Contents • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • History [ ] In 1850, at, David Davis, Edward Howard, and formed the company that would later become the Waltham Watch Company. Their revolutionary was to manufacture the parts of watches so precisely that they would become fully. Based upon the experience of earlier failed trials, Howard and Dennison eventually perfected and their precision watch making machines, creating what has been called the.

1854 A new factory was built on the banks of the river in Waltham, Massachusetts and the company eventually became the Waltham Watch Company. 1874 After adventures in Switzerland he moved to England, where he founded a very successful watch case company, Dennison Watch Case Co. 1895 He died in Birmingham.

American Horologe Company (Warren Manufacturing Company) [ ] The original name of the company, which began operations in 1851, is unclear. Some sources say the name was the 'American Company'. However, in 1886, Dennison stated that the first company name was the Warren Manufacturing Company, named for, a famous soldier of the War of Independence. The word 'watch' was specifically omitted to retain secrecy of the novel operation. In 1851, production began in a new factory building.

In late 1852, the first watches were complete. The first 17 watches, which ran for 8 days, and were marked 'Howard, Davis & Dennison', were distributed among company officials. Number 1, given to Howard, is now at the. Numbers 18 to 100 were named 'Warren, Boston' and the following 800 'Samuel Curtis', after the financial backer of the company.

A few, marked 'Fellows & Schell', sold for $40. January 1853 saw the introduction of the 'P.S. Bartlett' watch, named for early employee Patten Sargent Bartlett. Boston Watch Company [ ] In September 1853 the company was renamed the Boston Watch Company. A new factory was built in, on the banks of the, which the company occupied in 1854. Growth of the company prompted significant expansion of these premises, whose surviving elements now date to the period 1879–1913.

Now repurposed to residential and commercial use, the complex was listed on the in 1989. The next movements manufactured (1001-5000) were marked 'Dennison, Howard, & Davis', 'P.S.Bartlett', and 'C.T. The company had financial difficulties and Howard left to form Appleton Tracy & Company [ ] Upon bankruptcy, the company was sold at auction to, who reorganized it under the new name Appleton Tracy & Company (ATCo) with his brother,, in May 1857. The next movements produced, Serial numbers 5001 to 14,000, were used in the watch, the first pocket watch produced in America of standard parts. Parker' was introduced as the 1857 model.

399 units were made. American Watch Company [ ] In January 1859 the Waltham Improvement Company merged with Appleton, Tracy & Company, forming the American Watch Company (AWCo).

In 1861, as the country entered the, production stopped. The company decided to downsize to the lowest possible level to keep the factory open, which was successful. After the Civil War, the company became the main supplier of to various in North America and more than fifty other countries. In 1876, the company showed off the first automatic screw making machinery and obtained the first Gold Medal in a watch precision contest at the Philadelphia.

American Waltham Watch Company [ ] In 1885 the company name changed to the American Waltham Watch Company (AWWCo). Waltham model 1899 pocket watch face Every watch that the company produced was engraved with an individual. That number can be used to estimate the date of production. Volunteers have created a database of Waltham serial numbers, models and grades, and descriptions of observed watches. Waltham Precision Instruments Company [ ] The company closed its factory doors and declared bankruptcy in 1949, although the factory briefly reopened a few times, primarily to finish and case existing watch inventory for sale. Several different plans were presented to restart the business, but all failed for various reasons.