Year: 1868




Up to the last decade, though this country had
! probably bought more watches Tor half century
than were required by so many people in any other
part of the EARTH we had imported nearly all of them
from Europe. IL would be very libera, to estimate
that per cent. of the Watches worn in American
pockets had mp to 1853 been made on American soil.
We presume all the gold and silver then in the hands
of our people would not have paid the European cost
of the Watches we had imported.


MISS, the business of Matchmaking took form in
the organization of the Boston Watch Company
and up to 1855, had made 5000 Watch movements


So far the business Of Matchmaking in America
had not paid; but experience bad been gained, skill
developed, and ingenuity stimulated which il was
deemed wrong to throw away. Messrs Appleton.
Tracy * Co. became the successors and up to 1858
had made about 1900, when they merged in 1.-The
American Watch Company organized, under the
management and direction of Royal j. Robbins, who
has been the master-spirit of the enterprise since
the failure of the Boston Company, with
capital of 100000, which soon increased to
100000. From this time the business had more
than doubled annually up to 1861, when the Rebel
lion broke out and paralyzed the business From
1862 to 1867 it rapidly increased until at that time
the mandatory had quadrupled in size, and over
500 artisans were employed turning ont daily go





veutons had been melted and perfected and the
efficiency of the manufacture signally increased. The
principles whereon the business was conducted were
these:


l. Everything possible to be done by machinery was
DONE Machines were invented, where they could not
be bought wherewith to do everything Hence. while
the labor employed costs many times the pay of simi
lar workmen in Switzerland it is rendered effect
i've and perfect that its product is cheap as that Of
the Swiss matchmaker while each plate, wheel,
pivot pin, is the exact counterpart of every other
intended to subserve the like in any other Watch
of like pattern. The advantages of redupcating
the different parts by machinery is at once apparent
and this superiority increases when applied to all fine
work requiring great practice, experience, and skill
Each Watch has thus in each of its component parts
the exact counterpart of the piece which is employed
to fulfill kindred function in any other Watch Of
its class made by this Company.


H. Every Watch issued by this Company proudly
procaims its paternity that in of any defect
or mschance the delinquent may be held responsible
and the mischief repaired. The Company's guaranty
accompanies each watch bearing its name. With
imported Watches, these ends are rarely attanable


III Ithaslargely and steadily advertised its wares,
so that no can contemplate buying Watch with
out deciding he will or will not have American one
Messrs. Robbins IL Appleton, the general agents,
understand their business thoroughly and push 1t
with signal judgment and energy.


The Company has already mado and sold 100000
Watches They doubtless make money by their busi-
ness or they would not seek TO extend IT. Theirsuc
cess has started two other companies in this country
yet the parent Company is prosperous and growing
Thus are now making at home most Of the Watches
we require though this branch Of industry newly
established among u.s. and We shall soon be export
ing Watches as extensively we have long exported
Clocks Meantime though American Matchmaking
is hardly yet fifteen years old, it has already
melted labor saving inventions and devices which
are worth many Millions not TO people only, but
10 all mankind. American ability and ingenuity
have been the almost exclusive reliance of this Com
pany from the outset.


We have collected and present"d 'r' 49, -
H. L.,. chat tncy may impel 10 similar efforts In
other departments of manufacture asyet little known
among us Twenty years ago. the suggestion that
our people might successfully compete with Euro
pcan capital, skill experience and cheap labor, in
Matchmaking would have been generally secuted
rs preposterous. There were few, however, who
refused TO believe impossible and their dis
sent from the popular conclusion has already added
large class 10 the number of our wepaid artisans
diversified our National Industry, diminished the
balance Of trade against increased the efficiency
of our Labor, and promoted the wellbe of man
kind We cannot doubt that what has been done is
but foretaste of what shall be.