Antique clocks have a rich history throughout the world. In the world of horology, few names have stood as tall as Ansonia, Waterbury, and Junghans. These storied brands chart a course through innovation, prosperity, decline, and enduring legacy, encapsulating the human quest for precision and beauty in the measure of time.
Ansonia Clock Company
The Ansonia Clock Company was founded in 1851 by Anson Greene Phelps in Ansonia, Connecticut. After starting it quickly gained a reputation for innovation and style. The clocks were more than functional devices. They were works of art, often with intricate patterns and made to an exacting standard of mechanical precision. Ansonia was especially famous for its brass and crystal mantelpiece clocks, which added substantial hefts of gleaming metal and flashes of cut glass to mantelpieces everywhere.
For decades, Ansonia Clock Company prospered, until the Great Depression struck a cruel blow. The economic downturn in the 1930s finally put Ansonia into bankruptcy, despite efforts to diversify the product line offered. The assets of this once-great giant were sold Leaving behind a legacy in craftsmanship that continues to enthral collectors and historians alike.
Waterbury Clock Company
The journey of the Waterbury Clock Company started back in 1857 from Waterbury, Connecticut, with the vision to manufacture clocks within the reach of average Americans. True to its vision, Waterbury played a very important role in democratising timepieces by providing pocket watches to the masses and later on wristwatches.
The impact of Waterbury did not end with just affordability. This firm played an important role in popularising the transition of pocket to wristwatches during World War I, where soldiers found synchronizing maneuvers required one not to fumble for one’s watch in one’s pocket.
Cheaper mass-manufactured watches in the fifties together with economic trials, threw Waterbury on its knees. It was later rebranded as Timex.
Junghans
Junghans started in 1861 in the scenic landscapes of the Black Forest (Germany) by a man named Erhard Junghans. In no time it gained an outstanding reputation with a standard of technical precision combined with aesthetic finesse. By the turn of the century, Junghans was already the world’s largest clock factory, enjoying a high standing reputation for its pioneering spirit and quality craftsmanship.
Junghans’ unique selling point was a combination of technological innovation with artful design, as in the iconic Max Bill wall clocks from the mid-20th century. More than functional, they were much more aptly described as minimalist masterpieces that commanded attention and respect. Not without its trials, such as the tumults of world wars and economic shifts, Junghans has nonetheless managed to hold on to its reputation and manufacture high-quality timepieces to this day, reflective of its heritage.
Legacy of the Giants
The stories of Ansonia, Waterbury, and Junghans are tales of human ingenuity, resilience, and the relentless pursuit of excellence. These companies did more than just manufacture clocks; they crafted legacies that have ticked through generations. They remind us that time, much like history, is a cycle of highs and lows. Each moment building upon the last