South Bend, Indiana, United States
South Bend Watch Company
Partially verifiedJewelled pocket watch movements, including railroad grades
History
A comparatively short-lived American factory backed by Studebaker capital, South Bend built a reputation for well-finished movements, notably the Studebaker and Polaris grades, before closing during the collapse of American pocket watch demand.
The South Bend Watch Company was established in 1903 after brothers from South Bend, Indiana, purchased the assets of the bankrupt Columbus Watch Company. The firm operated a manufacturing facility in South Bend, Indiana, and hired master watchmaker Walter Cross Shelton Sr. to assist with production. During World War I, the company temporarily pivoted from watch manufacturing to produce optical gun sights for the United States government.
A mail-order subsidiary named the Studebaker Watch Company was established in 1923 to market the firm's products. Following the stock market crash in 1929, the firm faced financial difficulties due to a high volume of delinquent credit accounts and subsequently closed its plant on November 27, 1929.
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.
Timeline
South Bend Watch Company's recorded dates, dated events from this profile and its sources, and dated pieces and sales from the object catalogue. Dates are as each record gives them.
1903 · Career
Founded (South Bend, Indiana)
1903 · Career
The South Bend Watch Company was established in 1903 after brothers from South Bend, Indiana, purchased the assets of the bankrupt Columbus Watch Company.
c1908 · Catalogued piece
South Bend 'The Studebaker' Model 323 open face pocket watch
1912 · Catalogued piece
South Bend 'The Studebaker' Grade 223 Open Face Pocket Watch
1923 · Career
A mail-order subsidiary named the Studebaker Watch Company was established in 1923 to market the firm's products.
1923 · Catalogued piece
1929 · Career
Ceased trading under this name
1929 · Career
Following the stock market crash in 1929, the firm faced financial difficulties due to a high volume of delinquent credit accounts and subsequently closed its plant on November 27, 1929.
1929 · Career
The company ceased operations on November 27, 1929, following the stock market crash.
1933 · Career
Liquidation of the company was completed in 1933.
1954 · Career
The company's service department continued operation until the 1954 retirement of Walter Cross Shelton Sr.
Current watchmaking & later fate
- The company ceased operations on November 27, 1929, following the stock market crash.
- Liquidation of the company was completed in 1933.
- The company's service department continued operation until the 1954 retirement of Walter Cross Shelton Sr.
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.
Key models
- Studebaker
- The company established the Studebaker Watch Company in 1923 as a dedicated mail-order subsidiary.
Major innovations
- Careful adjustment work on mid-priced grades
- The company expanded its product line beyond civilian models to include high-grade railroad chronometers.
Known markings
- 'South Bend Watch Co.'
- 'Studebaker' on selected grades
- The company operated under the trade name Studebaker Watch Company for its mail-order business.
Serial numbers
Serial ranges are documented but production was small compared with Elgin or Waltham, so survival rates for high grades are low.
Collecting significance
Scarcity rather than volume defines the field; condition and originality of dial and case matter more than grade name alone.
Identification and dating notes
- Watches produced near the time of the company's closure in 1929 were finalized by staff and sold during the liquidation process which ended in 1933.
In the object catalogue
7 catalogued objects are recorded under South Bend Watch Company. Attributions are as given by each source and are not independent authentication.
- 1923 South Bend Studebaker pocket watchOpen-face watch · 1923
- South Bend 'The Studebaker' Grade 223 Open Face Pocket WatchRailroad watch · 1912
- South Bend 'The Studebaker' Model 323 open face pocket watchOpen-face watch · c1908
- South Bend Grade 207 Open Face Pocket WatchOpen-face watch · Circa 1912
- South Bend Masonic dial open face pocket watchOpen-face watch · circa 1919
- South Bend Studebaker 16s 21-jewel pocket watch, circa 1926Railroad watch · c. 1926
- South Bend Studebaker gold-filled pocket watchOpen-face watch
Provenance
Where the 7 catalogued pieces by South Bend Watch Company were recorded, with the collectors, owners and sales their records name.
Provenance map
Each piece is linked to the museum, auction house or dealer whose record it comes from, and to any other house or collection its own provenance names. Select a name to see its pieces.
Auction houses · 2 pieces
Dealers & other listings · 5 pieces
Antiques Boutique
Dealer · 3 pieces
South Bend 'The Studebaker' Model 323 open face pocket watchOpen-face watch · c1908 · Record source
The record names no sale, lot or earlier owner.
South Bend Masonic dial open face pocket watchOpen-face watch · circa 1919 · Record source
The record names no sale, lot or earlier owner.
South Bend Studebaker 16s 21-jewel pocket watch, circa 1926Railroad watch · c. 1926 · Record source
The record names no sale, lot or earlier owner.
Auction history
| House | Sale & lot | Object |
|---|---|---|
| Chupp Auctions & Real Estate, LLC | lot 1069 | 1923 South Bend Studebaker pocket watch |
| Morphy Auctions | lot 291 | South Bend Studebaker gold-filled pocket watch |
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.
Photographs
Photographs are illustrative examples of the type, not necessarily the exact object described. Verify details against the source file page.
Sources & references
- South Bend Watch Company, Wikipedia (English), retrieved 2026-10-27 (text CC BY-SA 4.0)
- South Bend Watch Company, Watch-Wiki, retrieved 2026-10-27
- NAWCC Bulletin
- Collector serial compilations
Where sources disagree, the disagreement is stated rather than resolved silently.