Waltham Royal from 1904 with a New York Dial and Breguet Hands

American Waltham Watch Co. was in operation from 1852-1957 and was an American pocket watch manufacturer. Manufacturing of Waltham watches took place at their facility in Waltham, Massachusetts.

The porcelain-enamel dial on this Waltham from 1904 was custom made for Benedict Brothers, a historic New York City jewelry and watch firm established in 1821 by Samuel Ward Benedict. Instead of the typical Waltham signature at center, the dial is signed “Benedict Brothers / New York,” connecting the piece to a jeweler that operated in Manhattan for more than a century. Over its long history, Benedict Brothers occupied several prominent New York locations, including 5 Wall Street, 171 Broadway, and later 168 Fulton Street, before closing in 1938. It is an incredible piece of American watchmaking history tied to one of New York City’s longstanding nineteenth- and early twentieth-century jewelry houses. Beneath the dial, the timepiece is powered by Waltham’s Royal grade, a 17-jewel in-house movement. In our workshop in Little Rock, Arkansas, every component was carefully refinished. The jewel settings, gear train, and balance components were hand polished to restore their original golden brilliance. Each screw and piece of steel hardware was thermally blued by hand over an alcohol lamp, a traditional process that enhances corrosion resistance while adding rich visual contrast (read more here). More than 120 years after it was manufactured, the combination of Waltham craftsmanship and the Benedict Brothers private-label dial preserves a tangible connection to both American watchmaking and New York City’s historic jewelry trade.

The timepiece is encased in our surgical grade 316L stainless steel conversion case, designed with adjustable lugs for easy winding and setting, ensuring a comfortable fit across various wrist sizes. The case includes front, back, and crown gaskets, providing water resistance up to 50 meters, though it is recommended to remove the watch before engaging in water activities. The timepiece comes fully serviced and ready for your next adventure.

Watch Performance

• Accuracy: +/- 10 seconds per day

• Amplitude: 260 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: Waltham

• Location: Waltham, Massachusetts

• Year Manufactured: 1904

• Dial Material: Porcelain-enamel

• Jewels: 17 jewels

• Case Diameter: 44 mm

• Front Crystal: Domed AR coated sapphire

• Back Crystal: Flat AR coated sapphire

• Case Material: 316L stainless

• Lug width: 22 mm

• Lug to Lug: 47 mm (52 mm with crown)

• Height: 13 mm

• Serial Number: 14148768

• Water Resistance: 50 meters

• Warranty: Full 1-Year Warranty

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