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Tom Huber
10-14-2002, 02:56 PM
Can anyone tell me the exact year that Congress passed the law requiring the country of origin be posted to a watch? I recently restored a Swiss Fake. I got it dirt cheap and it was in very nice shape. It is labeled both dial and movement with "Adelphi Watch Co". The brass HC is also hallmarked with the Adelphi marking.

This watch is KW/KS 11J, nickel plates with a quick train uncompensated balance. It is an exact plate design to a model 57 Waltham. Nowhere on this watch can I find the word Swiss engraved. Would that mean that it was imported prior to the law being passed, or was it sold in another country and brought in by an immigrant?

BTW, After a good cleaning and some TLC, the watch keeps time to about 30 Sec/day.

Tom
Tom Huber
10-14-2002, 02:56 PM
Can anyone tell me the exact year that Congress passed the law requiring the country of origin be posted to a watch? I recently restored a Swiss Fake. I got it dirt cheap and it was in very nice shape. It is labeled both dial and movement with "Adelphi Watch Co". The brass HC is also hallmarked with the Adelphi marking.

This watch is KW/KS 11J, nickel plates with a quick train uncompensated balance. It is an exact plate design to a model 57 Waltham. Nowhere on this watch can I find the word Swiss engraved. Would that mean that it was imported prior to the law being passed, or was it sold in another country and brought in by an immigrant?

BTW, After a good cleaning and some TLC, the watch keeps time to about 30 Sec/day.

Tom
Tom Huber
10-19-2002, 04:29 PM
Just want to bring this back to the top in hope of getting a response. My question--What year did the Federal Gov pass the law that the country of origin had to be marked on the watch?

Thanks. Tom
John F
10-19-2002, 05:28 PM
Tom,

I believe it was the McKinley Tariff Act of 1891 that first required all imported goods to bear the name of their country of origin.

(Sorry - I didn't see this post earlier.)

John
Tom Huber
10-20-2002, 09:49 AM
John, Thanks for the reply. I'm guessing that my Swiss Fake is from the 1870's-80's period, but, since it is not marked Swiss, just wanted to be sure that it preceded the law. Tom
Greg Crockett
10-22-2002, 03:40 AM
I think it was 1869 when the first U.S. law was passed requiring the country of origin on imported watches. Some enterprising frauds would comply, but would have the word "Swiss" mixed into the engraving so that it was hard to see.
John F
10-22-2002, 05:31 AM
I hadn't heard of the 1869 date before, Greg - do you recall where that's from?

One of the indicators for dating antiques (e.g., silver, pottery, etc.) is the 1891 law. It's not infallible, of couse, as a piece made elsewhere may not have been intended for import to the US, or the law was simply not complied with or was otherwise evaded, but if a piece does have the country of origin marked on it, my understanding is that it's usually considered to have been made after 1891. So that's what I was going on.

John

PS - As an aside, because the McKinley Tariff Act also imposed high duties on goods, it's considered in some circles to be one of the (several) causes of the severe economic depression in the 1890s.