Ball Watch Company

History

The extended history summarises the open references listed under Sources; each statement was checked against the cited passage. Confirm key dates in period documents before relying on them.

Current watchmaking & later fate

• The company is a Swiss luxury watchmaker currently headquartered in La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland.
• Since the 1990s, the company has operated under new ownership that maintains the brand's traditional focus.
• The brand's current watch offerings are categorized into several distinct collections, including the Engineer, Roadmaster, Trainmaster, and Fireman lines.
• Modern timepieces utilize movements from manufacturers like ETA and Sellita, along with the company's own proprietary calibers.

As stated in the references listed under Sources, retrieved 2026-10-27. Ownership and collections change; check the maker's own announcements for the latest position.

Major innovations

• Systematic railroad time inspection with periodic rate certification
• Written watch standards that other American railroads adopted
• The RR Standard was developed to ensure that railroad watches met strict criteria for accuracy, reliability, and readability.
• Ball implemented a systematic inspection program requiring employees to have their watches checked for accuracy every two weeks.

Known markings

• 'Ball Watch Co. Cleveland'
• 'Official RR Standard'
• Maker's own marks sometimes absent

Serial numbers

Ball movements carry their own numbering; the actual maker must be identified from plate layout and construction before a factory serial table can be applied.

Collecting significance

Interest centres on which factory made a given movement and whether dial, case and movement belong together; Ball-marked dials are widely reproduced.

Identification and dating notes

• Movements used by the company transitioned from American manufacturers like Hamilton and Elgin in the early years to Swiss movements, primarily ETA and Sellita, in later periods.

Where sources differ

• Founding date: this record gives “1891 (as Webb C. Ball's timepiece business)”; a cited source gives “1895”. The record is kept until the difference is resolved from period documents.

In the object catalogue

3 catalogued objects are recorded under Ball Watch Company. Attributions are as given by each source and are not independent authentication.

• BALL Fireman II Automatic Watch NM2090CAutomatic wristwatch
• Ball Official Standard RR Approved wristwatchHand-wound wristwatch · 1960s
• Webb C. Ball Hanging Regulator ClockRegulator

Browse all 3 in the object catalogue

Provenance

Where the 3 catalogued pieces by Ball Watch Company were recorded, with the collectors, owners and sales their records name.

Each line is copied from the object's source record and is not independently verified. Holders are as recorded when the piece was catalogued: museum objects may not be on display, and sold lots have since changed hands.