Plates and winding mechanism were made at the Dudley factory, while dials and hands were produced in Switzerland to Dudley's specifications. This pocket watch was referred to as the Model 1 and used many parts from the Waltham models 18 including the train and escapement. The first 14 size, 19 jewel watch, in 14K gold case was produced in 1922. The original plan was to design and build a 14-size pocket watch. Property was acquired at South West End and Maple Avenue in Lancaster, PA. The amount of capital stock of the corporation was $5,000. On they applied to the State of Pennsylvania for incorporation. Wood, local retail jewelers and both Masons, became Dudley's business partners. According to his daughter, Dudley had been planning his Masonic watch for 15 to 20 years prior to being granted the patent for the design. Dudley later applied for and was granted patents for the Masonic plate design dated June 29, 1923. The plates were machined by his friend, Willis R. In 1918, Dudley began work on the production of a Masonic watch with its bridge plate in the form of Masonic symbols (a slipper, plumb, trowel, level, square, compass, the letter G.

William Wallace Dudley The Dudley Masonic Watch Dudley was deeply interested in Freemasonry, and was a member of both the York and Scottish Rites, the Nobles of the Mystic Shrine and the Tall Cedars of Lebanon.

(England), which incorporated two Masonic symbols in the workings of the watch. Over the years Dudley had viewed many watch designs including those of M. He left Hamilton at the age of 69 to pursue his dream of starting his own watch company. From 1906 to 1920, he was designer and superintendent of manufacturing at the Hamilton Watch Company in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. He later moved to South Bend, Indiana where he joined the South Bend Watch Company. He went to Springfield, Illinois, where he was employed by the Illinois Watch Company. After completing his apprenticeship, he moved to the United States and joined the Waltham Watch Company in Waltham, MA, where he was employed as a model maker.ĭudley moved around from one watch factory to another gaining knowledge and experience.

He became interested in horology at the age of 13 and became an apprentice to a maker of ship chronometers. William Wallace Dudley was born in 1851 in St.

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