Columbus Watch Co.  Columbus, Ohio   1874-1903
 
Dietrich Gruen, born in Osthofen, Germany in 1847 stated a
business as he Columbus Watch Co. on Dec 22, 1874.  At the
age of 27, he received a U.S. patent for an improved safety
pinion.  the new company finished movements made for
Madretsch, Switzerland, a suburb of Beil.  The imported
movements were made in a variety of sizes and were in nickel
or gilt.  The early watches usually had the initials. C.W. Co.
intertwined in script on the dial.  The serial numbers
generally ran up to around 20,000 a few examples are in the
70,000.
 
D. Gruen and W.J. Savage decided in 1882 to manufacture watches
locally.  By 1883 the first movements were being produced with
a train consisting of 72 teeth on the barrel, 72 on the center
wheel, 11 on the center pinion, 60 on the third wheel with a
pinion of 9, 70 on the fourth wheel with a pinion of 9 with a 7
leaf escape pinion.  The new manufacture primarily made 18 size
movements but also pioneered the 16 size watch, while reducing
the size and thickness.  Several new innovations were used into
the design, including a completely covered mainspring barrel,
a new mircometric regulator and the ability to change the
mainspring without removing the balance cock.  By 1884 they were
making their own dials, but no cases were ever manufactured.
 
The company went into receivership in 1894 with new management.
That same year Frederick Grewen started again as D. Gruen and
Son.  They had Paul Assmann to produce 18 size & 16 size
movements with 18 & 21 jewels with the escapement designed by
Moritz Grossman of Glasshute.  Soon after this time movements
were obtained form Switzerland and he new Gruen ver-thin
movement was developed.  In 1898 this company moved to
Cincinnati.
 
From 1894 through 1903 the Columbus Watch Co. produced watches
both under the Columbus Watch Co. and the New Columbus Watch Co.
names.  The re-organized company produced the same models but
switched primarily to named grades such as the Time King and
Columbus King.  The higher grade watches were assigned a special
block of serial numbers from 500,000 to 506,000.  In keeping
with the industry several models with 25 jewels were produced
in this block of numbers.
 
In 1903 the Columbus Watch Co. was sold to the Studebakers and
the South Bend Watch Co. started.  The machinery, unfinished
movements, parts and about 3/4 of the employees moved to South
Bend, Indiana.  Some marked Columbus Watch Co. movements were
finished by South Bend.  Examples exist of dials made in the
South Bend style and movements marked Columbus Watch Co.  
 
Tim Sweet
TIMEKEEPR2@AOL.COM
M.O.S.T (MY OWN SWEET TIME) WATCH COMPANY.
14002 Tuckey Lane
El Paso, Tx, 79927
(915) 852-2409  (See my add in the MART)

Requests and comments welcome
enjoy