On the top plate is also written “Fogg’s patent”. Despite this, on the database of American watches all the inscribed writing on the top plate is correct for this watch and the database confirms that the movement was built in 1868. There are a couple of anomalies it was built at a time when the company was called “The American Watch Company” of Waltham, Mass., yet the only place it says this is on the dial while the top plate says “Waltham Watch Company” which did not come in to existence until 1907. It is working well and keeping very good time. It is in staggeringly good condition for a watch of this age. It is the movement model 1857 - one of the first ever watches designed by Waltham. #AMERICAN WALTHAM SERIAL NUMBERS SERIAL NUMBER#Secondly, it is the oldest or earliest Waltham I have ever seen with a movement production serial number of 442708 which dates this movement to 1868. Then you will have a watch worth a considerable sum! This is not ideal, but hopefully somewhere there will be somebody with the correct case. This does mean that if the dust cover is clicked shut it exerts pressure on the balance cock which sometimes means that the watch stops. Also the dust cover does not close very well as the balance cock is a bit too high for it. In fact although the watch fits the case snugly enough, the configuration of the holes in the dust cover indicate that a third hole has been drilled - not very well - to permit the use of the key to wind the movement. There are two important things about the watch. See my Blog on Waltham for further information. They produced just over 35 million watches. Waltham continued in business until 1957 and like many companies had several different names, owners and directors during its history. Dennison’s concept was effectively the invention of conveyor belt mass production, although Henry Ford was to claim that honour (but only after he had visited the Waltham factory). Dennison had come up with the concept of making all watch parts by machine so that they would be interchangeable and Howard created many machines to do just that. A few years later the factory at Waltham, Massachusetts was built. Waltham, or The American Waltham Watch Co, was originally founded in 1850 by Davis, Dennison and Howard - great names in the history of American watch making.
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