Ball Roadmaster Marine GMT

If not for Ball watches, America as we know it might look very, very different.

Following the 1891 Kipton, Ohio railroad disaster, Webster C. Ball was tasked with improving timekeeping across the entire railroad system, a charge he took to with great vigor. Dubbed “Chief Time Inspector,” Ball made certain that railway men were issued with his watches — and that even if they weren’t, that the watches they were using conformed to rigorous timekeeping standards in order to prevent accidents and collisions.

Today, Ball Watch Company is Swiss-owned, and its product line has since expanded to dive watches, chronographs, dress watches, and more. The particular Ball watch we have here is a Roadmaster Marine GMT, a unique tool watch whose bang-for-buck ratio is wildly impressive, even in today’s microbrand-ridden climate. 

Housed in a 40mm titanium case with a sapphire crystal, a signed crown, and a bidirectional rotating bezel with a luminous black ceramic insert, it features a satin silver dial with applied Tritium gas tube ‘Arabic’ and baton indices, a matching, modified handset, a red and white GMT hand, and a day-date display at 3:00.

Powered by the chronometer-certified, automatic Ball RR1203-C movement, the Marine GMT includes several special features: Using the pushers on the left side of the case flank, it’s possible to quickly jump the GMT hand forward or backward in one-hour increments. And due to a small 24-hour scale on the dial’s rehaut, one can track three separate time zones: local time on the main handset, another using the 24-hour dial, and a third using the bi-directional, 24-hour bezel. What’s more, the titanium watch head comes paired to a matching titanium 'h'-link bracelet with a signed, push-button deployant clasp, and also includes its factory goodies.

Few legacy watchmaking concerns are able to offer the comprehensive feature set that Ball continuously includes in its modern offerings — especially at prices like these. If you’ve never ‘had a Ball,’ we say it’s high time you gave them a try!

Ball Watch Company is intertwined with the history of the American railroad, and thus, with the history of the nation itself. Founded by American entrepreneur Webster C. Ball in Cleveland, Ohio in 1891, the firm produced pocket watches whose accuracy was depended upon by railroad men across the United States.
Following the 1891 Kipton, Ohio railroad disaster — in which two trains collided head-on due to faulty timekeeping and caused the deaths of several people — Webb C. Ball was designated “Chief Time Inspector” of the railway, implementing a strict system of timekeeping regulation including after-sales service for his watches. All timepieces for use on the railroad had to conform to “RR Standard,” which included the use of a movement adjusted to at least 5 positions and accuracy with a max gain or less of 30 seconds per week.
Today, Ball Watch Co. is based in La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland, and has expanded its offerings into dive watches, dress watches, chronographs, and more. It has become famous for its use of tritium tube illumination, ensuring its timepieces are visible under all possible lighting conditions. Still inspired by the railroad, its collections are named for the workers of that famed American transportation system that connected the United States.

Our Pledge

Analog:Shift stands behind the authenticity of our products in perpetuity.

Condition

Since our pieces are vintage or pre-owned, please expect wear & patina from usage and age. Please read each item description and examine all product images.

Warranty

We back each Analog:Shift vintage timepiece with a one-year mechanical warranty from the date of purchase.

International Buyers

Please contact us prior to purchase for additional details on shipping and payment options.

All of our watches include complementary insured shipping within the 50 states.

Most of our products are on hand and will ship directly from our headquarters in New York City. In some cases, watches will be shipped directly from one of our authorized partners.

We generally ship our products via FedEx, fully insured, within 5 business days of purchase. An adult signature is required for receipt of all packages for insurance purposes. Expedited shipping is available at an additional cost. We are also happy to hand deliver your purchase in Manhattan or you may pick it up at our showroom.

Returns must be sent overnight or by priority international delivery, fully insured and paid for by the customer. A restocking fee may apply. Watches must be returned in the same condition as initially shipped.

We welcome international buyers, please contact us prior to purchase for additional details on shipping and payment options.