Contact Us
Contact Us
If writing to us for work:
* Check the Prices page before asking for an estimate.
* One watch with photos per email. No photos, no reply.
American Timekeeper
PO Box #1 - Darien Center, NY 14040
All other questions: americantimekeeper@gmail.com 585 547-9989
Hours
Today | Closed |
Shipping Instructions
- After we agree to accept your watch, pack it very well in a small box with lots of padding and mail it to the address at the top of this page. NO padded envelopes.
- Include a note inside the box with your name, address, email and phone number.
- You must ship your watch no more than a week after we've agreed to accept it. After that we'll assume you've changed your mind and your email will be deleted.
- Send us the USPS tracking number, not a blurry photo of your Postal receipt.
Please
- Do NOT simply drop your watch in the mail without asking first. Every day we talk to many people and answer many emails, so we may not remember you or your watch a few weeks later. If you wait several months we'll have no idea what you're sending us.
- Send just your watch. Do NOT ship your watch with a chain, fob, or strap attached. No tags, pouches, keepsake containers, or factory boxes - just the watch, please.
- Do NOT ship your watch packed in confetti, sawdust, or shredded paper because someone has to sweep up that stuff after it spews all over our clean floor.
- Do NOT wrap the box or your watch in yards and yards of packing tape.
- Do NOT send a deposit of any kind - especially cash - unless one is required.
Accepted Brands
Original or Exceptional Watches
Our focus is on the preservation and restoration of the few remaining original and exceptional pocket watches that have not been orphaned by gold hogs melting down the case or molested by the local tinkerer, so if yours is a quality example on either of the following lists we can probably help you.
All fusees are considered on an individual basis.
American Brands
- Adams & Perry Watch Co - Hamilton predecessor
- American Waltham Watch Co - first factory watches
- Appleton Watch Co - successor of the Cheshire Co
- Auburndale Watch Co - maker of the rotary design
- Aurora Watch Co - absorbed into the Hamilton Co
- Ball Watch Co - founded by Webster Clayton Ball
- Boston Watch Co - early Waltham incarnation
- Cheshire Watch Co - based on Waterbury designs
- Columbus Watch Co - founded by Dietrich Gruen
- Cornell Watch Co - successor of the Newark Co
- Dudley Watch Co - designs with Masonic symbols
- Elgin Watch Co - produced over 50 million watches
- Fredonia Watch Co - successor of the Independent Co
- Hamilton Watch Co - regarded as the accuracy standard
- Hampden Watch Co - first to offer a 23-jewel watch
- Howard, Davis & Dennison - founders of Waltham Co
- Howard Watch Co - founded by Edward Howard
- Illinois Watch Co - successor of the Springfield Co
- Independent Watch Co - predecessor of the Fredonia Co
- Keystone Watch Co - predecessor of the Hamilton Co
- Lancaster Watch Co - Keystone Co predecessor
- Marion Watch Co - re-organized United States Co
- Melrose Watch Co - successor of the Tremont Co
- Mozart Watch Co - two versions started by Don Mozart
- Nashua Watch Co - parallel spin-off from Waltham
- National Watch Co - Elgin before changing their name
- Newark Watch Co - founded by Nap Sherwood
- New York Watch Co - predecessor of the Hampden Co
- NY Standard Co - worm-gear escapement
- Non-Magnetic Co - watches with Paillard's hairspring
- Otay Watch Co - successor of the San Jose Co
- Peoria Watch Co - made watches for Non-Magnetic Co
- Philadelphia Watch Co - founded by Eugene Paulus
- Rockford Watch Co - marketed to railroad personnel
- Seth Thomas Watch Co - New England clockmaker
- Springfield Watch Co - predecessor of the Illinois Co
- South Bend Watch Co - formed by Studebaker Bros
- Tremont Watch Co - founded by Aaron Dennison
- United States Co - started by NY jewelers Giles and Wales
- US Watch of Waltham - a spin-off from Waltham
- Waltham Watch Co - founders Howard, Davis & Dennison
- Warren Manufacturing - Waltham predecessor
European Brands
This is not a complete list, but any interesting and well-made piece will be considered. Parts for any non-domestic brand are naturally difficult to find, so only high-grade Swiss pocket watches from recognized makers in exceptional condition will be accepted.
- Agassiz - predecessor of Longines
- Audemars Piguet - high-grade Swiss maker
- Borel & Courvoisier
- Bulova - founded by Joseph Bulova
- Cartier
- Dent - English firm that made Big Ben
- Frodsham - London father and son team
- Girard Perregaux - Swiss maker of tourbillons
- Gruen - Begun by Columbus founder Dietrich Gruen
- Hebdomas - maker of 8-day models
- Huguenin - Swiss brand purchased by Hamilton
- International - American company in Switzerland
- Jules Jurgensen - Early family-owned Swiss brand
- A Lange & Sohne - German factory destroyed in WWII
- Le Coultre & Co
- Lepine - founded by Jean-Antoine L'Epine
- Longines - Swiss company still in business today
- H Moser & Cie
- Ulysse Nardin
- Non-Magnetic Co - Swiss half of the American firm
- Omega - founded in 1848 and still in business
- Patek Phillipe - high-grade Swiss watchmaking duo
- Potter - New York watchmaker who moved to Geneva
- Roskopf
- Tissot
- Tobias, M I & Co - London family company
- Vacheron & Constantin - oldest Swiss firm, in 1775
- Zenith
Cheap generic, unbranded, or no-name Swiss pieces are NOT accepted.
Restoration Highlights
One of Illinois's rarest watches was the 23-jewel Washington Lafayette. Only 190 were ever made.