complete a watch by purchasing their needed parts from a variety of sources, and then assemble the finished product under one roof. Waltham knew that the western world could do better. And they did. Waltham's exacting designs and close tolerances allowed for parts replacement interchangeability within models which significantly improved dependability and repairability. This manufacturing model was later successfully adopted by other American watch factories and manufacturers of a wide variety of items both consumer and industrial. The Waltham brain trust - in it's many early incarnations were unparalleled the world-over with the design and creation of high quality products and replacement parts to support their long term function. Some of these incarnations were: Tracy, Baker & company (1857), Appleton, Tracy and company (1857-59) American Watch company (1859-85) American Waltham Watch company (1885-1906) Waltham Watch co. (1906 to 1923), Waltham Watch and Clock co. (1923 to 1925) Waltham Watch company (1925 to 1957).

Waltham pocket watches were made in a wide variety of sizes, grades, and options - both artistically and mechanically. Please find below a listing of Waltham watch models:

20 size Waltham pocket watches:
19 jewel, 15 jewel, Nashaua, Appleton, Tracy & Co. in 15, 17 and 19 jewel. Howard, Davis & Dennison 8 day,

18 size Waltham pocket watches:
(in key wind, key set and open face / hunters models) American watch co. in 15, 17, 19 and 21 jewel. Model 1857, model 1870, model 1892, model 1877, model 1883, model. Appleton, Tracy & Co. in 7j, 11j, 15j, 16j, 17j, in Models: 1857, model 1858, model 1859, 1877, 1883, model 1892. A.W.W. co. (American Waltham Watch company), P.S. Bartlett , Broadway , Canadian Pacific , Canadian Railway Time Service, Central Park , Champion, Conklins Railroad Special , Crescent Street, Cronometro, Supremo, Mermod, Jaccard & King Paragon Timekeeper, Martyn Square, Lehigh Valley Railroad, Howard & Rice, Home Watch company, Franklin, Fellows, Favorite, Export Excelsior, Wm. Ellery, Dominion Railways, D. & R. G. Special (Denver and Rio Grande) Dennison Howard and Davis, George Washington , J. Watson, the Warren model, the Vanguard, Tracy, Baker & co. , Tourist, Sterling, Special Rail Road King, Special R.R. Santa Fe Route, the Royal, R.E. Robbins, Railroader, Premier, Pennsylvania, Penn. Special, C.T> Parket, the Paragon and the Non Magnetic model - all in a variety of jeweling and above mentioned models. These 18 size pocket watches were among the first made in the western works and were hefty in size and weight and normally weren't carried by ladies. View Movements »

16 size Waltham pocket watches:
Many of the previously listed 18 size models were also manufactured in 16 size as well, and in a variety of jewel counts from 7 to 23 jewels including the Premier Maximus, Waltham's 5 minute repeater, the Stone Movement, Sol, Weems navigation pocket watch, and models: M# 1888, M#1899, M#1908, 1623, G#1622, G#1621, G#1617, G#637, G#610, G#620, G#645, G#665, G#637, G#610, G#620, and the Waltham Tennyson model. The 16 size Waltham pocket watch was large enough to have that robust feel, yet not too large for normal daily use, as might have been often the opinion of those who carried the larger 18 size. Many of the 16 size Waltham watches were produced later than the 18 size and as a result, were refined internally to allow for easier servicing and easier parts interchangeability. View Movements »

14 size Waltham pocket watches:
Waltham 14 size pocket watches came in various jewel counts from 7 all the way through 21 jewels and in a variety of configurations and models such as: the Sterling, the Seaside, the Royal, the Riverside, a variety of five minute repeaters, the Perfection, the 7 jewel night click, the Mazimus the Hillside, the Gentleman, the Ellery, the Crescent Garden, the Church Street model, a variety of early Model 1874 chronographs, the Beacon model and the Bond Street. Many of the previous mentioned models in both 18 and 16 size - were also produced in 14 size Waltham watches.

12 size Waltham pocket watches:
Like in the case of larger sized Waltham pocket watches mention earlier, the Waltham 12 size pocket watches employed popular movement model names in their 12 size pocket watches, as well. Beyond these preceding models mentioned, other notable 12 size Waltham models were the: Elite mode, their Digital hour and second window model, the Duke and their 1894 Bridge model. Many of these models were known in this size and their colonial series. View Movements »

10 size, 8 size, 6 size, 4 size, and 0 size Waltham pocket watches:
The many "year" models and "name" models apply here as they do to the already mention models above, yet these fine models included the newly designed Crescent Garden, the Colonial R model and Home Watch Company model and the Riverside A. Lady Waltham, the Victoria model, the Seaside model, Chronometro Victoria, the Diamond model, Emerald, Patrician, the Ruby and the Sapphire model. These smaller models integrated the best engineering of the larger size Waltham models, yet they were scaled down to allow for easier carry and were known as dependable timekeepers. I've restored hundreds of these smaller Waltham pocket watches and continue to be impressed with their refinement, durability and accuracy. View Movements »

