February 8, 1802 - Simon Willard, of Grafton, MA received a patent for a "Time Piece"; eight-day wall clock, came to be known as "banjo clock"; small inexpensive clock that could be purchased by less affluent citizens of new democracy.

1807 - Seth Thomas joined Eli Terry, Silas Hoadley in business of making clocks at wholesale rate, named Terry, Thomas & Hoadley; 1810 - Thomas, Hoadley acquired Terry's interest; 1812 -Thomas sold his share of company, founded clock factory in Plymouth Hollow, CT; 1814 - acquired rights to manufacture popular shelf clock from Hoadley; built mill for rolling brass, making wire; 1853 - "Seth Thomas Clock Company officially incorporated; 1866 - Plymouth Hollow renamed Thomaston to honor clock maker; October 12, 1926 - registered "Seth Thomas" trademark first used 1813 (clocks); 1931 - became division of General Time Instrument Co.; 1949 - became division of General Time Corp.; 1970 - became division of Tally Industries; America's oldest clockmaker.

1814 - Edward J. Dent established E. J. Dent, constructed Standard Astronomical Clock for Admiralty; 1830 - formed partnership with John Roger Arnold, leading chronometer-makers in London, named Arnold & Dent; 1831- chronometer no. 633 taken aboard H.M.S. Beagle by Charles Darwin; 1836 - received patent for "Improvement in the Balance Springs of Chronometers, and in their adjustments"; 1840 - partnership ended, established Edward J. Dent; 1843 - appointed Chronometer Maker to Emperor of Russia; 1846 - received patent for "The Keyless", first watch that could be wound, set at crown, dispensed with use of key, became most widely reproduced, applied contribution to advancement of watch making; 1853 - renamed Frederick Dent; 1859 - delivered Great Clock of Houses of Parliament, "Big Ben", installed, put into service; 1863 - appointed Watch and Clock Makers to HRH Prince of Wales by Special Warrant; 1871 - manufactured Standard Clock at Royal Observatory, Greenwich, England ("Greenwich Mean Time"); 1876 - registered Dent trademark, triangle, in response to reports of inferior imitators, appeared on back of all watches, clocks from that time on; 1880 - His Majesty Emperor Mejii granted Royal Warrant; 1904 - Shah of Persia granted Royal Warrant; 2008 - launched first range of wrist watches for 40 years.

1830 - Louis Victor and Pierre-Joseph-Celentin Baume founded "Freres Baume", one of first comptoirs horlogers (watch shops) in Swiss Jura region in village of Les Bois; 1876 - Alcide Baume, Arthur Baume (sons) took over; set up branches in Geneva, Switzerland and Philadelphia, PA; 1885 - first competed in Kew Teddington competition: three watches ranked among top seven in timekeeping competitions; 1886 - four watches won timekeeping awards; 1892 - earned highest score (91.9 points out of 100) with split-second chronograph; 1918 - partnered with Odessa, Russia-born man, named Tchereditchenko (subsequently adopted his French mother’s family name, became known as Paul Mercier); established full-fledged watch manufacture in Geneva, made top-quality watches, movements that were exported to United States; Baume handled technical aspects, Mercier was in charge of design, commercial side of business; 1935 - Baume withdrew from company for health reasons; 1937 - Mercier's interest acquired by Ponti family (famous jewelers, goldsmiths from northern Italy); April 23, 1957 - Baume & Mercier Societe Anonyme registered "Baume & Merceier" trademark (watches, watch cases, watch movements); 1964 - reinforced brand identity, chose Greek symbol PHI as new visual brand emblem (“golden section” represented perfect proportions); 1971 - one of the first brands to adopt new electronic tuning-fork movements (forerunner of quartz) in Tronosonic model; 1988 - Piaget and Baume & Mercier acquired by luxury group that would later become Richemont Groupe.

September 10, 1832 - Joseph T. Bailey and Andrew B. Kitchen opened Bailey & Kitchen Co. in Philadelphia with $4,100 in the bank, $28 worth of jeweler tools; one of first firms in America to introduce silver of full British standard (925-1000 as opposed to lower American standard of 900); November 18, 1846 - Kitchen retired, Eli Wescott Bailey (brother) joined firm, along with partners Jeremiah Robbins and James Gallagher; name changed to Bailey & Co.; 1851 - Joseph Bailey II (son) joined; 1866 - Joseph Bailey II assumed control; March 1, 1878 - new partnership established with George W. Banks (J.E. Caldwell & Co.) and Samuel Biddle (Robbins, Biddle & Co.), as well as special partners Eli Bailey, Clayton French; name changed to . Bailey Banks & Biddle; March 1894 - incorporated, name changed to Bailey Banks & Biddle Co.; January 27, 1904 - die for the Great Seal of the United States, commissioned by United States government, first used (engraved on hardened steel); 1904 - commissioned by United States government to produce what would become known as the 'Congressional Medal of Honor'; February 22, 1932 - Herbert Hoover revived Purple Heart medal (established by George Washington in New York on August 7, 1782), commission awarded to BBB, produced 40,000 Purple Hearts; designed military's Silver Star by an Act of Congress; October 2, 1961 - acquired by Zale Corporation; 1986 - design for the Great Seal declared the official, final version; September 27, 2007 - agreed to be acquired for $200 million by Findlay Enterprises Inc. (70 retail locations in 24 states).

