Inexpensive yet Adequate Watches Thanks to Mass Production

“La Prolétaire”, a pocket watch for everyone - Georg Friedrich Roskopf invested all of his energy in this idea. In 1857 he began making an inexpensive yet sturdy pocket watch. It had no second hand, only four jewelled bearings, a minimum of workmanship. After ten years and many difficulties, in 1867 he could provide a pocket watch for 20 Swiss Francs. The term “Roskopf watch” became legendary; imitators were quick to follow.

Using even fewer parts, thanks to a cleverly designed system of gears, doing away entirely with jewelled bearings, with a dial made of paper, plus rigorous division of labour in the manufacturing process, the  “Waterbury” was launched onto the market in 1878 for $3.50. This watch far outdid the cheap metal movements being made by the competition.

The Gebrüder Thiel in Ruhla, Thuringia, provided pocket watches for 3 Marks as from 1893. In 1897 annual production figures exceeded one million. Inexpensive pocket watches were also being made in the Black Forest. In 1900 Thomas Haller of Schwenningen produced 200 000 pocket watches.

“Correct time for a dollar” provided Ingersoll 1896 in the USA. In 1900   1.5 million “Dollar watches” left the factory. Competition on the market for inexpensive watches was fierce.