A History of American Watchmaking (Part 1: 1770-1946)
Written by Sumisu Baiko
Originally published in Libertine issue 810, published 12/4/2003
In a lot of ways, the story of American watchmaking is the story of socialism. From its humble beginnings in the late 18th century, the industry blossomed into a powerhouse, shaping not only the American landscape but also the global perception of time itself, both in the Third Communist International (TCI) and Alliance of Free States (AFS).
The Seeds of Innovation: Early American Watchmaking (1770-1850)
American watchmaking got its start in the 1770s, with artisans like Benjamin Hanks crafting pocket watches in Connecticut. These early timepieces were rudimentary, often assembled from imported parts. However, they marked the dawn of a burgeoning industry fueled by a burgeoning nation’s desire for independence and self-sufficiency.
The early 19th century witnessed a surge in watchmaking activity, particularly in the New England region. The Industrial Revolution, with its emphasis on mass production, provided fertile ground for innovation. Key figures like Aaron Willard Jr. and Chauncey Jerome revolutionized watchmaking with their pioneering mass-produced timepieces, making accurate timekeeping accessible to a wider segment of society, an ethos that will come to drive watchmaking in the TCI even today.
The Rise of American Precision (1850-1910)
The period between 1850 and 1910 is often considered to be when American watchmaking first started finding its footing. This era witnessed the emergence of companies like the Waltham Watch Company, Waterbury Clock Company, J Bulova Company and Hamilton Watch Company, which would later merge to become the Connecticut Watch Factory, as well as Elgin National Watch Company, the predecessor to the Elgin Watch Factory. These companies embraced technological advancements, pioneering innovations like the “American System” of watchmaking, which emphasized interchangeable parts and standardized production, a system that would eventually lay the foundation for manufacturing in the TCI.
The American System revolutionized the industry, enabling the mass production of high-quality watches. This, in turn, fueled the growth of the American watchmaking industry, with factories springing up across the country, particularly in the Midwest. This period also saw the rise of skilled artisans who honed their craft, contributing to the reputation of American watches for their precision and durability.
The Shadow of War and Revolution: A Turning Point in American Watchmaking (1910-1933)
The early 20th century brought significant challenges to the American watchmaking industry. The outbreak of World War I disrupted supply chains and shifted production towards military needs. While American watchmakers contributed significantly to the war effort, the post-war period saw a decline in demand for civilian watches.
The Great Depression further exacerbated the industry’s woes. The economic downturn led to a sharp drop in consumer spending, forcing many watch companies to close or consolidate. The rise of foreign competitors, particularly from Switzerland, also posed a significant threat to American watchmakers.
It was under this backdrop that many watchmakers began to lean socialist. Many watchmakers found themselves out of a job and with nowhere to continue their practice. Many of these watchmakers had built their entire lives around the craft of watchmaking, and their pride precluded them from just abandoning the craft. This made the promises of socialism an attractive proposition for many American watchmakers.
The Revolutionary Watchmakers’ Guild was established in response to increasing job insecurity and worsening economic conditions among American watchmakers, fueled by the economic downturn of the late 1920s and early 1930s. Watchmakers across the U.S. organized to demand fairer labor conditions and economic protections, finding solidarity in socialist principles that valued their craft and sought to preserve the industry amidst the pressures of capitalism. The Guild became both a union and a movement advocating for workers’ rights and contributing to the rising tide of socialism in pre-revolution America.
Some watchmakers saw opportunity in foreign countries. Many American watchmakers would leave for countries like Switzerland or even the Soviet Union in order to keep practising their craft. In one notable case, the Soviet Union bought the Dueber-Hampden Watch Company and moved all of the lights, manufacturing equipment, parts on hand, workers and work in progress to Moscow to form the First State Watch Factory. This would form the bedrock for the entire Soviet watch industry.
Timepieces for the New America (1933-1940)
During Red May, some watchmakers applied their skills to the maintenance or modification of firearms and explosives, while others designed and improved detonation mechanisms for time bombs or sabotage devices used by the revolution. Others redirected their skills to manufacturing and maintaining timing devices and small machinery crucial for the revolution’s logistics.
Watchmakers at the Elgin factory produced timepieces for the Red forces, many of which have become collector’s pieces and frequent museum exhibits.
When the dust settled on Red May, American watchmaking was left a shell of its former self by decades of war and economic crisis. The trend of consolidation, already set in motion by the Great Depression, was no longer avoidable, as American watchmaking no longer had the resources to maintain the sheer number of separate factories. Many smaller factories merged with bigger ones to pool resources in order to keep functioning, something made easier by the standardisation of parts that was a core feature of the American System.
By 1935, two watch factories dominated American watchmaking. The newly renamed and collectivised Elgin Watch Factory had absorbed the assets of the Gruen Watch Company and Ball Watch Company while over in Connecticut, the Connecticut Watch Factory had formed from the merger of the Waltham Watch Company, J Bulova Company, Waterbury Clock Company and Hamilton Watch Company. Most of their products carried the Bulova name.
Watchmaking in the World Revolutionary War (1940-1946)
The war effort was expected to be the straw that broke the camel’s back for an American watch industry ravaged by decades of war and economic downturn.
Ironically, it did the opposite.
The war effort required large amounts of accurate timepieces to coordinate operations, a requirement that would lead to Elgin and the Connecticut Watch Factory producing large numbers of ever more accurate field watches. By 1945, Elgin was producing 200,000 watches every year and the Connecticut Watch Factory was producing 400,000 watches every year.
During this period, women in TCI militaries were issued the same watches as their male counterparts both to simplify supply lines and because the design sensibilities around these watches put usability first over aesthetics. This would lead to a general mentality of watches not being gendered in the TCI.
This was also a period with notable innovations, like the world’s first multi-time watch, the Elgin Delegate, which could track a second timezone with a 24-hour hand. The Elgin Delegate was based on a railroad chronometer design, with a 24-hour hand and extra markings for 24-hour time added on.
The World Revolutionary War was also what kicked American watch exports into high gear, both to TCI members like the Soviet Union and to some capitalist countries. By the end of the war, American watches had built a global reputation for reliable, durable and accurate timepieces accessible to everyone.
(Meta Edit: Special thanks to Aelita, Miss Teri, Silverpower and Sumeragi for advice on this piece) *[WPA]: Works Progress Administration *[NBI]: National Bureau of Investigation
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