The Hamilton Watch Company was established in 1892 by Charles Rood and Harry Cain. These two men actually established Lancaster based watchmaking company and acquired Aurora Watch Company of Illinois, a decision was made to name the new company after James Hamilton, owner of a large tract of land which was granted to him from William Penn and included what is now the city of Lancaster. The new company would be known as The Hamilton Watch Company. The company was housed on a 13-acre complex and Hamilton eventually took possession of 'Aurora's' machinery shortly after incorporation. With quality being Hamilton's primary goal, the company set out to manufacture "America’s Finest Watch." The first watch made under the Hamilton name was an 18-size 17-jewel pocket watch in 1893. Its first series of pocket watches, the Broadway Limited, was known as the "Watch of Railroad Accuracy," During this era, railroading was spreading from coast to coast and throughout America heralding the industrial revolution in this country. Most railroaders carried the famous Hamilton Pocket Watch with them because of its accuracy and dependability. Within the next six years, Hamilton had developed a reputation for creating pocket watches of the highest caliber of quality. During Hamilton's first fifteen years, only two size movements were produced, the 18-size and the smaller 16-size. The Hamilton was a working man’s watch. It was not inexpensive, but it had a class and prestige of its own. As the years passed and its influence grew, the Hamilton Watch Company began adding intricate carvings to their pocket watches. This move made these watches even more sought after; in fact, some people mentioned their Hamilton Pocket Watch in their wills.
Hamilton introduced its first wristwatch in 1917. This watch was designed to appeal to men entering World War I and contained the 0-sized 17-jewel 983 movement originally designed for women's pendent watches. The introduction of the 0-sized wristwatch was the start of a line of wristwatches that included some of the finest American wristwatches made. In 1928 Hamilton purchased the Illinois Watch Company for in excess of five million dollars from the heirs of Jacob Bunn and John Whitfield Bunn.
From the early 1920′s until the 1950′s the Hamilton Watch Company was a well known and highly respected name in watchmaking because of their style, design, and use of precious metals like gold in their watches. In 1969, the last Hamilton Pocket Watch was made, and by then even Hamilton was using Swiss works in its pocket watches.
|
|
|