It began with the dream of three men to develop watches with such precision that their parts were fully interchangeable. This goal was achieved, and went on to become known as the American System of Watch Manufacturing. In the process, the Waltham Watch Company produced over 40 million precision, high-quality watches, clocks, compasses, speedometers, time fuses and other instruments. The most sought-after instruments are possibly the famous Waltham pocket watches.
After a series of name changes, the name Waltham Watch Company was officially adopted. Production of pocket watches was streamlined to include two major lines of watches based on orders from the Canadian Pacific Railway. One of these watches, known as the ‘CPR’ type, is emblazoned with the shield and beaver that are emblematic of the railway. The other model is engraved with the words ‘Canadian Railway Time Service’ and is known as the CRTS type.
Each internal part of the Waltham pocket watches was engraved with a unique serial number. A team of volunteers has organized these serial numbers into a database, providing collectors and jewellers with a useful reference to estimate date of production even if the exterior of the watch has been damaged.
The company was sold and in 1957 production was transferred to Switzerland. Today, the company is owned by MZ Berger and Company, and production takes place primarily in China. The modern version of the watches are produced for affordable distribution in the United States and Canada. Nevertheless, Waltham Pocket watches have earned their place in history. Abraham Lincoln was presented with the Waltham Model 1857 after the Gettysburg Address, and astronaut David Scott wore a Waltham watch on the moon during the 1971 Apollo 15 mission.
