"Waltham Watch" - The Factory History

This is the final Project for Boston University Center for Digital Imaging Arts made by Jonatham A. Boschen. "Waltham's Watch" is a history documentary on the Waltham Watch Factory, that existed in Waltham Massachusetts during the 1850's through the 1950's. Thanks Jonathan, great work!

[@vickigeorge5348]

Just inherited my great grandfather's 1890 Waltham pocket watch. He was a watchmaker and worked at the Waltham factory in MA. I am always looking for still pics in documentaries for him. He was also a musician, played fhe cello, violin and piano. He was there at the Knickerbocker Therater disaster in DC 1922 when the ceiling collapsed from a snowstorm. He was on stage during the orchestral intermission. He survived.

[@johnjeromson3471]

My fiance bought me a silver Waltham pocket watch when we got engaged. I still have it, it still works and we have been married 23years. To see that the factory is still there is wonderful I would love to visit it one day. best wishes from Yorkshire in England.

[@69Muscle]

What a cool video video! Great history! I lived in Belmont, right next door to Waltham, in the early 70’s.

[@stellarb67]

Proud custodian of a Crescent St. Train Grade 19 Jewel Waltham ca.1903. Still ticking away. Beautiful piece of art and American History!

[@brianfuller7691]

Waltham changed the game for watch manufacturing and for American industry. Their pocket watches and wristwatches are still iconic . It's easy to forget that at one time, US made a lot of watches and prestigious American manufacturers were still in operation in the 1950s.

[@WATCHANGELS]

Waltham is right now relaunching it’s important Field & Marine Trench watch, the forerunner of all dive watches. A new chapter in its history and a first step towards bringing Waltham back to America.

[@timeisahumanconstruct9251]

Excellent documentary! My dad gave me his Waltham pocket watch dated from 1900. It's my most sentimental possession.

[@dccajc1]

You can feel him when u wear it im the same way

[@timeisahumanconstruct9251]

@@dccajc1 Spot on!

[@meshuguna4christ]

I just inherited my great uncles Waltham pocket watch housed by the Brooklyn Watch Case Co. This documentary was so impressive and knowledgeable, I thank you for sharing it. I read that this watch was so desirable, that many fakes were made and the BWC Co sued the imitators. I always loved this pocket watch, but now I love it even more upon learning the history of this great Watch Company. Thank You🥰

[@michaelmanis2423]

I have recently acquired a waltham model 1894 19JEWEL 14K goldfilled size s and it is absolutely stunning to look at

[@oehoe]

I bought an 1885 Waltham, British silver cased watch two months ago. Couldn't resist the buy of the second one. The seller says it's from the thirties. The case might be but the watch dates back to 1907. What a lovable video and what a great company Waltham was. Thanks for sharing this video and the history that comes along.

[@petercole8798]

History is fun. Now I hear the old waltham watch factory is haunted. Is it maybe. Great vid thanks for posting this. Our waltham heritage lives on.

[@BOboO-us5tu]

I have one from 1866. Still working perfectly.

[@xb175731]

I wish someone would make such beautiful watches these days.

[@johnnymossville]

I have a pristine Waltham pocket watch from 1912. Runs perfectly and looks almost like the day it was new.

[@fourseasonsgroupcorpalexra8815]

Is for sell??

[@jameshaury2716]

They made and patented the first waterproof wristwatch in 1918. The field and Marine watch.

[@Gaur1983]

The classical piece,at the beginning, for anyone interested. is the Jupiter movement from Gustav Holst's The Planets.

[@michaelbauers8800]

A must own classical music performance if someone owns just a few IMO. It's one of my favorites, and I have one of the performances on CD.

[@BopWalk]

I don't have any Waltham watches but I always see very cool art deco styled ones from the 20s whenever I go on a watch buying spree.

[@ZonaJim]

I'm just starting to research my Grandpa's Waltham pocket watch. I remember him always carrying it when I was a small boy in the 1950's. The serial number shows it's from 1908 which would have been the year my grandpa purchased the watch when he was 18 years old. It has lots of wear on the back of the case and it doesn't work. The winding mechanism is stuck. It is very worn, but means a lot to me. I'm going to see if I can find someone to restore it.

[@marcofernandez275]

Nice get it service again. Tic Tic Tic wonderfull.

[@bigwu100]

They would cost a small fortune. But. China and Japan do a damn good job. Speaking of watches my wife just picked up my elgin pocket watch built in 1893 from the watch maker today. It needed some work done. But it's still a good watch.

