Occupation of the horological summits by the Swiss is taken for granted today, with some notable exceptions made for German and Japanese firms such as A. Lange & Söhne and Grand Seiko, respectively. However, this wasn’t always the case.
Hamilton was founded in Lancaster, Pennsylvania and began producing pocket watches. - (Image by Hamilton)
In the late 19th through the mid-20th centuries, it was the Americans who commanded the watch industry heights. Adopting an assembly line technique that allowed for serial production, firms such as Elgin, Waltham, Hamilton, and others manufactured millions upon millions of pocket and wristwatches. The use of interchangeable parts and mass production meant a significant drop in sales of Swiss-made watches to the American market. The Swiss in turn observed American techniques in the late 19th century and adopted them for their own purposes. Simultaneously, they continued to focus on and specialize in the type of complicated watchmaking that the Americans largely ignored.
The Marine Chronometer Model 21 was more accurate than any other marine chronometer, keeping time to within half a second per day and easily within the Navy requirement of 1.55 seconds. - (Image by Hamilton)
The result was that in the decades leading up to the Second World War — a time when most American firms were functionally commandeered by the federal government to produce strategically important devices such as stopwatches, bomb timers, etc. — the industrial powerhouse that was American watchmaking provided an example to the world. Though these products didn’t necessarily proliferate across the globe in the manner of Swiss-made watches today, it’s safe to say that without the American way of production, the modern watchmaking landscape would look very, very different.
Gruen Watch ad - (Image by Fratello)
And though the focus within the U.S. was largely on time-only watches, American firms produced some wildly beautiful examples of these simple timekeepers from the 1910s through the 1950s. Certain innovative models were even leaders in their class: The Gruen Curvex, for example, used the world’s first curved wristwatch movement, while the Accutron technology developed by Bulova — though it was later eclipsed by quartz technology — was a tremendous example of outside-the-box thinking.
One of the best side effects of the positive glut of American-made watches from this era is that they’re often priced much differently than their Swiss counterparts: Compare, for example, the platinum cased, beautifully dialed Hamilton Rutledge with an equivalent model from Patek Philippe. For the cost of a few bracelet links from that august maison, you can secure yourself one of the most beautiful American watches ever made!
What follows below are but a few of the pieces currently in the Analog:Shift catalog. We love American watches, however, and are constantly updating our inventory with more. Check out the timepieces below and be sure to contact us if you’d like to visit our NYC showroom to try anything on in person.
Lord Elgin Automatic ($1,450)
Lord Elgin Automatic - IN THE SHOP
Incorporated in 1864 in Chicago, the Elgin Watch Company operated the world’s largest watch manufacturing complex for nearly a century. This cool Lord Elgin automatic watch dates to the tail end of the company’s run in the 1960s: Featuring a 34mm yellow gold case with a simple silvered dial, applied gold indices, and a matching ‘dauphine’ handset, it’s the perfect affordable dress watch — what’s more, it features a cool personal hand engraving on the caseback.
Hamilton Rodney ($595)
Hamilton Rodney - IN THE SHOP
Established in 1892 in Lancaster, PA, Hamilton built millions of watches for civilians and the military alike. Nowadays it’s a member of the Swatch Group — but once, it represented the pinnacle of American horological might. This ‘Rodney,’ for example, has it all: ‘Claw’ lugs; a bi-color sector dial; yellow gold-filled construction; a hand-wound movement; a matching expandable bracelet; and even a period-correct box from the 1960s. Neato!
Gruen Pocket Watch ($1,450)
Gruen Pocket Watch - IN THE SHOP
America was once king of industrialized pocket watch manufacturing. Though this Gruen dates from the tail end of American horological hegemony, it’s a beautiful example of Art Deco-influenced industrial design: Measuring 46mm in chrome-plated base metal, it features a gorgeous silver and black ‘tuxedo’ dial with stylized ‘Arabic’ indices, a ‘railroad’ minute track, a sub-seconds display at 6 o’clock, and a ‘leaf’ handset. Its large caseback, moreover, is perfect for engraving.
Angelus Art Deco Desk Clock For Tiffany & Co. ($1,530)
Angelus Art Deco Clock for Tiffany & Co. - IN THE SHOP
Fine — this desk clock might be Swiss made. However, it was retailed by none other than Tiffany & Co, that most famed of American jewelers. So while it wasn’t produced on American soil, it was certainly retailed here, making it — in our minds — an American timepiece. Dating to the 1950s and powered by a hand-wound 8-day movement from Angelus, it features a handsome silvered dial with luminous ‘sword’ hands and indices.
Bulova Accutron Railroad ($995)
Bulova Accutron Railroad - IN THE SHOP
Everything about this quirky Bulova is delightful: Its handsome gold-filled case; its white ‘Railroad Approved’ dial dial with blue ‘spade’ handset and highly legible design; its rarely seen two-tone gold-filled and steel bracelet with mesh and multi-link components; and most of all, its Accutron electronic movement whose accuracy was relied upon not only by civilians, but also by the North American Railroad and its employees. What could possibly be cooler?
Gruen Curvex ($1,950)
Gruen Curvex - IN THE SHOP
The Curvex represents yet another innovation of the American watchmaking system: Its hand-wound Calibre 311 was the world’s first curved movement, which the firm fit to a similarly curved case and dubbed the Curvex. Produced in numerous forms, this reference from the 1950s is particularly handsome: Made of yellow gold, it sparkles with its silvered dial, open minute track, ‘Breguet’ numerals, sub-seconds display, and gold ‘leaf’ handset.
Hamilton Rutledge Platinum ($3,350)
Hamilton Rutledge Platinum - IN THE SHOP
Feast your eyes on one of the most splendid watches to ever emerge from the United States, the Hamilton Rutledge in platinum. Measuring 22mm wide by 37mm tall in a rectangular case, it’s not only machined from the most noble of metals, but also features an equally gorgeous silvered dial with a ‘railroad’ minute track, stylized ‘Arabic’ indices in platinum, a sub-seconds display above 6 o’clock, and an ultra-cool ‘Gothic’ handset. Hand-wound and paired to a grey leather strap, it’s proof of America’s 20th-century watchmaking prowess.
