# American Watches.



## Stan (Aug 7, 2003)

Having seen Donâ€™s picture of his handsome Waltham I thought I start an American watch thread; it has been a while since we last had one.

I donâ€™t want to restrict the thread to watches that are 100% US made, as that would exclude a lot of very nice watches from Bulova, Benrus, Wittnauer etc. Any American brand watch with some US manufacturing in it will be okay, old or new, wrist, pocket or clock. And of course, those of the electric persuasion. 

Iâ€™ll go first with this 1961 Bulova 17 jewelled watch with nice quilted dial.


----------



## Silver Hawk (Dec 2, 2003)

Stan said:


> And of course, those of the electric persuasion.


Oh alright then... :lol:

Two Titans and a Van Horn...all from 1957:


----------



## grant1967 (Aug 30, 2008)

Hamilton Date/date is all I can offer


----------



## don natel (Mar 13, 2009)

Heres my entry, will send more at a later date Stan. Upside down? turn your screens over!


----------



## feenix (May 27, 2008)

Just got this one a couple of days ago. Nice Bulova mans 10 carat white gold filled wristwatch which dated to 1945. Plain bezel, large dial window and teardrop lugs, an engine turned subsiduary dial is set at the 6 o'clock.

MOVEMENT: 21 jewelled, serial 10AK, Bulova USA signed movement.


----------



## mach 0.0013137 (Jan 10, 2005)

My contribution...

*Hamilton Nautilus 602 Electric, cal.505 7 Jewels, circa 1965*.










*Westclox unjeweled pin-pallet `Made In USA`*










*Bulova Accutron 218,1970.*










*Benrus, 17 Jewels, 10K gold filled case, 1954.*










*Benrus (17 Jewels ?) c1950s.*


----------



## feenix (May 27, 2008)

mach 0.0013137 said:


> *Bulova Accutron 218,1970.*


*Now thats just spooky, I've exactly the same hands and dial setup, just a different case*










*I like the round case though, looks a lot more 'recent' than my model. Very nice Mach*


----------



## mach 0.0013137 (Jan 10, 2005)

feenix said:


> mach 0.0013137 said:
> 
> 
> > *Bulova Accutron 218,1970.*
> ...


*Thanks, I `m rather fond of it *


----------



## pugster (Nov 22, 2004)

my only u.s watch atm is a ladies pocketwatch which was part of an auction lot i won , south bend watch co , amazing condition seeing as it was made in 1926- and working perfectly.


----------



## watchnutz (Jan 18, 2008)

American railroaders all Hamilton and Accutron except for the Swiss stepchild left off a bit on the right.


----------



## Silver Hawk (Dec 2, 2003)

This will end up like the "show us your hummer" topic 

One of my Pacers:


----------



## dapper (Jun 18, 2004)

h34r:



















Cheers


----------



## johnbaz (Jan 30, 2005)

waltham (american watch co)










innards...










lord elgin (poor condition but keeps good time), the bracelet is fitted wrongly...










accutron..










bulova fancy lugs..










john..


----------



## johnbaz (Jan 30, 2005)

movements..

lord elgin (sorry for the up side down pic :blink: )










bulova accy...










bulova with fancy lugs...










john...


----------



## adrian (May 23, 2004)

I love this thread, keep them coming. :thumbsup:


----------



## feenix (May 27, 2008)

Another of my Bulovas then I think

Rose gold case and salmon dial, 1930 mechanical


----------



## Sparky (Nov 2, 2005)

I only have this Hamilton 36000 BPH










Mark


----------



## feenix (May 27, 2008)

Some Bulova Accutrons

Accutron 218, gold plated case with grey dial










Accutron 214 Railroad Approved, gold plated case, blued steel hands










Gold cased Accutron 218, champagne dial (just, it was almost changed)










Custom assembled Accutron 218, stainless steel case with black dial


----------



## mel (Dec 6, 2006)

My modern *Elgin STEEL* -










which is really a bit of badge engineering, but sold in the US currently. Nice chunky heavy watch, good auto movement and reserve, less than Â£50 shipped!


----------



## Silver Hawk (Dec 2, 2003)

His 'n' Her Hamilton Thors. :heart:


----------



## Stan (Aug 7, 2003)

Some very nice watches so far. 

This â€˜50â€™s Wittnauer has some wear to the raised lugs but the gold filled case is quite thick and thereâ€™s no wear through. The movement is a 10E from Wittnauerâ€™s Swiss factory.


----------



## feenix (May 27, 2008)

So, Wittnauer are American as well? I didn't know that, never really looked into them if I'm honest. Heres Mine then, gold plated case with black sunburst dial and sub seconds at the 6 position.


----------



## shadowninja (Apr 14, 2009)




----------



## watchnutz (Jan 18, 2008)

feenix said:


> So, Wittnauer are American as well? I didn't know that, never really looked into them if I'm honest. Heres Mine then, gold plated case with black sunburst dial and sub seconds at the 6 position.


Bit of a stetch actually . US company started by a Swiss national and they never made watches in the US. Watches were all Swiss made.


----------



## watchnutz (Jan 18, 2008)

1926 Illinois made in Springfield Illinois.


----------



## feenix (May 27, 2008)

watchnutz said:


> feenix said:
> 
> 
> > So, Wittnauer are American as well? I didn't know that, never really looked into them if I'm honest. Heres Mine then, gold plated case with black sunburst dial and sub seconds at the 6 position.
> ...


