American watch brands have a long and very successful tradition. The best-known models are probably still the watches from Apple. But there are many more American watch brands that not only have a brilliant design, but are also of high quality.
How the watch industry began in the USA
The history of the successful watch industry began in 1850. The three businessmen David Davis, Edward Howard and Aaron Dennison founded the Waltham Watch Company. They succeeded in stirring up the worldwide watch industry, because until then Switzerland had been a particularly big player when it came to the manufacture and sale of watches. But what did these 3 businessmen do better? How did they even manage to shake up the market? First of all, they succeeded with a coherent concept. The main idea was to mass-produce high-quality watches at a reasonable price. The idea was not to save on quality, but rather on production costs. In this way, the company succeeded in outdoing the competition to a certain extent. By the standards of the time, this approach can be considered very progressive. Above all, the specially built machinery was able to achieve excellent results. The Waltham Watch Company created watches that were also affordable for the average citizen. This was a particularly important milestone in the history of the watch industry. In particular, inexpensive pocket watches were an important flagship of the company. After the First World War, wristwatches in particular became very fashionable. Previously, such models were preferably worn by wealthy women. Now this trend was reversed, as more and more men with average incomes also opted for a watch of this kind.
With the right budget, every dream can be fulfilled
Many American watch brands are distinguished above all by their particularly high quality. This is reflected accordingly in the purchase price. The Vintage Waltham Bathyscape Paul Newman is a reasonably affordable model. This model is available from about 3000 €. This watch has the typical design of the 1950s and 1960s and is both simple and elegant. The dial does without any numbers at all. The stylish braided strap fits comfortably on every wrist.
Which watch brands are currently in particular demand in this area?
1 Timex
Timex is the most popular watch in this category. It is not only particularly beautiful, but also affordable. The selection is large and many users especially appreciate the long durability of these watches. The Timex Chronograph Quartz model is particularly worth mentioning here and is characterised by a very simple design. You can combine this watch with all kinds of clothing in a sensible way.
2 Hamilton
Hamilton is also one of the most popular American watch brands. Strictly speaking, however, it is not a model from the USA at all. Although this model was first produced in the USA in 1892, this watch is currently owned and manufactured in Switzerland. The mixture of American spirit and Swiss movement is what makes this watch so appealing. The look is extremely unusual and appears particularly extravagant.
3 RGM
RGM is one of the newer watch models from the USA and has only been in production for a few decades. The company was founded in 1992 by Roland G. Murphy. The range here is extremely diverse and extends from standard models to customised luxury watches.
4 Autodromo
Watches of the Autodromo brand specialise in the theme of motor sports and are aimed primarily at car enthusiasts of the 60s and 70s of the last century. The design of the watches is precisely in tune with this era.
5 Niall
The Niall brand is less sporty, but rather focuses on the production of luxury watches. The company is based in Kansas City. The company is still quite young and has only existed since 2012.
6 White
The watches of the Weiss brand should not go unmentioned. They produce field clocks of the extra class, which are meant to uphold the spirit of the old clock history of the USA. The case and the buckles are made of stainless steel. This is preferably to protect against corrosion and thus ultimately ensure a long life for the watch. The dial of this watch is made of solid brass. The manufacturing process of a single watch of this brand is estimated to take about 35 hours. Precision and attention to detail are particularly important here.
7 Kobold
The Kobold watch brand was founded in 1998 by Mike Kobold. This watch is more of a leisure watch, as it was intentionally designed to serve its purpose especially in all outdoor activities. All parts are very robustly built in. Over the years, Kobold always orientated itself on Swiss manufacturing and adopted many construction steps, but without renouncing the fresh spirit of American design. The first model was launched in the USA in 2006.
8 Watches from Smith & Bradley
These watches have a very sporty look and have been designed so that they can be worn mainly by people on a smaller budget. So we are not talking about the classic luxury watch here, but much more about a practical timepiece that still looks very appealing. The company’s current headquarters are in Illinois.
Conclusion – what are the models from the USA good for?
When you think of watches, you certainly don’t have the USA in mind. But this is more or less a fallacy, because watch models from the USA are very much in vogue. There is a suitable model for every taste and almost every budget. American watch brands are characterised by an extravagant style combined with a great deal of quality. However, there are not only expensive luxury watches. In any case, you can also buy watches here that are not only particularly inexpensive, but also very attractively designed. But what makes the watch brands of the USA so unique? There is certainly no general answer and much depends on personal taste, but these watches have that certain something extra to offer.
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