In 1885 German immigrant John C. Dueber, who manufactured high quality watch cases, had just purchased the Hampden Company, makers of watch movements. He planned to move the combined companies to the first town who would raise $100,000 to help him build a new plant.
In those days, that was an astronomical sum of money. But the new company would bring with it skilled workers and their families, with the potential to increase a city’s population by over 7500!
Dueber-Hampden Moves to Canton, Ohio
Canton, Ohio was the first city to raise the necessary funds, and a local family threw in 20 acres of land to build a new factory. Construction began in 1886. Two separate buildings were constructed – one for the case works and one for the movement factory. Dueber’s innovative new company was designed to produce the finest watches in the most efficient way possible.
When the complex was completed in 1888, two special charter trains brought the first 400 employees from the company’s former home in Springfield, Massachusetts.
Fine Quality Timepieces
Dueber-Hampden produced some of the finest quality timepieces ever made. The company pioneered the 17 jewel movement, which was combined with 14k gold filled cases. In 1898 they were the first to introduce the 23 jewel movement.
The company’s signature feature was the elaborately detailed engraving on the watch case. The production was so complicated and precise that when an order was placed, the first watch was not finished for eight months. Each watch went through 480 rigorous operations before it was allowed to leave the factory.
Shrewd Business Practices at Dueber-Hampden
John Dueber’s success was as much from being a shrewd businessman as it was from being frugal. Shortly after moving to Canton, it came to his attention that $120,000 worth of gold, silver, copper, and other precious metals were lost each year as a normal part of the watchmaking process.
As the cases were engraved or polished, minute particles of metal fell to the floor, stuck to walls, or became embedded in workers’ clothing. Dueber decided this was not an unavoidable result of production and devised a plan to recoup some of his loss.
Every night the floor was swept, and the dirt and dust was sent to the smelting department. All of the clothing workers wore – aprons, towels, overalls – were washed at the company. The laundry water was sent to a holding tank in the basement and the water was repeatedly filtered to trap wayward metal particles.
Lusitania Victim Identified by Dueber-Hampden Watch
A Dueber-Hampden watch was once used to identify a body. On October 15, 1915 a body washed up on the coast of Ireland. The Lusitania had been struck by a torpedo from a German U-boat and sank in May of that year, and the man was presumed to be a victim of that tragedy.
But he had no identification on him – except a Dueber Hampden pocket watch. Cunard Line officials were able to trace the man’s identity by contacting Dueber Hampden in Canton. They were able to tell them who purchased the watch with the number 3,039,347.
Click here to learn about the demise of The Dueber-Hampden Company.
Kim Kenney - Kim Kenney graduated summa cum laude from Wells College in Aurora, NY with a major in American history and minor in creative writing, ...
