Home / Catalogs & Resources / Private Label Trade Names on American Pocket Watches: “Burlington Watch Co.” Part 19: Swiss Features

Private Label Trade Names on American Pocket Watches: “Burlington Watch Co.” Part 19: Swiss Features

Pictured: Burlington Special “Two Swiss Features” Burlington Watch Company Catalog, c.1911.

Despite being manufactured in America, the Burlington Watch Company noted two Swiss features of the “Burlington Special” in their c.1911 catalog:

Two Swiss Features. Two Swiss features are used in the Burlington Special. While Swiss watches as a rule are much inferior to those of American manufacture, and compare in no way in accuracy, the two points in which the Americans have yet to compete with the Swiss are in mainspring and hairspring. A certain well-known family in Switzerland has a secret process which it has handed down from father to son for centuries. Although watch springs are made now in almost all parts of the world, no one has ever been able to equal these Swiss springs. The strain is almost absolutely constant, no matter whether the watch is fully wound or is nearly run down. Perhaps you have noticed a variation in time-keeping in the ordinary watch when you have changed the time when you wound it up each day. The Swiss springs used in the Burlington watch do not crystallize with usage, and breakage is very rare. These springs will run a watch from thirty-two to thirty-six hours. So, instead of claiming to be able to make a mainspring or hairspring as the Swiss, we frankly admit that these highest grade springs are imported. We come right out and admit that in our watch is used a certain small product from the Swiss market, which is better in a foreign made than any manufacturing of the best American make, even though Swiss watches complete are inferior.”c.1911 Burlington Watch Company Catalog

Even though the Burlington Watch Company claimed that “Swiss watches complete are inferior,” the company proceeded to offer watches in the Canadian market made by Swiss manufacturer Henry Moser a few years later.

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