After bankruptcy the equipment is shipped to the USSR where Cantonians teach Russians the art of watchmaking.

Manheimer

Dueber

John Dueber buys the company and moves both Dueber & Hampden companies to Canton OH.

Moscow

With the sale of the watchmaking equipment and the end of US manufacture all that is left to salvage is the Hampden name.

Origins

From the Mozart Watch Co., to, the NewYork Watch Co & the formation of the Hampden Watch Co.

Clinton

Manheimer sells Hampden to the Wein family and they guide the company over the next decades until the present day

Chapters

July 2018: Support for the "Against Malaria" charity is created to enable voluntary donation to be given by visitors to the site.

February 2019: The Herman London Appendix is completed and added to the Birth of soviet Watchmaking blog.

November 2019: A second edition of The Birth of Soviet Watchmaking is completed and available in PDF format via the blog site.

January 2020: The original Hampden Watches & Birth of Soviet Watchmaking blogs are converted to this combined web site. As the blogs grew they became cumbersome and difficult to navigate. This site is hosted by Wix and will be improved and added to over time.

March 2020: We are interviewed for Sa Fona Gastro Crono. The article can be seen HERE.

September 2020. Added street maps of Canton city  before and after the factory was built.

November 2020. A video of American watch factories from the early 20th century added. The link is HERE or on the John Dueber page.

November 2020. A  PDF copy of Gershenzon's article "FIRST WATCH"

in English & Sam Weinberg's book "An American Worker in Moscow" ,added at the foot of this PAGE.

December 2020.  The story of the Tochmekh Training Schools added. The link is HERE or on the 1917 - 1930 page.

May 2021.  I have been luck enough to secure a Type-2. The revised collection picture is HERE.

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Updates

In a nutshell this story should interest people trying to find out more about the history of Hampden watches, the Dueber Watch Case Co., The Mozart Watch Co., The New York Watch Co., The Manheimer Watch Co., The Clinton Watch Co. (Hampden Watch Corporation). Additionally, Type-1 watches made during the Soviet era in the two Moscow factories and at Zlatoust & Chistopol...  read more

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Features

The Birth of Soviet Watchmaking

Now the whole story is contained within the one place, with the option to download a pdf copy.

This is the story of how a bunch of American watchmakers helped kick-off a huge industry.

The Herman London Appendix

The man who thought he had a one year contract to train the Russians and was prevented from returning to the US for the rest of his life.

Amtorg and Armand Hammer

The facts behind the USSR's Hampden purchase - what was Hammer's role?

Specifications and Dates

You can tell the age of a Dueber-Hampden, or older Hampden watch, from it's serial number.

This link will take you to the reference page. 

You are welcome to contact me about any related matter. Just click on the link above or go to the 'contacts' page.

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Please note... I DO NOT SELL, APPRAISE OR REPAIRS  WATCHES

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© Alan F. Garratt 2008 - 2021 

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