The railroad standard in the sky
Ball is a luxury watch brand based in La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland, whose history is closely intertwined with that of American railroad history. It was founded in 1891 by jeweler and watchmaker Webb C. Ball in Cleveland, Ohio.
The brand is regarded, especially in the United States, as one of the most respected and established watch manufacturers worldwide. For more than a century, it remained in the hands of the Webb C. Ball family until it was acquired by private investors in the late 1990s and subsequently relocated to Switzerland. Today, the Ball Watch Company is an independent Swiss enterprise.
Emerging from an original jewelry business, Ball established his watchmaking manufactory. He began by replicating movements from other American manufacturers such as Hamilton and Waltham, later dedicating himself to producing his own extremely precise timepieces.
Every detail – from the shape of the hands to the style of the numerals – was defined by the founder in his pursuit of precision in timekeeping.
Ball
The standard for precise timepieces
Time and again, the young U.S. railroad network suffered serious accidents due to inaccurate timekeeping. One such tragedy occurred in 1891, when a locomotive engineer’s watch was four minutes slow – resulting in a head-on collision between two trains. Eight people lost their lives in this catastrophe.
Because of his extensive expertise in time measurement and his excellent reputation, Webb C. Ball was commissioned by railroad officials and members of the U.S. Congress to develop a binding standard for reliable railroad chronometers in pocket watch format.
The standards introduced by Ball for the production of precise timepieces not only played a decisive role in preventing further accidents but also laid the foundation for what is now known as the COSC certification – the certification issued by the Contrôle Officiel Suisse des Chronomètres, confirming that a Swiss chronometer meets the particularly high requirements for quality and accuracy.
Ball stays on track
Ball watches have always enjoyed equal popularity among men and women. By the turn of the century, accuracy and reliability were already regarded as the defining features of Ball pocket watches. In the 1920s, the wristwatch became popular – a trend that Ball quickly recognized, responding with a wide range of models.
In the decades that followed, the collections were continuously refined. And despite all the changes, every Ball watch still retains a hint of the look and feel of the original railroad watch – whether it be a luxury timepiece, sports watch, or, of course, a pilot’s watch.
More from Ball
More information at ballwatch.com
