We Won The Grant!
Your weekly roundup of one-of-a-kind watches is below, but first...
We mentioned a while back that we were applying for an "Advanced Industries" grant from the State of Colorado, specifically given to companies creating jobs in the Advanced Manufacturing sector. We thought we had a good shot at it given the "advanced" nature of what we do, but man were we still STOKED to find out we WON!
Follow along with the Custer & Wolfe show to see what we do with the funds, and keep your eyes on our Careers page as we'll have more Colorado jobs coming soon!
THANK YOU to all our customers for supporting us over the years, especially the ones who sent us reference letters for this grant. It helped more than you know!
Did You Catch Episode #6?
Did you get a chance to watch episode #6 of Custer & Wolfe, Building a Watch Company? This time we focus on the core of our business: preserving American history through vintage pocket watch restoration and revitalization.
Here's your Weekly Roundup!
Every Tuesday we send this Weekly Roundup of our most recent Watch of the Day watches. Most watches sell within minutes or hours, so be sure to check the website each day at noon Mountain Time or follow us on social media to get more frequent updates!
Click the images of the watches to learn more about them. Make sure to check the website at 12 PM Mountain Time for the Watch of the Day!
Today, we're excited to present this stunning piece initially produced by the American Waltham Company in 1908 — the Boston 451. The original pocket watch boasts a breathtaking and opulent-looking dial. It features gold-colored numerals and a gilt hexagon center design atop its light-cream-colored background. The dial also has dark arrow hands and a striking gold-colored subdial with black numerals. We paired the pocket watch with our scratch-resistant Machined Titanium case and equipped it with a gold-plated crown that complements the dial's colors.
The back of the watch exhibits a Riverside-grade open-face movement with a Patent regulator and Breguet hairspring. Its ¾ plate features a stunning stylized engraving, "Waltham, Mass Riverside." The watch's rear also displays gold-plated gears powered by 19 sumptuous jewels. Finally, we matched the watch with our hand-crafted Stout leather watch strap.
The American Waltham Watch Company manufactured the Boston 451's original pocket watch in Waltham, Massachusetts, in 1908 — the first New Year to feature the Times Square Ball drop in New York City. The New York Times owner Adolph Ochs first began hosting Times Square New Year's celebrations in 1904, first event had over 200,000 attendees. Later, Ochs hired Artkraft Strauss to create the first iteration of the iconic Times Square Ball. Strauss created the ball from iron and wood, and he used one hundred incandescent light bulbs to make it shine. The first ball drop occurred on December 31, 1907, welcoming in 1908.
We’re delighted to present this incredibly rare watch initially produced by the Illinois Watch Company with a Lexington Watch Company private label — the Springfield 504. The Illinois Watch Company only created 100 of these stunning and sophisticated pocket watches, making the Springfield 504 a one-of-kind, luxurious piece of history. The watch’s dial boasts an immaculate white background with elegantly-styled dark hour numerals surrounded by blood orange minute numerals. The watch’s exquisite dial also features royal blue spade watch hands, a matching subdial, and a Lexington label. We paired this antique piece with our glimmering and powerful Machined Titanium case and nickel crown, which complement the dial’s polished style.
The back of the watch features a 405-grade open-face movement with a going barrel and center bridge plate. You can also view the watch’s “Lexington Watch Providence, R.I.” engraving, corroborating the piece’s rarity and historicity. The watch also features bronze-plated gears powered by 17 gorgeous jewels. To top it all off, we equipped this remarkable watch with our stylish and comfortable Cordovan Oxblood leather watch strap.
The Illinois Watch Company initially manufactured the original pocket watch with a Lexington Watch Company private label in Springfield, Illinois, in 1915 — the same year that Congress created the modern United States Coast Guard. Congress created the Coast Guard by merging the United States Revenue Cutter Service — established in 1790 — and the United States Lifesaving Service — created in 1848. The Coast Guard began as part of the U.S. Department of Treasury. In 1967, the service branch was moved to the U.S. Department of Transportation, and in 2003, the branch was placed under the Department of Homeland Security.
We’re thrilled to showcase this exquisite piece initially produced by the American Waltham Watch Company — the Boston 450. The watch’s dial boasts a breathtaking light-cream-colored background with luxurious gold-colored numerals. The piece’s royal blue arrow watch hands make the front of the watch even more sumptuous-looking and stylish. We encased the original pocket watch within our robust and scratch-resistant Machined Titanium case, and we equipped it with a gold-plated crown matching the dial’s lavish-looking numerals.