September 18, 1837 - Charles Lewis Tiffany, John B. Young established Tiffany & Young at 259 Broadway at Warren Street in New York City; sold stationery, soap, parasols, jewelry, novelties; prices of all goods marked "non-negotiable" - revolutionary pricing policy; first day's sales = $4.98; blue box introduced; 1841 - J. L. Ellis joined Tiffany & Young; name changed to Tiffany, Young & Ellis; 1845 - introduced "Blue Book" catalogs; 1847 - moved to larger building at 271 Broadway, on southwest corner of Chambers Street; 1851 - became first American company to introduce use of English sterling standard (92.5% silver) in American-made silver (through contract with John C. Moore, holloware silversmiths); 1853 - Young and Ellis retired; name changed to Tiffany & Co., located at at 550 Broadway, between Prince and Spring Streets; 1868 - acquired Moore (Edward C. Moore, son, president); became silver manufacturer and retailer; 1869 - introduced first flatware pattern; 1870 - new building opened at 15 Union Square West (cast-iron facade, chosen for supposed fire resistance); September 5, 1893 - registered "Tiffany" trademark first used in 1868 (jewelry and watches, bronzes, silver and plated ware, and ornamental articles in metal); 1905 - moved to building at 401 Fifth Avenue (at 37th and Fifth Avenue); 1926 - United States adopted Tiffany's standard of purity for platinum (95%);  October 21, 1940 - moved to building on Fifth Avenue at 57th Street; 1955 - acquired by Hoving Corporation (ownership passed from Tiffany and Moore families); 1979 - acquired by Avon Products, Inc.; October 1984 - acquired in leveraged buyout by group led by William R. Chaney; May 1987 - went public.

Peter Carl Faberge - House of Faberge (http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b0/Karl_Gustavovich_Faberge.jpg)

December 7, 1845 - Ferdinand A. Lange opened workshop in Glashutte, Germany for production of pocket watches; received repayable loan of 7820 thalers from government of Saxony to train 15 young people from impoverished region; introduced metric system in watchmaking (simplified calculation of movement parts); 1868 - name changed to A. Lange & Söhne; Richard Lange (son) became co-owner; 1871 - Emil Lange (son) joined business; after World War I - third Lange generation (brothers Otto, Rudolf, Gerhard) took over; WW II - aerial bombing raid, destroyed manufacturing facilities, family business expropriated; December 7, 1990 (after border between East, West Germany fell in autumn 1989) - Walter Lange (fourth generation) founded company second time (145 years to day after great-grandfather’s founding); 1994 - presented first collection of wristwatches.

1846 - Ulysse Nardin founded Ulysse Nardin Company in Paris; first watches exported to Central, South America through Paris go-between, Lucien Dubois (only customer for two years); February 20, 1876 - Paul-David Nardin (21) assumed control (at Ulysse death); December 20, 1890 - received Swiss patents (one for mechanism for chronometers which permits daily winding without reversing bowl); January 21, 1911 - received Swiss patent for perfected control mechanism for timing-wheel in chronographic timers (to eliminate uncontrolled leap of chronograph-wheel which could provoke errors difficult to detect); 1983 - acquired by Rolf W. Schnyde; awarded 18 international gold medals, 4,300 first prizes in chronometric excellence.

1847 - Louis-Francois Cartier took over jewelry workshop of his teacher, Adolphe Picard, in Paris; 1853 - opened to private clientele; 1859 - opened shop; 1899 - Alfred Cartier (son) moved to new premises; Louis, Pierre, Jacques Cartier (grandsons) manage business; 1900 - Louis Cartier adopted platinum/diamonds for garland-style jewelry; established platinum as legitimate, irreplaceable precious metal; 1902 - opened boutique in London; named official supplier to Court of Edward VII; 1909 - acquired Hope diamond from Salomon Habib (purchased in 1910 by Evalyn Walsh McLean, heiress to Washington Post); 1917 - Pierre Cartier bought Morton Freeman Plant (president of father's Southern Express Company) mansion (635 Fifth Avenue) for $100 and $1 million pearl necklace as gift to Mrs. Morton from husband; March 7, 1922 - Cartier, Inc. registered "Cartier" trademark (cigarette and cigar cases and snuffboxes); 1933 - Jeanne Toussaint ("the panther") named Director of Cartier High Jewellery; 1938 - introduced perfume holders; 1966 - launched Tank Francaise watch; 1968 - introduced luxury lighter; 1974 - re-introduced leather goods (with double C logo); 2001 - launched Cartier Art magazine.

