Rockford Pocket Watches

The Rockford Watch Company was established in 1874 in Rockford, Illinois, following the reorganization of the Cornell Watch Company. With experienced watchmakers like P. H. Wheeler and C. W. Parker among its early employees, Rockford quickly earned a reputation for producing reliable pocket watches during America’s railroad era. The factory, built in 1875–76 with equipment acquired from Cornell, became a hub of American watchmaking in the Midwest.