The Boston watch company company - otherwise known as the E. Howard watch company- with it's formation history detailed here devised manufacturing methods, machinery and fine timepieces yet failed after 45 years of ground breaking work. In a 1857 Sheriff's sale, what remained of E. Howard Watch co. was purchased by Royal E. Robbins who named this new and hopeful company, Appleton Tracy & Company who in turn built and sold nearly 9000 pocket watches. The following movement model was known as the 1st. large scale American watch made made to have fully interchangeable parts with other of the same models. This model properly was named the model 1857. Nearly two years after, the Waltham Massachusetts Improvement Company who's principal Mr. Dennison was a founder of the now defunct E.Howard company - merged with the new Appleton Tracy company - thus creating the the American Watch Company. Some interesting slivers of information about the formation of this highly successful company reveals itself in the 1880 C.S. Crossman book - the Complete History of Watch Making in America. I hope you enjoy.

After the assignment of the Boston Watch Company, Mr. Chas. E. Rice, the assignees, began of course, to look for a purchaser for the Boston Watch Company's plant and found one in the person of Mr. Royal E. Robbins, of the firm of Robbins & Appleton - importer of watches in New York City. He however was not the sole purchaser, Messrs. Tracey & Baker, gold case manufactures of Philadelphia, who had been furnishing the Boston Watch Company with gold cases for their movements, were creditors of the bankrupt firm to the amount of $8,000. and came to Waltham to look after their interests. They were told that they had better buy the factory and run it, but this was financial impossibility with them, so they arranged with Mr. Robbins to furnish the greater part of the capital to buy the plant. April 9 1857, the day of the sale arrived and Mr. Robbins was duly on hand to bid on the property in the joint interest of himself and Messrs. Tracy & Baker. The real estate was first offered. It consisted of 61,000 feet of land, factory buildings, boarding house, grocery store, small cottage and several other minor buildings. The bidding was prompt and spirited and it was knocked down to Mr. Robbins for $8,500 subject to a mortgage of $7,000. Then the steam engine, machinery, tools and material in the factory was offered. The bidding was rapid, and Mr. Robbins was again the purchaser at $35,000, also subject to a mortgage of $6,000 making the cost of the firm $56,000 for the entire plant. Within a few days of the sale of the factory at Waltham, it was under way again with a force of some seventy five operatives. New life had come into the factory with the new management but a little time must necessarily elapse before it could be apparent in the production. Two cheaper grades also made, called respectively, "R.E. Robbins" and "Chas. Parker".

The early part of the disastrous panic which swept over the country in 1857 was spoken of in connection with Boston Watch Company but the business outlook was even more precarious as the fall drew near and the owners realized business would need to be curtailed at the factory. With this end in view, the time of the employees was reduced in October to one-half. Then it was decided that still another reduction must be made, so he superintendent called a meeting of the employees, "one cold, stormy night in November" as he said in speaking of it afterward, and laid the matter before them. He told them if they would work three-quarter time for half pay he would endeavor to run the factory during the winter, otherwise he would be obliged to close up entirely. the proposition was accepted and the winter months passed slowly without any interruption of any kind in the work. In the Spring of 1858, Mr. Robbins began the idea of moving the factory from Waltham to Newark, New Jersey, or some locality near New York City, but Mr. W.H. Keith, who was still the treasurer and business manager of the Waltham Improvement Company, thought if their charter for the manufacture of watches was art all valuable, and they claimed it was, the time had come to bring it into active service, so with this end in view he called on Mr. Robbins and made him a proposition that his firm should unite with the improvement company thus making one strong company and increase the capitol and facilities of both. The board of directors of the Improvement Company met on several occasions and authorized on June 14th. the purchase of the watch factory. Having all details arranged, the president took possession of the watch factory on behalf of the company and the firm of Messrs. Appleton Tracy & Company passed out of existence - although the name has been used ever since as a trademark on the best grade of gull plate movements which the company made until the advent of the new "Crescent Street". The name "Waltham Improvement Company" now ceased

Perhaps the event which marked the year 1859 more than anything else was the withdrawal late on that year of several of the foremen and prominent workmen to enter the employ of the Nashua Watch Company of Nashua New Hampshire, which had just been organized at that place. The Nashua Watch company it may be said was the American Watch Company's first-born although, in after years, it was to count it's off-spring in considerable numbers. In 1862 the Nashua Company had absorbed all their capital and although nearly ready to put watches on the market, found themselves quite unable to go on . Accordingly, Mr. N.P. Stratton waited on the American Watch Company with a view to getting them to purchase the Nashua plant. The negotiations, which were quick and satisfactorily carried through, ended in April 1862 in the complete absorption of the Nashua Company by the American Watch Company. The acquisition of this plant proved a very successful venture for the American Watch Company as they were now able to produce watches of fine grades, at least for that time, and their facilities for selling good were such that they could now successfully compete with the finest Swiss and English watches that were imported and were thus able to establish a reputation for the production of watches of superior as well as medium and low grades.

The company now entered upon a period of great financial prosperity incident to the war, which began to effect business favorably in 1862.The business of the company was to make money, and they did it faster than any watch company had ever been able to do ti before or since.