(http://www.fashions-addict.com/images/catalogue/id_1/images/6175_cartier.jpg)

Louis Brandt - Omega (http://omegamoonwatch.com/images/lbrandt.jpg)

1851 - David Davis, Edward Howard, Aaron Lufkin Dennison formed American Horologe Co. in Roxbury, MA; September 1853 - name changed to Boston Watch Co.; October 1, 1854 - relocated to Waltham, MA; became Waltham Watch Company; May 1857 - bankrupt, acquired at auction by Royal E. Robbins, reorganized under name Appleton Tracy & Co.; January 1859 - merged with Waltham Improvement Co., formed American Watch Co.; 1885 - name changed to American Waltham Watch Co.; 1907 - name changed to Waltham Watch Co.; 1925 - name changed to Waltham Watch Company; 1957 - out of business; pioneer in American system of watch manufacturing; perfected process of mass production; made first watches with interchangeable parts, first 100% American-made watch; advanced machinery designed at Waltham Watch Company spread to other industries, led to America's industrial power.

1852 - George and Samuel Shreve opened The Shreve Shop, small jewelry shop, in San Francisco; designed, manufactured fine quality silver; 1894 - incorporated as Shreve & Co. (George Rodman, son of George Shreve, as president); 1967 - acquired by Dayton-Hudson Corporation; 1993 - acquired from Henry Birks Jewelers by  Schiffman Jewelers (Greensboro, NC).

1853 - Charles-Félicien Tissot, Charles-Emile Tissot (son) established TISSOT, watch making company in Neuchâtel area of Jura Mountains, in Le Locle, Switzerland; 1930 - merged with Omega, formed SSIH; August 30, 1949 - Fabrique d'Horlogerie Chs, Tissot & Fils SA registered "Tissot" trademark in U. S. first used April 11, 1931 (watches, clocks, watch and clock movements, and parts thereof); 1985 - acquired by Swatch Group.

March 5, 1857 - (Aaron) Benedict & (Gordon W.) Burnham Manufacturing Company formed Waterbury Clock Company to provide affordable timekeeping for working Americans; 1922 - acquired R. H. Ingersoll & Brother, major mail order firm; 1932 - reorganized as Ingersoll-Waterbury Company; 1933 - began production of Mickey Mouse comic character wristwatch (sold 2.5 million in two years); 1942 - acquired by Norwegian investors; 1944 - became known as U.S. Time Company, October 16, 1945 - United States Time Corporation (Waterbury, CT) registered "Timex" trademark first used November 7, 1944 (clocks and watches); 1950 - world's first inexpensive yet utterly reliable mechanical watch movement, called the Timex, debuted; November 1969 - company renamed Timex Corporation.

Aaron Benedict - formed Waterbury Clock, led to Timex  (http://www.thelampworks.com/images/ b&b_aaron_benedict.jpg)

Gordon W. Burnham - formed Waterbury Clock, led to Timex (http://www.thelampworks.com/images/b&b_gordon_burnham.jpg)

1860 - Edouard Heuer (24) founded TAG Heuer, watch-making workshop in St. Imier, in Swiss Jura mountains.

May 14, 1862 - Swiss watchmaker Adolphe Nicole patented chronograph, able to give split-second timing of sports events.

1865 - Georges Favre-Jacot established Fabrique des Montres Zenith workshop in Le Locle, Switzerland; built spacious, bright buildings, united all watchmaking professions under one roof for first time, enabled appropriate testing of all components, complete mechanism; 1899 - manufactured first pocket chronograph; 1911 - renamed Zenith; 1925 - 2000 employees; 1969 - launched 'El Primero', world's most precise series-produced movement (high-frequency, self-winding chronograph: only one to beat at 10 vibrations/second); 2000 - acquired by LVMH Group.

1866 - J. Wetherell and Son Jewelers opened at 417 Market St., Parkersburg, WV; Col. C.E. Morrison, Wetherell relative, second owner; 1944 - Ernest Whitehead began working at store; 1946 - combined with G.E. Smith Sons Jewelry; 1972 - Grand Central Mall opened, business started to decline; January 2011 - closed.