Our Machined Titanium case features a clear back, enabling watch enthusiasts to behold this piece’s stunning gold-plated gears and other impressive inner workings. You can view its remarkable 1235-grade open-face movement with a Breguet hairspring, nickel finish, and pendant setting, with 17 jewels throughout its bridge plate. Finally, we paired this antique watch with our comfortable and stylish Rye leather watch strap, further adding to the piece’s breathtaking golden color scheme.
The American Waltham Watch Company originally manufactured the Boston 450’s pocket watch in Waltham, Massachusetts, in 1929 — the same year that American businessman Sam Foster developed celluloid sunglasses. Although people used sunglasses long before the 20th century, Foster’s invention enabled businesses to mass-produce and distribute more affordable sunglasses, resulting in them becoming far more common.
We're excited to feature this highly luxurious and historic watch initially produced by the Hamilton Watch Company in 1928 — the Lancaster 141. The timepiece boasts an elegant, light-gold dial with an intricate center design. The watch face also features stylized numerals and stunning blue watch hands that add even more sophistication. We paired the Hamilton Watch company's original pocket watch with our powerful, scratch-resistant Machined Titanium case, and we equipped it with a gold-plated crown that complements the gold-colored dial.
The Machined Titanium case has an open back that showcases the watch's gold-plated gears and 17 screw-set jewels. The back of the watch also displays a 912-grade open-face movement with a ¾ plate and reed regulator. Finally, we matched the Lancaster 141 with our exquisite and comfortable Merlot leather watch strap, making the final product look even more splendid.
The Hamilton Watch Company originally manufactured this piece in 1928 — the same year that Pedro Flores opened the first yo-yo manufacturing company in Santa Barbara, California. Although the yo-yo dates back to ancient Greece, Flores introduced a new stringing design that made the yo-yo's movement smoother and more stable. The yo-yo became such a hot seller that by the end of 1929, Flores' three factories produced 300,000 models daily.
We’re thrilled to present this antique, one-of-a-kind watch originally manufactured by the Illinois Watch Company — the Springfield 496. The timepiece features a rustic dial with bold Roman numerals and stunning blue hour and minute hands. Our Machined Titanium case and nickel-plated crown draw further attention to the watch face’s historical qualities, and the American-machined case also provides the original pocket watch with robust protection.
The back of the watch boasts a 405-grade open-face movement, and it features a center bridge plate with a stylized engraving that reads “The Garland.” The timepiece also features bronze-plated gears powered by 17 jewels. To top it all off, we matched the watch with our Moss leather watch strap, emphasizing the clock’s antique style.
The Illinois Watch Company initially produced the Springfield 496’s pocket watch in Springfield, Illinois, in 1924 — the same year that the Macy’s Herald Square held the first Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City. The historic parade began with Macy’s employees marching to the department store on 34th street along with floats, living animals, and live music. The inaugural Thanksgiving Day celebration drew in an audience of over 250,000 people, which led Macy’s to establish the parade as an annual event.
We’re happy to present this exquisite timepiece originally manufactured by the Hampden Watch Company in 1912 — the Canton 022. The watch features blue spade watch hands that look stunning against the dial’s spotless white background, and the watch face also boasts sophisticated black hour numerals surrounded by red minute numerals. We encased the original pocket watch within our glimmering, scratch-resistant Machined Titanium case, making the watch even more eye-catching, and paired it with a copper crown. The case also comes with a rear display, enabling you to view the watch’s 314-grade open-face movement with a Breguet hairspring and Hampden Star Regulator.
The back of the watch also reveals luxurious and robust gold-plated gears powered by 21 ruby and sapphire jewels. To top off the completed piece, we matched it with our Mojave leather watch strap.
The Hampden Watch Company initially produced the Canton 022’s original pocket watch in Canton, Ohio, in 1912 — the same year that Massachusetts created the first minimum wage law in the United States. Massachusetts’ minimum wage law only applied to women and children, and employers who broke the minimum wage requirements didn’t face significant consequences. Employers who refused to pay minimum wage were only punished by having their names printed in the local newspaper. Other states implemented minimum wage laws over the course of the next decade, and in 1938, the Fair Labor Standards Act set a federal minimum wage of 25 cents per hour, worth around $5.13 in 2022.