In the years 1866-8 the following may be mentioned as some of the new departure of the company: A large wing had been added to the factory in 1864 to accommodate the growing demands of the company and new movement to be produced in nickel and soon afterwards a stem winding attachment was added. This period also witnessed the introduction to the trade of a full plate movement called the "Home Watch company, Boston Mass." It was an effort on the part of the company to produce a cheaper watch than had been made by them heretofore. This proved a great success and it's sales became very extensive. This movement was made plain jeweled at first, but afterwards jeweled on the top plate and continued as a standard movement by the company until 1873. Another and much finer grade of full plate movement was added at this time named "Waltham Watch Company." It became one of the most popular movements which the company had ever produced, being full jeweled. Garnet plate jewels were used in this grade of movement from the start, the company having adopted their use in the finer grade of full plate a short time previous, for the reason that they gave the movement a finer appearance than the large aqua marine jewels which they had been using. The patent center pinion was also adopted in all grades of movement during the years 1866-7. The early part of 1868 the use of mainspring hooks fitted to the end of the spring and familiarly known to the trade as "T" ends, was generally adopted, but they had been in use in the Nashau department from the summer previous. The use of the dust band on full plate movements was also commenced about this time, and later in the year of 1868, several of the full plate grades were altered to "sprung over". The American watches had now gotten a firm a foothold, that their makers no longer felt obliged to follow in the old beaten tracks of their English competitors.

In 1873 and a few succeeding years, the company, like all other kinds of business, again passed through another time of great depression consequent upon the panic of that year. It is not necessary to describe in detail the policy then pursued by them. Suffice to say, it was similar in general character to that adopted in 1858 and 1861 and with the same careful management of affairs which characterized the prevails occasions they came through unscathed, not only to gradually assume it's former position in the matter of production, but eventually to far exceed it. Perhaps, however, the following detail is tied with references to the year mentioned will be of interest. The first reduction was in the early part of October 1873, at which time the company employed 877 operatives. This force was largely reduced during the next three months but in the spring of 1874 they again began to pursue an aggressive policy and increase the working force. This they continued to do until at present they employ a force of 2900 in all departments. Between 1878 and 1883 the entire factory was rebuilt and much enlarged.

In the spring of 1877, the first chronographs were put on the market. The attachments were made and added to the movements under Mr. Lugrin's supervision at the New York office of Robbins & Appleton. Mr Lugrin is the patentee, his first patent being dated Oct. 3, 1876. These were followed by split seconds and minutes in 1883, and are soon to be followed by a 5 minute repeater and lady's chronograph all under Mr. Lugrin's patents. All the chronograph watches, except the lady's just referred to, are 14 size and are made in three grades. The company are the only ones in this country to make chronograph watches of an description.

During the year 1877, the company changed the 18 size movements somewhat, and designated them as "New Model", the principal changes being in the mainspring barrel and balance. The general appearance of the movement was slightly changed by these alterations. In 1880 all the 18 size grades were changed to quick train, which has since been used exclusively. The other sizes had all been changed to quick train previous to this. In 1883 Mr. John Loga, the hairspring manufacturers of Waltham, patented a process for hardening and tempering a Breguet hairspring in form. The company obtained the exclusive right to use it, and it is now put in all of their medium and finer gases. During the year 1885, the company put their new style of stem setting full plate movement on the market. They are usually called pendant set, as the crown pulls out to set which dispenses with the setting lever at the side. This device was designed by Mr. D.H. Church, the master watchmaker of the Waltham Company

An opportunity now presented itself such as never had presented itself before, to show to the public at large, all these improvements. We refer to the Centennial Exhibition, where the company made a large exhibit, and the favorable report of the judges, of which the late Prof. James C. Watson was chairman, was made the basis of an award to the company. Those entered for the competition trails were the finest grade of 16 size movements. The company also made a large exhibit of machinery at the Centennial, showing the actual operation of make many parts of a watch. The honors won by the American Waltham Watch Company at the Philadelphia Exhibition in 1876 were repeated at the International Exhibitions at Paris- 1878, Sydney -1879, Melbourne - 1880, where gold medals and highest awards were bestowed upon Waltham watches and lastly, at the International Inventions Exhibition at London in 1885, where the Company exhibited and worked 12 of it's automatic machines, earning them the recognition of superiority of European scientists and watch manufacturers alike, and carrying off the Grand Gold Medal, the highest award.

This company, as previously hinted at, has been a parent plant more than any of the other American watch companies. The reason for this is not only the fact that several other companies engaged their employees from Waltham to build the machinery and start their plants, but in several instances the conception of the new enterprises originated among the employees at Waltham. These facts, coupled with the fact that the company has spread it's influence commercially to nearly all parts of the world were watches are sol, make it plain, even to the casual observer, that their influence on the markets of the world has been greater than that of any other company. They have been to a certain extent, moulding the destinies of not only the horological industry in America but abroad as well. In saying this the writer sincerely believes he has injusticed no one but simply given credit were it is due in speaking of the early struggles and continued triumphs of the American Waltham watch company. Passages taken from the 1880 C.S. Crossman book - the Complete History of Watch Making in America.

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