1867 - Watchmaker/optician Henry Conrad Warner founded Warner Company Jewelers; first store in Gilroy, CA; 1993 - 5-th generation-run company acquired by Casey Stephenson.

1867 - Josef Koepfer set up small workshop in father-in-law’s house in Rößleplatz, Furtwangen; made horological tools; developed into company with milling cutters and tools for horological industry, machines to manufacture tools (specials for production of clock chains, multi-spindle drilling machines, machines for making of dial plates); 1890 - added gears for musical timepieces to product range; 1901 - four sons entered company, renamed "Jos. Koepfer & Söhne; 1955 - introduced model 150; 1970s-1980s - introduced new series of gear hobbing machines (153/173); 1986 - opened first production plant abroad; 2004 - KOEPFER Verzahnungswerkzeuge merged with IMS Gear Cutting Tools, formed IMS KOEPFER Cutting Tools GmbH; 2005 - KOPFER Group part of EMAG Group, Salach; 2008 - gear and transmission manufacturing sector operated under name KOEPFER Zahnrad- und Getriebetechnik GmbH.

Josef Koepfer - KOEPFER Verzahnungswerkzeuge (http://www.koepfer.com/uploads/media/firmengeschichte_01.png)

1875 - Joseph Bulova (23), immigrant from Bohemia, opened small jewelry shop on Maiden Lane in New York Cit, 1911 - began selling clocks and fine watches; 1923 - name changed to Bulova Watch Company, Inc.; 1928 - introduced world's first clock radio; 1979 - acquired by Lowes Corp.; 1988 - name changed to Bulova Corporation; October 4, 2000 - "Bulova Day" in New York City to honor company's 125th anniversary.

Joseph Bulova - Bulova Watch (http://tbn0.google.com/images?q=tbn:S-0doYHKc7SnMM)

1875 - Jules-Louis Audemars, Edward-Auguste Piguet formed business in Joux Valley to make watches; specialized in chiming watches; 1907 - 70 employees; 1962 - Georges Golay named manager (named managing director in 1966); March 5, 1968 - Societe Anonyme de la Manufacture D'Horlogerie Audemars Piguet & Co. registered "Audemars Piguet" trademark first used in 1882 (watches, clocks, stop watches, time recorders, chronometers, chronographs, watch movements, and parts of all of the foregoing); 1986 - introduced first wristwatch with second timezone; 1992 - created Audemars Piguet Foundation.

October 24, 1876 - Seth E. Thomas, of New York, NY, received first U.S. patent  for a "Clock-Case"; metal case of one-day back-winding alarm clock; assigned to Seth Thomas Clock Company; 1787 - Levi Hutchins made the first alarm clock (for a preset time that could not be altered) in Concord, NH.

1881 - Achilles Ditesheim (19) hired six watch makers, opened shop in La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland; named Movado ('always in motion' in Esperanto); June 10, 1924 - Fabriques Movado Corporation registered "Fabriques Movado Grand Prix" trademark first used December 1, 1910 (watches and parts therof); 1983 - acquired by North American Watch Co. (founded by Gedalio Grinberg in 1961 as exclusive distributor for Piaget, Corum watches in Americas, incorporated in 1967); October 1993 - went public; April 15, 1996 - name changed to Movado Group, Inc.

Gedalio Grinberg - Movado Group (http://www.nationaljewelernetwork.com/njn/photos/stylus/65727-010509_GrinbergL.jpg)

1884 - Sotirio Bulgari opened first jewelry store on via Sistina in Rome; 1905 - opened 10 via Condotti (flagship store); 1970s - first overseas store, in New York; January 5, 1982 - Ditta Sotirio Bulgari di Costantino e Giorgio Bulgari, S.a.s. registered "Bulgari", first used 1881, trademark in U. S. (Earrings, Bracelets, Broaches, Rings, Necktie Pins, Buckles, Cufflinks, Necklaces, All Made of Precious Metals and Precious or Semi-Precious Stones...Wristwatches, Clocks, Pendulum Clocks, Table Clocks; Watchcases); 1984 - Paulo, Nicola Bulgari (grandsons) became Chairman, Vice Chairman, respectively; 1990s - diversified into perfumes; 1997 - first silk collection; 1998 - leather goods, eyeglass collection launched; 2001 - Bulgari Hotels& Resorts created (joint venture with Marriott); March 7, 2011 - 51% Bulgari family interest acquired by LVMH for $5.2 billion in exchange for 16.5 million LVMH shares (second largest family shareholder in LVMH).

