MADE IN: USA
CIRCA: 1960's
MODEL: RETRO DRESS
CRYSTAL: ACRYLIC
MOVEMENT: HIGH GRADE WALTHAM 17 JEWELS MANUAL CAL.P24 MOVEMENT
DIAL COLOR: CREAM GLD IN MINT CONDITION
FUNCTION: HOUR, MINUTE AND CENTER SWIPE SECOND
HANDS: LUMINOUS ARROW GOLD TONE METAL
MARKERS: RAISED GOLD TONE DIAMOND SHAPE MARKER
CASING : BASE METAL GP TOP/STAINLESS STEEL BACK
HINGING LUGS: 18mm
MEASUREMENT: 36mm DIAMETER INCLUDING CROWN and 37mm LUG TO LUG
BACK CASE ENGRAVING: -WALTHAM~SHOCK RESISTANT~WATERPROOF~ANTI MAGNETIC~ BASE METAL BEZEL~STAINLESS STEEL BACK
CROWN: ORIGINAL WALTHAM GP CROWN
STRAP/TALI: NEW GENUINE BROWN LEATHER STRAP
SIZE STRAP/SAIZ TALI: 8.5"
EXCELLENT CONDITION, WORKING, KEEPING TIME, DISCONTINUED MODEL & VERY RARE AND VERY HARD TO FIND
PRICE/HARGA: USD200 (NEGOTIABLE)
BRIEF HISTORY OF WALTHAM WATCHES
American
Waltham Watch Company, founded in 1850, were one of the largest watch
makers of the 19th Century. The company was founded on a relationship
between three men, in Massachusetts USA.
Mr David Davis, a Mr Dension
and a Mr Howard. It was based on a dream that they could produce
watches that were of good quality, yet were not made from some of the
more expensive materials usually found on watches of the era.
By 1851, the trio had there own production house, and the name 'American Horology Company' was adopted.
In
1852 the company had renamed themselves and watches were being produced
with the signature 'The Warran Mfg. Co.' after a Revolutionary War
Hero.
Watches 1 - 17, the first from the production line, were not
placed on the market but were instead given to the company officials,
and executives.
From then on the company went through a number of
name changes, with watches #18 - 110 being engraved with "Warren
Boston", the next 800 were marked "Samuel Curtis" (The Main Financial
Backer of the Company) and a few were marked "Fellows and Schel" and
were sold for $40.
In
September 1853 the name was changed yet again to 'Boston Watch Company'
an d a factory was erected in Waltham, Massachusetts in October 1854.
The movements produced at this building are marked #1,001 to #5,000 and
were marked with the engraving of "Dennison, Howard & Davis,",
"C.T.Parker", and "P.S. Bartlett".
Times were hard and the Boston Watch Company failed in 1857, and was subsequently sold at Auction to Royal E Robbins.
In
May 1857, the company was shuffled and became "Appleton, Tracey &
Co.", and the watches produced in this time carried the serial numbers
between, 5,001 and 14,000 ,model 1857. The C.T.Parker movement was
re-introduced as Model 1857 and was sold for $12, 399 were made. In 1855
brass watches were being sold for $1. Also at this time 598
chronometers were made, and by January 1858 the P.S.Bartlet watch was
made.
In January 1859, the Waltham Improvement Company and Appleton, Tracey & Co. merged to form The American watch Company.
Also
an interesting fact is that, according to the biography by Carl
Sandburg, Abraham Lincoln himself carried an American Waltham wrist
watch, the 'William Ellory' Model, produced by Waltham, in 1863 and was
an 18 size, 1859 ¾ plate model with steel balance.
The
Waltham name is synonymous with quality and craftmanship, and remain to
this day, very desirable timpieces and some of the Waltham finest
watches were made in Le Locke, Switzerland.
This
is a peculiar Waltham watch from the 60s, during the height of the
“jewel war” Another interesting sight to note is the swiss movement,
which was identical to those used in many early Blancpain Bathyscaphe
watches. It was know that after the closure of Waltham manufacturing
facilities in US in the early 60s, it imported and marketed Swiss
watches in US, including the some of the famous divewatches made by
Blancpain and LIPS.
Company Name History:
Approximate Date
|
Company Name
|
1850, September
|
Howard, Davis and Dennison, Roxbury Mass
|
1851 (for 6 months.)
|
American Horology Co., Roxbury Mass.
|
1851-1853
|
The Warren Mfg. Co., Roxbury Mass.
|
1853 (Sept) - 1857 (May)
|
Boston Watch Co., Roxbury Mass & Waltham Mass.
|
1857
|
Tracy Baker & Co., Waltham Mass.
|
1857-1859
|
Appleton Tracy and Co., Waltham Mass.
|
1859-1885
|
American Watch Co., Waltham Mass.
|
1885-1923
|
American Waltham Watch Co., Waltham Mass.
|
1923-1957
|
Waltham Watch Co., Waltham Mass.
|