[@wasatchrangerailway6921]

it just breaks my heart to know that millions of these watches are resting in city and county landfills because some inappreciative dirtbags had no idea of the incredible value of these beautiful engineering feats. I have several vintage railroad watches and I hope to have many more soon. I am doing my best to come up with a way to take them with me when I croak. But maybe my posterity will enjoy them a much as I do. If that could prove to be the case, I will leave them behind for them to enjoy.

[@exploreworld7317]

I have one waltham watch😊😊😊

[@wannabecarguy]

Paid 50 cents at a garage sale.

[@thaddeuswinslowcooper8962]

Helluva documentary - I knew Waltham was a solid piece of American history but had no idea just how remarkable a company it was, how it influenced industrialization as a whole, how innovative it was in so many regards let alone in its pioneering of employee wellness. So much fuckin respect to Waltham, makes me even prouder to be a burgeoning owner of 2 pieces (a gorgeous 30s deco tank-style watch and one of their historically significant WW2 A-11s) and counting. Also, those apartments at the repurposed factory are uniquely beautiful! Often feels like I'm the only 22 year old that gives a rat's ass about non-Rolex vintage horology, but oh well, makes it all the more special I suppose lol #MakeWalthamGreatAgain

[@RedcoatsReturn]

Those great benevolent industrial entrepreneurs of that time like Denison and Robins did more to reform the country and treatment of employees than any government or political social reformers. A few hundred of them, humane and brilliant as they were, and you can make a decent country for people to live and work in. Waltham, Elgin, Hamilton, Ball, and Illinois are still today, great American fine mechanic pocket watches.

[@AlaVol66]

To bad people like the founders weren't still in charge at the end when things started going bad. The new owners and managers screwed the employees out of their retirement when they went bankrupt.

[@clockguy2]

Henry Ford did not get the assembly line Idea from Waltham. It is said that the moving assembly line came from the meat packing industry where animal carcasses were taken apart as they hung from a moving conveyor of meat hooks. Ford probably did not even originate the idea, but was quick to latch on to it in an attempt to break away from assembling chassis in batches. The watch factory did spring up modern industry as many pioneers of industry seem to have gotten their start in watchmaking.

[@jampar7590]

man im glad im a watch collector

[@dfcvda]

I`ve just started but, me too.

[@nestanesta9366]

I worked there. Panametrics. You could still find watch parts all over.

[@henrylikesradios]

I'm really partial to American watches and have quite a number of their watches in my collection including quite a number of Waltham clocks, pocket and wrist watches and aircraft clocks too.

[@FranzFerdinandVIII]

*07:59* judging by the case, that is likely a size 18 vanguard. Most of their 23j watches (including mine) are size 16. 21.Dec.2022

[@NoldorinPrince]

I just got an 1897 Waltham pocket watch

[@MrMagic292]

I've got own a Waltham watch that what I want for christmas

[@ListerMotorsports]

I have a 1965 38mm Telemeter Chronograph with a landeron 248 movement, black dial w gold hands and case, it's gorgous and im told a bit rare.. thanks for the video :)

[@jimmyginseng]

I just bought a 1890-1891 waltham pocket watch for a great deal. It runs and keeps great time.

[@plumsink]

Just today bought a model 1874 (watch dates from c.1882) for $28. Supposedly still runs, I haven't received it yet. Also bought a model 1883 c.1887 with rare "morning glory" hands some time ago that runs and still keeps good time. That one was about $200.

[@jimmyginseng]

@@plumsink very nice. since this comment i acquired a 1903 Elgin pocket watch for 35 dollars. I bought it broken, but still a lovely piece of history. one day i will get it repaired and in working order. good luck on the never ending endeavor that is the hobby of watch collecting.

[@georgesharkey6723]

From a DVD I saw from the NAWCC, featuring a man who worked at the company. He claimed Waltham had a lot of contracts for mechanisms like timing switches for the military and other products such as gyroscopes and such. But that management sold the contracts to other companies.

[@Audiomonkscollective]

great...😘

[@Apaleutos24]

I own a Waltham pocket watch dated back in 1900...

[@willieperalta4887]

How do I buy a Waltham pocket watch and how many price are this...

[@johnnymossville]

They are plentiful. I got a pristine model at a flea market that runs perfectly. It was made in 1912. I paid $60 for it.

