36 mm Rockford from 1904 with a New York Dial and Movement

Rockford Watch Co. was in operation from 1873-1915 and was an American pocket watch manufacturer. Manufacturing of Rockford watches took place at their facility in Rockford, Illinois.

This Rockford timepiece was manufactured in Rockford, Illinois, and completed in 1904. The piece was custom made for New York jeweler F. Beinhauer & Co., which operated on Sixth Avenue near 51st Street in New York City during the early 1900s. Rockford produced only 2,600 examples of this grade, with very few bearing private-label jeweler branding and likely only a handful—if not just one—with this specific F. Beinhauer & Co. signature. Even more remarkable, Rockford also signed the movement “F. Beinhauer & Co. / New York,” with no visible Rockford signature. While private-label dials were part of American watchmaking during this era, having the jeweler’s identity carried onto the movement itself makes this example especially distinctive. It creates a fascinating connection between a Rockford, Illinois, watchmaker and a New York City jeweler, resulting in a timepiece with an identity entirely its own. The porcelain-enamel dial follows classic railroad design language, but with Roman numerals rather than the more familiar Arabic numerals. It remains in excellent condition, with crisp lettering, a clean outer minute track with red indices, and balanced proportions that make it remarkably easy to read. The original hands were carefully restored in our Little Rock workshop. Each was polished to remove corrosion, then individually heated over an alcohol lamp to restore its rich blue tone (read more here). The contrast between the thermally blued hands and bright white enamel creates a striking, highly legible dial. Beneath the dial is Rockford’s Grade 162, a scarce movement with total production of only 2,600 examples. Every movement component was carefully restored by hand. The screws and steel hardware were thermally blued using traditional methods, adding depth and contrast while improving corrosion resistance. The chatons, gear train, balance, and balance weights were individually polished to restore their original golden tone. At just 36 mm, this piece carries the styling and proportions of a modern dress watch while preserving the character of a vintage American movement.

Housed in our 36 mm conversion case, this timepiece is designed to preserve the elegance of its vintage aesthetic while offering the refined proportions of a modern dress watch. Crafted from surgical-grade 316L stainless steel, the case features both caseback and crown gaskets for enhanced durability and water resistance up to 50 meters (though we recommend removing the watch before water activities). At just 36 mm across with a slim profile, the case wears compact, elegant, and exceptionally comfortable on the wrist. Every piece is fully serviced, meticulously tested, and built for reliable everyday wear.

Watch Performance

• Accuracy: +/- 10 seconds per day

• Amplitude: 275 degrees

• Beat Error: 1.5 ms

• Frequency: 18,000 (5 beats per second)

• Power Reserve: 24-30 hours

• Complication: Sub second hand

Watch Specifications

• Manufacture: Rockford Watch Company

• Location: Rockford, Illinois

• Year Manufactured: 1904

• Dial Material: Porcelain-enamel (excellent)

• Jewels: 15 jewels

• Case Diameter: 36 mm

• Front Crystal: Domed sapphire

• Back Crystal: Flat sapphire

• Case Material: 316L stainless

• Lug width: 20 mm

• Lug to Lug: 44 mm

• Height: 10 mm

• Serial Number: 645786

• Water Resistance: 50 meters

• Warranty: Full 1-Year Warranty

All Frett & Co. Clockworks watches come with a full 1-year warranty unless otherwise stated.