The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-04-18

birth. IL liz not uncommon to find men ant
for moro than twenty years. On being shown
through n RreaC watch factory n man was great
~ astonished at cling introduced to the Mayor
departments. and also to four Aldermen. one
deacon. two directors of the public library, tho
Chief OF the city Fire Department.. several
militia officers. and n member OF the local brass
band. all OF those dignitaries being factory
hands drawing regular weekly wages.
The Chief claims In behalf of American
watches IN comparison with those OF FOREIGN
mako include greater, simplicity in construc.
tiun. n moe perfect degree of accuracy in the
shaping and finishing of tho l66 separate
pieces that go to make a ~stem-winder move
ment OF standard quality. greater reliability
N time keeping, and the advantage and econ:
omy OF INTERCHANGEABLE parts. The last named
consideration 10 an important one: as IL case
serial number In order TO obtain n replicn OF
the Niece at . trining cost by return mail. This.
dealer, no he can describe technically tho
piece reqoired.
Thee is no such thing rs q watch factory
worG. which depcnds upon the Individual or
%cellenco and steadincss of the WORKMAN. ana
this Is q variable element ut best. American
machinery, witch never varies and never
makns a ml.ink". has rcvolu;ipniLed watch
maklns equally ia the detail Of cous %truc;ion
sides she mechanical perfection which insures
unyaryinE precision in TIE rotation OF the pnrts
uLd bearings OF the machinery, American sci
cnce las found means to overcome the intlu-
ences OF electricity and CT marked changes from
heat to cold, which formerly at1eCtou lie 10.
liability of a watch as a ;imekeeper. The old
English lever, with Its clumsy and faulty renr,
ia o thing of tho past. and the patient, plodding
artisans of Switzerland, with their antiouat"d
methods and processes. are year by year find
ing greater difficulty IN competing with Amer
icA's system OF watch making.
The price Of American watch movements
vary according to finish. quality. and care in
adjustment. from $3.50 up to $500. the last
named price calling for the highest grade OF
movement in n solid gold case. some very
handsome Illuminated dials that will compare
Lavnrnbly with tn" iinest OF French and Swirs
lean movements. Special attention is given
also TO the making of smaller movements for
womcn's watches. an the woman who Is sem
eible and patriotic enough 10 prefer articles
produced in her own country may have an
American movement placed IN the most costly
of cases and DO certain that there Ia no dis
parity in Quality between the inside and outside
of her watch.
chanical operations In the making of an Amer
lean sten-winder mover ent.
THE machinery OF watch factories" said n
practical watch expert IT. Maiden lane. has
DO undergoing a constant change aud I'm
provement in Its character for many years. and
Is now 10 n Z. eater extent than ever n tom attic
II operation. The substitution of new Uethods
of manuiacturing. together with the use of
machinery which has been invent
ell and put in operation within the last few
years. has made 1t possible to prouucc a given
number Of watch. movements OF greatly I'm
proved quality and with n much smaller num-
her Of operatives than heretofore required.
The machinery, tools. and equipments OF one
of the largest factories are valued at 81 ,50O.-
900. and the fact that satisfactory profits have
been made on this large investment of CAPT.
al. aud the freedom from labor troubles which
speak well Tor the skill and aoil.
tty which characterize the management of our
leading watch factories.
Il an glad TO see a disposition on the part
of some Of the prominent manufacturer to
their watch movements by name.
followed. for II protects the uniformed buyer
possible imposition BY INSCRIPTIONS
When a customer can call for a
W atch movement by name he is much move
certain TO get the quality he pays fo-. The
high.grade movements will all bear advertis-
Ing in tni, way. and | should like to See tne
plan become general"
The manufacture of watch cases is n dis
tinct branch Of the matchmaking Industry.
the completed watch was made I'M
der one roof, but in the last few years the
large factories have ceased to manufacture
with dial attached. leaving the making OF the
case to establishments Especially devoted Il U that
class OF work. The lmportations of watch
cases are confined mostly TO those which como
from Switzerland, covering movements OF the
lower grades. They make initiation Amer
over fully cased. Watch cases are classified
as solid gold. gold filled, silver. brass and
or German silver, the list named article
being a composition containing a small per-
centage of nickel, that metal being too brittle
for use in its pure state. Gold cases arv four
To the proportion of alloy and The
degree Ct elaboration introduced in ornament
Ing the case.
The l4.karat cases are harder aud wear bot
ter than those OF - kirats. la the large cities
the trade calls for the modest style OF envrav-
1 AZ called engine-turned. but the country buyer
prefers the deeper cut and more snowy
styles. American watch cases are in demand
all over the world. and a hrisk export trade is
South and Central America. Japan. and Aus.
tralia.
ing solid kold watch casea. II Is purchased Mt
the Assay Office in Wall street in bars of 81. 900
Lcnx Island has the factory at which IS manu-
Il larger quantity of solid gold cases
than at any other place In the world. Gold is
used in large quantities.. and extreme caution
is necessary TO prevent waste and loss. All
the floor sweeDlnRs are saved; burned. and re-
wooden beLches of the workmen are burned
and new ones supplied for less money than is
realized from the gold that finds its way into
In handling the gold is required TO wash his
hands before going away at the close of his
days work. and ali the wash water Is filtered
and its sediment refined for the gold it coz.
Filled gold watch cases are now IN greater
demand than ever before. chiefly on account OF
though the marked Improvement
made In the quality or the goods has also con-
trioLted To- their Increased popularity. a flied
orally supposed. II IL made OF Two plates OF
gold nd.one plate of high-L rade brass put to-
as is a sand wich. the brass in place If
The three plates are rolled together by power
iul pressure. and afterward embossed by means
o. dies. or are engraved BY hand. The filled
case OF the best quality contains about one
half thu gold that goes into u solid case, and
the cost Is in proportion: A old god case
costs $50 To S1UU. according TO weight. fine.
and workmanship. while a filed gold case
Of equal weight aud so perfectly engraved
that IL cannot be distinguished By It's appeal.
Ance from the solid article, sells for $I5 To $50,
and Is guaranteed TO wear and to look like
solid gold for twenty or tweny. five years. Cheap
cases OF bra - eiectroplated with gold are used
as advertising gifts and prizes, to
and case Il get. er costing less than 80.
silver cases bullion 100 tne Ia used, AMI
It's low market price leaves little inducement TO
alloy or debase the metal.
Trade exactiOns are moe severe than ever
before us regards new designs in watch cases.
Where formerly u thousand cases of n popular
would be marketed, the limit now is
TO fifty OF any design. Machinery
and mechanical processes have improved stead
ly In the las ten years IN u manufacture of
watch cases, and in no part of ths world Is the
industry in 30 nigh a Jtave OF development as
the Unit d States.
Watch glasses are not made in America, and
here 10 not much reason why they SHOULD be,
IS they are an astoniAhingly cheap commodity
ana the total consumption would not severely
INK the capacity uf one factory. A house in
Maiden lane which operates a factory at
iOetzenbruck in Lorraine supplies n large por-
ion OF the watch glasses used In America. So