[@vivekv27990]

I got one from ebay a 1894 model for $100. Works absolutely great

[@clockguy2]

They are wrong about being the first factory to produce a product from raw materials. Eli Terry, with the help of Seth Thomas and Silas Hoadley produced 4,000 wooden clock movements with interchangeable parts from 1806 to 1809 to complete what is now known as the Porter Contract. It is just that Denison did it on such a larger scale and produced such a fine finished product with parts that were interchangeable. American watches were so good, in fact, that "Swiss Fakes" began to appear. Swiss watches with American sounding names engraved on them. It got so bad that a law was passed around 1874 that required the country of origin be stamped on imported finished goods to combat the fakes. I have in my collection a Swiss fake that is engraved "Union Watch Company" "Walham". I believe Waltham was intentionally misspelled to not infringe on Waltham Watch Company.

[@timemachineeddie1146]

Time to make American watches again. Great video.

[@wannabecarguy]

Timemachine Eddie America lacks talent.

[@HSTMachine]

The issue is not talent, but expense. It is cheaper to outsource manufacturing and import the finished product built with foreign materials than to manufacture in the States. Not exactly complicated

[@juicebox22489]

You guys are being silly. I'm not even American and I collect these things. America totally has the talented people to open a factory like this again. Just look at Shinola in Detroit. What's sad is that new brands are emerging instead of old brands continuing, so the Swiss have cornered the market on horology heritage. If everyone interested in a contemporary American made watch wrote to Hamilton they'd see the demand. It would be great to see Hamilton reopen a small factory in Pennsylvania and make only their very best models in America.

[@mrrobot6757]

Kindov hard to do that when a 17 jewel Chinese movement can be made for 30$ 🤣🤣🤣 keep dreaming tho...✌🏼🇨🇦

[@montenegromc2519]

hola tengo un reloj waltham revise el número de serie y en ma información dice 1957_1959 alguien podría decirme cual es su valor ?

[@sukamusik88]

I have this one

[@rbf100]

What finally ended Waltham US production was a severe recession in 1957 that ended so many other old firms. I remember that one. So US production of Waltham watches ended about 100 years after it had started. Production was later moved to Switzerland but it would never again be the same company.

[@mistayu]

And the CROOKS at Waltham Watch NEVER paid their Employee's Pensions! Disgusting!!

[@wilmamcdermott3065]

Have one that was made in 1876 gold case wonder what its value is

[@HunterSTomsn]

How do you tell the Model and Grade of a Waltham watch?

[@HSTMachine]

Open the rear side of the watch, gently. On the inner part of the movement (NOT the case) there should be a serial number, likely six-eight digits. Using that serial number and the table on the pocketwatchrepair webpage blow, you can ascertain the apx. production year of your device as well as grade, model, etc. Very user friendly and informative site. pocketwatchdatabase.com/

[@AlaVol66]

You take the serial no. off of the movement and go to the pocket watch data base website to find that info.

[@steventhompson6270]

where could I sell a 1915 or earlier in ft Worth tx ?

[@user-hz8bg2bi6j]

いいね。

[@81bird61]

I have an 1888 waltham watch that i found in my closet and dont know where it came from

[@greentoolsnyc3985]

Mine is very worn, has a picture of a steam engine engraved on the back, can barely be seen

[@nezircaglar2381]

i have a waltham pocket watch

[@marimendez4175]

what would a 17 jewel Waltham pocket watch be worth??

[@clydedenby1436]

Only what someone is willing to pay. No good answer exists. Unless an item has a verifiable place in history then it will be almost impossible to exact any high value from it.

[@AlaVol66]

That's like asking what's a Chevy worth.

[@fedigwopdorame2869]

Mari Mendez;;;;;

[@mrrobot6757]

Lol... got a 21 jewel Cresent street model 1892 for $150 canadian this month...

[@solstar4778]

Sad but they’re gone in the USA 😢

[@eriche8870]

If i will a lottery i will reopen this watch company and will make pocket watch again. People are spending so much money on mass produce watch only because of their “brand name”

[@justicia6841]

TRANSLATE TO THE SPANISH PLEASE.

[@Grindstaff09]

Is there a problem with southerners? :) see this portion kzbin.info/www/bejne/d3WWgYVpoKulgLs

[@tomasinacovell4293]

Way too much bass and volume of the narrator, amateurs like you always fuck up the audio chain and band-pass!

[@michaelbauers8800]

sounded ok to me. And I am sensitive to poor audio balance

[@grammarnazi7428]

Tomasina Covell I found the bass quite soothing...

[@andrewedwards5581]

Waltman is a damn good watch my friend.