Thanks for the clarification, lets go for one of the more modern Bulova's then. This is a vibra-alarm dating from only 2005, alarm can be set to sound or vibrate. There are times (quiet meeting, noisy enviroment, etc) when an alarm you can feel is an asset, and there really aren't that many quartz physical alarms that I've seen.










Oh, and another one, the Bulova Perpetual Calendar from 1999


----------



## Stan (Aug 7, 2003)

watchnutz said:


> feenix said:
> 
> 
> > So, Wittnauer are American as well? I didn't know that, never really looked into them if I'm honest. Heres Mine then, gold plated case with black sunburst dial and sub seconds at the 6 position.
> ...


Wittnauer watches with Swiss movements were cased in the US to avoid the punative taxation levelled on foriegn made products during its "isolationist" period (which never seems to end).


----------



## SharkBike (Apr 15, 2005)

Is it possible? I'm first to post a Timex? :huh:










Did PG lose the will to carry on after Mach passed him up...or what? 

And wait 'til Knut catches wind of this thread...y'all are toast. :lol:


----------



## watchnutz (Jan 18, 2008)

"to avoid the punative taxation levelled on foriegn made products during its "isolationist" period (which never seems to end). "

Wow, I wasn't aware the UK doesn't have import taxes! Thanks for letting me know. Hell we import everything and make nothing these days. We even asked Susan Boyle to perform in Washington on THE 4TH OF JULY!!!!


----------



## Alexus (Apr 9, 2003)

Great thread!

A few of my deco style Bulovas...


----------



## Alexus (Apr 9, 2003)

This is a good read too...


----------



## feenix (May 27, 2008)

I love this Bulova Automatic. Made in the same year as myself, 23 jewels automatic with gold plated case.


----------



## martinus_scriblerus (Sep 29, 2008)

1930's Gruen "Bat Wing" Curvex Driver's Watch


----------



## Stan (Aug 7, 2003)

watchnutz said:


> "to avoid the punative taxation levelled on foriegn made products during its "isolationist" period (which never seems to end). "
> 
> Wow, I wasn't aware the UK doesn't have import taxes! Thanks for letting me know. Hell we import everything and make nothing these days. We even asked Susan Boyle to perform in Washington on THE 4TH OF JULY!!!!


 :lol: :lol:


----------



## Silver Hawk (Dec 2, 2003)

All made in the U.S. of A.


----------



## don natel (Mar 13, 2009)

Silver Hawk said:


> This will end up like the "show us your hummer" topic
> 
> One of my Pacers:


That Pacer is a keeper, one of the most sought after electrics made!!!!! :lol: :lol:


----------



## Stan (Aug 7, 2003)

A design icon by any standards, this version has no American content other than the design itself. Which is certainly good enough for me, despite the rest of it being nicely made in Switzerland. The MoD chose the movement it uses to power the CWC G10 WWEGS, I'm told. 

The "modern" Hamilton Ventura.


----------



## Silver Hawk (Dec 2, 2003)

Stan said:


> Any American brand watch with some US manufacturing in it will be okay, old or new, wrist, pocket or clock.





Stan said:


> A design icon by any standards, this version has no American content other than the design itself. Which is certainly good enough for me, despite the rest of it being nicely made in Switzerland. The MoD chose the movement it uses to power the CWC G10 WWEGS, I'm told.
> 
> The "modern" Hamilton Ventura.


Mmmm....is "_design_" part of "_manufacturing_"? I don't think so...so you should be disqualified with that entry. :lol: Instead, I'll post a picture of the real thing  :


----------



## feenix (May 27, 2008)

Silver Hawk said:


>


Some watches simply sum up the age of their design. Stunning.


----------



## don natel (Mar 13, 2009)

I'll add my Benrus Electric to this great thread


----------



## MarkDavey (Jan 9, 2009)

I'll add my Benrus too then


----------



## Silver Hawk (Dec 2, 2003)

See what you've started Stan...with that _Swiss_-made Hamilton Ventura.







:lol:

These Benrus watches have the workhorse of _Swiss_-made balance wheel electronic movements within them....ESA Dynotrons (9150 through to 9158). h34r:


----------



## knuteols (Feb 22, 2006)

Only ONE Timex so far...? What have you guys been smokin'...?

Here's an American Legend - 50's Marlin 










...and this one has "MADE IN U.S.A." on the dial


----------



## Stan (Aug 7, 2003)

Silver Hawk said:


> See what you've started Stan...with that _Swiss_-made Hamilton Ventura.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I know Paul, I'll consider myself suitably chastised. 

Swiss tat. :lol:


----------



## MarkDavey (Jan 9, 2009)

Stan said:


> Silver Hawk said:
> 
> 
> > See what you've started Stan...with that _Swiss_-made Hamilton Ventura.
> ...


Yes and I'm sorry for polluting the thread like that...........I'll get me coat :lol:


----------



## Stan (Aug 7, 2003)

Okay, this is 100% American. 

A Hamilton Trent from the latter part of the 1950's, fitted with a grade 770 movement and a nice sterling silver dial. It keeps good time at +4 seconds a day (on the wrist).


----------



## chris l (Aug 5, 2005)

Stan said:


> Okay, this is 100% American.
> 
> A Hamilton Trent from the latter part of the 1950's, fitted with a grade 770 movement and a nice sterling silver dial. It keeps good time at +4 seconds a day (on the wrist).


I like that very much; amazing case design.


----------



## morri (Jan 9, 2009)

Wow, what a great thread. Seems like nobody does lugs like the yanks


----------



## don natel (Mar 13, 2009)

Ok, will add this Hamilton service watch!


----------

