Vintage Watches

Founded in the late 1870s, the Hampden watch company produced pocket watches up until the early 1930s when it was bought by the Soviet Union, which moved the Hampden watch company to that country.

The Hampden Pocket Watch Company was renowned for its high quality watches while it was in business that time. Today, many of the watches made by this company are collector items by hobbyists and the general public.

The Hampden Pocket Watch Company made some unique and special models, or grades of watches. The William McKinley grade was a thin, 16 size watches introduced in 1902. It came in either 17 or 21 jeweled versions. The watch was named after President William McKinley, in reverent memory of his assassination a few years earlier. He was laid to rest in Canton, Ohio, where the watch factory was located. The Dueber Watch Company grade was made in both 16 and 18 size, in 15 jewel, 17 jewel and 21 jewel models also.

The company placed ads listing them as passing inspection on all roads and crossroads, which forces some of us to that perhaps the watch in question wasn't acceptable to some of the railroads at that particular time.

The Molly Stark was a 3 size, 7 jewel gilded and elegant ladies' watch and was introduced in 1896. Another grade General Stark, named after her husband, was a 16 size, 17 jewel nickel watch that came in both open face and hunting case versions. General John Stark was a fighting hero at Bunker Hill during the Revolutionary War and since the watch factory was located in Stark County, Ohio, the company decided to honor the General and his wife by associating watch grades with their names.

Browse the widest range of Hampden pocket watches at the lowest prices.

The forerunner of the Hampden Watch Company, the Mozart Watch Company, was founded by Don J. Mozart, in 1864, in Providence, Rhode Island. After many failures and setbacks was restructured and realigned and the name changed to the New York Watch Company and was located in Springfield, Massachusetts in October, 1867. On April 20, 1870, the factory was destroyed completely by fire. After the factory was rebuilt and production resumed in January, 1877 the name was changed to the Hampden Watch Company.

John C. Dueber bought the controlling interest in the company in 1886. By 1889 the company had located to Canton, OH. By 1890, the company was making 600 watches a day, had 1000 employees, and owned net assets of $2,600,000. Hampden produced some very fine quality movements, and also introduced the first 16 size, 23 jewel movement made in America.

Each watch case was carefully made of 57 pieces and they used 14-karat-gold cases and 17 jewel movements to complete this artistic production. Dueber sold the company to Walter Vrettman in 1925. Vrettman went bankrupt in 1927 and sold all of the company's equipment to Amtorg, a Russian purchasing company. The company was later bought and moved to USSR in 1930

DUEBER HAMPDEN POCKET WATCH

"Accurate-to-the-second" (1901 ad)
DUEBER-HAMPDEN WATCHES are the most elegant and accurate watches made. Finely adjusted movements, 21 and 23 Jewels, solid gold cases. A gift that lasts a lifetime.
Every watch warranty accurate. Made in the only factory in the world where they compete watch (both case and movement) is made. "Lever set" and cannot "Set" in the pocket.
Look for these trademarks engraved movements: "John Hancock" 21 Jewels, the Gentlemen's Watch "The 400" the ladies' Watch. "Special Railway," 21 and 23 jewels, for Railway Men, etc.
Look for the Name "DUEBER" in the case.
DUEBER-HAMPDEN WATCH WORKS, Canton, O.