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USA made watches

JasonVJasonV Member Posts: 2,480 ✭✭✭
edited September 2013 in General Discussion
Was looking at vintage Elgin watches and came across this company.


Watches made in the USA again!

http://www.shinola.com
formerly known as warpig883

Comments

  • footlongfootlong Member Posts: 8,009
    edited November -1
    Shinola watch---USA built in Detroit using Swiss Parts


    l think l remember hearing that one before

    GM cars--Detroit built using Mexican Made, Chinese Made, Korean Made, French Made parts [:0]
  • savage170savage170 Member Posts: 37,446 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    At one time American Railroad watches were considered the best of the best here is a small article
    History of the American Railroad Pocket Watch:



    Many collectors feel that American watchmaking reached its pinnacle with the invention of the railroad watch. In an effort to meet the stringent and rigorous demands of the railroads, where the incorrect time could and did prove disastrous, American watchmakers were called upon to make a watch that was incredibly reliable and incredibly accurate -- far more so than any watch previously being manufactured. And they met the challenge! Following years of development, by the turn of the 20th century American watch factories were producing pocket watches of unsurpassed quality. Watches that would lose no more than 30 seconds per week. Watches that were specially adjusted to keep accurate time no matter what position in which they were held, and in both cold weather and hot. Watches where all the major wheels were jeweled in order to prevent wear from long hours, days, years and decades of constant use.
    The main requirement for a railroad watch was, of course, that it be accurate. Throughout the twenty years from 1890 to 1910, the various railroads' watch standards evolved, demanding more stringent adherence to safety and good timekeeping principles. Although minor local differences remained, they became uniform enough such that the watch companies could build, at reasonable cost, both 18 size, and later 16 size, watches that would be accepted on any railroad. By the 1930's, however, only size 16 watches were approved, and these watches had to also have at least 19 jewels, be lever set, open face and adjusted to five positions, temperature and isochronism [i.e. the watch couldn't gain or lose time as the spring wound down].

    Not all watches that were built to meet the railroad standards were actually accepted for service on all railroads. After all, there were local differences and some railroads used official "lists" of approved watches. However, there were instances where even though a certain make and grade watch might not appear on the official list, it was accepted for service by the inspector out in the field. In addition, many pocket watches that were officially approved were actually made to higher specifications than required for a "railroad grade" watch. Many companies produced extra fine railroad watches that had 21-23 jewels [sometimes more!], that were adjusted to six positions instead of just five, and even had extra "wind indicator" dials to let you know how much the watch was currently wound. These watches are especially prized by many collectors as being the absolute best of the best.
  • fideaufideau Member Posts: 11,891 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Do they know bababooey from shinola?[8D]
  • shilowarshilowar Member Posts: 38,815 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Wow they ain't cheap!!!
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