Sotirio Bulgari - founded Bulgari  (http://vl1.watchprosite.com/img/watchprosite/vl1/26/scaled/vl1_image.987126.jpg)

1884 - Leon Breitling opened workshop specializing in making chronographs,  precision counters for scientific, industrial purposes in St. Imier, in Jura mountains of Switzerland; 1914 - Gaston Breitling (son) took over; 1915 - created first wristwatch chronograph, subsequently provided pilots with first wrist instruments; 1923 - developed first ever independent chronograph pushpiece; 1932 -Gaston's sons took over; 1936 - became official supplier to Royal Air Force; June 13, 1950 - Breitling Watch Corporation of America registered "Breitling" trademark in U. S. first used November 18, 1946 (watches and clocks); 1984 - Chronomat launched (return of chronograph); became best selling line in Breitling collection; 1985 - launched Breitling Aerospace.

Leon Breitling - Breitling watches (http://tbn0.google.com/images?q=tbn:2_83pohMTk4pWM)

1893 - Kokichi Mikimoto succeeded in culturing a semi-spherical pearl; first ever grown by man; 1899 - first Mikimoto Pearl store opened in Tokyo's Ginza district; 1913 - first overseas Mikimoto Pearl Store opened in London.

Kokichi Mikimoto - founder cultured pearl industry  (http://www.fws.gov/midwest/mussel/images/mikimoto.jpg)

1906 - Alfred Van Cleef, Charles Arpels (brother-in-law) founded Van Cleef & Arpels, boutique at 22 Place Vendome (Paris); 1908 - Julien Arpels joined company; 1913 - Louis Arpels joined family business; 1939 - opened boutique in Rockefeller Center.

1904 - Paul Cattin and Georges Christian opened Oris watch factory at Hölstein, Switzerland.

Hans Wilsdorf - founded Rolex (http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Cv-0TBEhWVE/SWCCELKDdWI/AAAAAAAAHPA/4OetOHi4qqs/s800/Hans-Wilsdorf2.jpg)

1907 - Sam Kwiat opened store on Canal Street in New York City, specialized in selling vintage diamonds; 1933 - David Kwiat (son) joined company; 1955 - put out jewelry catalog, one of first, to smaller markets around country; 1963 - moved operations uptown, became founding member of new diamond district that developing on New York's 47th Street; 1970s - grandsons joined company; expanded beyond private labeling, launched consumer line under Kwiat brand name; 2007 - fourth-generation of family management.

1932 - Harry Winston (36), son of a jeweler, founded Harry Winston, Inc. in New York; name synonymous with most famous gemstones and jewelry designs in the world (Hope Diamond, Jonker Diamond, Taylor-Burton Diamond); 1958 - presented the Hope Diamond to the Smithsonian Institution; April 2004 - Aber Diamond Corporation (Toronto, ON), diamond company focusing on mining and retail segments of diamond industry, acquired 51% interest in Harry Winston Inc. for $85 million, raised ownership to 53%; September 2006 - completed acquisition of minority shareholders' interests for $157 million, company valued at about $330 million.

1947 - Nathan George Horwitt designed watch for Movado - black dial, no brand name, no numbers, small circle at top; 1960 - selected by Museum of Modern Art (NY) for permanent collection, named "Museum Watch".

December 16, 1954 - Prof. H. Tracy Hall produced synthetic diamonds at General Electric Research Laboratories.

January 25, 1955 - Columbia University scientists developed an atomic clock accurate to within one second in 300 years.

January 3, 1957 - Hamilton Watch Company (Lancaster, PA) introduced world's first electric watch, never needed winding (more than ten years to develop); instant success; 1969 - production ended.

October 25, 1960 - Bulova placed the Accutron 214, world's first electronic wristwatch (potential accuracy of better than 2 seconds per day) on sale in New York City; 1953 - Max Hetzel, Swiss engineer, began development of tuning fork watch (prototype watches made in 1955), developed Accutron in New York with William Bennett; 1977 - replaced by quartz watches.

1983 - Nicolas G. Hayek, founder of Hayek Engineering AG (founded 1963) merged ASUAG (founded 1931) and SSIH (founded 1930), formed ASUAG-SSIH Holding Company; first sold Swatch, slim plastic watch with 51 parts, vs. usual 91 parts; 1985 - Hayek became majority shareholder; 1986 - name changed to SMH (Swiss Corporation for Microelectronics and Watchmaking Industries Ltd.); 1998 - name changed to Swatch Group;  2000- sales topped 4 billion Swiss francs.

Nicolas G. Hayek - Swatch  (http://www.deraktionaer.de/ upload_shop/Hay160_3012.jpg)