If americans still ran the watch world

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abduksion Senior Member True WatchGeek

If Americans still ran the watch world

I happen to be a big fan of American Made companies. Its sad to see brands like Waltham, Elgin and even Hamilton no longer being made in the USA. If those companies were still in the US do you believe that the Swiss, German, Japanese, Chinese and Russian Companies would be in trouble? At one time the US did better then the Swiss when it came to selling watches.

Looking at brands today like RGM, Kobold, Bozeman just to name a few, Have a lot of ground to make up. I believe RGM will be the next Hamilton of our day and when their gone, we're gonna look back and say I remembered them they were like the Rolex of the US. I was online and found a website about pocket watches, did you know Waltham sold over 150,000 pocket watches when they were in the US? That's a lot especially back then. __________________

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If Americans still ran the watch world

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SeaVulture

Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: San Antonio, Texas Posts: 2,216 Real Name: William

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I'm collecting some pocket watches right now.

Will be receiving some of them at end of this month.

I have my eye in RGM. __________________

Welcome to The Invicta Reserve SubAqua Venom Valgrange A07.211 Automatic WatchGeek Registry! http://watchgeeks.net/showthread.php?t=90044 SeaVulture View Public Profile Send a private message to SeaVulture Find all posts by SeaVulture Add SeaVulture to Your Contacts #3 Today, 09:20 AM

Hotspur Senior Member Super Geek

Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Here - now Posts: 1,231 Real Name: William (Bill)

Well, consider that at one time Timex owned the American market for inexpensive, reliable mechanical timepieces. Quartz came along and changed the paradigm. Due to much lower

Asian (Japanese at the time) cost of labor, I'm of the opinion that even if the U.S. had developed quartz technology first, our higher labor cost would have kept us from the market domination achieved by the Japanese. __________________

They all wound - the last one kills (inscribed below a 15th century clock) Hotspur View Public Profile Send a private message to Hotspur Find all posts by Hotspur Add Hotspur to Your Contacts #4 Today, 09:27 AM

Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Brooklyn, NY Posts: 953 Real Name: Mark

imawatchgeek Senior Member Veteran Geek

It would seem as though everthing the Americans make take a long time and are expensive as all get out!! Of course people would go with a more affordable watch that takes a licking and keeps on ticking!! __________________

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#5 Today, 09:42 AM

jade330i

Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Atlanta, GA Posts: 265 Real Name: James

Senior Member Senior Geek

Quote:

Originally Posted by abduksion I was online and found a website about pocket watches, did you know Waltham sold over 150,000 pocket watches when they were in the US? That's a lot especially back then.

I still have my grandfathers Waltham mechanical pocket watch. I pulled it out of my safe just to hold it for awhile this past weekend. It's not working anymore but I love it. __________________ "The problem with an argument is that it usually interrupts a good discussion" G.K.Chesterton jade330i View Public Profile Send a private message to jade330i Send email to jade330i Find all posts by jade330i Add jade330i to Your Contacts #6 Today, 11:25 AM Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Massachusetts Posts: 5,679 Real Name: Special K ;)

abduksion Senior Member True WatchGeek

Quote:

Originally Posted by jade330i I still have my grandfathers Waltham mechanical pocket watch. I pulled it out of my safe just to hold it for awhile this past weekend. It's not working anymore but I love it.

I'm dieing to start my PW hunt soon. __________________

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Runnin' Ute

Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Sandy, UT Posts: 1,462 Real Name: Brad

Senior Member Super Geek

Quote:

Originally Posted by abduksion I happen to be a big fan of American Made companies. Its sad to see brands like Waltham, Elgin and even Hamilton no longer being made in the USA. If those companies were still in the US do you believe that the Swiss, German, Japanese, Chinese and Russian Companies would be in trouble? At one time the US did better then the Swiss when it came to selling watches.

Looking at brands today like RGM, Kobold, Bozeman just to name a few, Have a lot of ground to make up. I believe RGM will be the next Hamilton of our day and when their gone, we're gonna look back and say I remembered them they were like the Rolex of the US. I was online and found a website about pocket watches, did you know Waltham sold over 150,000 pocket watches when they were in the US? That's a lot especially back then.

A lot more than 150k.

I have a Waltham that dates to 1908. The serial # of the movement is: 16449391 Assuming the first one made was #1, mine is the 16,449,391 st made - and that was in 1908! The year the company started (1851) they only made 49 watches (1852 began with #50). In 1957 the serial #'s started with 35,000,000 (last year that records show information for). So in a little over 100 years they sold over 35 MILLION watches - pocket watches. In 1908, there were about 1,300,000 made. (16,400,000 to 17,600,000) http://www.antique-pocket-watch.com/...ch-serial.html

__________________

Brad "Dost thou love life? Then do not squander time, for that's the stuff life is made of." - Benjamin Franklin Runnin' Ute View Public Profile Send a private message to Runnin' Ute Send email to Runnin' Ute Find all posts by Runnin' Ute Add Runnin' Ute to Your Contacts #8 Today, 02:46 PM Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Massachusetts Posts: 5,679 Real Name: Special K ;)

abduksion Senior Member True WatchGeek

Quote:

Originally Posted by Runnin' Ute A lot more than 150k.

I have a Waltham that dates to 1908. The serial # of the movement is: 16449391 Assuming the first one made was #1, mine is the 16,449,391 st made - and that was in 1908! The year the company started (1851) they only made 49 watches (1852 began with #50). In 1957 the serial #'s started with 35,000,000 (last year that records show information for). So in a little over 100 years they sold over 35 MILLION watches - pocket watches. In 1908, there were about 1,300,000 made. (16,400,000 to 17,600,000) http://www.antique-pocket-watch.com/...ch-serial.html Wow was I off by a lot lol. Thanks for the correction. __________________