Cleveland, Ohio, United States
Ball Watch Company
VerifiedRailroad time service and railroad-grade watches made to Ball's specification by other factories
History
Webb C. Ball established a railroad time inspection system after a notable collision, then had watches made to his own standard by Hamilton, Waltham, Elgin, Illinois and Swiss houses and sold under the Ball name.
Major innovations
- Systematic railroad time inspection with periodic rate certification
- Written watch standards that other American railroads adopted
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.
Photographs
Photographs are illustrative examples of the type, not necessarily the exact object described. Verify details against the source file page.
Sources & references
- Railroad watch standards literature and NAWCC references
- Ball's role as specifier rather than manufacturer is often misreported in sale listings.
Where sources disagree, the disagreement is stated rather than resolved silently.