The Art of Precision: The Ball Watch Museum Tour at Sylvan’s Jewelers Thursday, November 4, 2010

Oct. 25, 2010 - PRLog -- The Art of Precision: The Ball Watch Museum Tour at Sylvan’s Jewelers
Thursday, November 4, 2010

Columbia, SC: In the late 19th century American railroads hit their stride, moving people and products across the country at speeds previously unimaginable. And with the expansion of the railroads came the need for highly accurate timepieces.

The Ball Watch Company, established in 1891, was one of the first American watch makers to respond to the need: developing new protocols for timing; new methods for constructing watches; and creating a watch inspection system with 1600 offices across North America, including Sylvan’s in Columbia. On Thursday, November 4th, The Ball Watch Museum Tour will be on exhibition at Sylvan’s Jewelers, Main and Hampton Streets, from 9:30am to 5:30pm.

The Ball Watch USA 2010 Museum Tour highlights the development of the modern watch (timepiece) and America’s role in making watches both accurate and durable. Founded in Cleveland, OH, just 6 years before Gustaf Sylvan, a master watchmaker himself, arrived in Columbia, the Ball company founder quickly recognized the need for a continental-wide timekeeping system. As the railroads grew, an increasing number of Americans were killed in train collisions primarily caused by poor timing issues. Webb C. Ball became the chief of the Cleveland/Pittsburgh lines, implementing mandatory changes and fortnightly checks of the accuracy of each railroad man’s watch – by 1900, Ball had all of North America on the same time schedule. In the process, he developed new methods for constructing watches and was credited by Henry Ford with the development of the world’s first assembly line.

The Ball Watch Museum Tour features historic watches dating from the 1880s to the 1970s, selected to demonstrate the evolution of the modern watch. A fascinating assortment of old advertising ephemera and company documents accompanies the exhibition. Watch buffs, railroad fans and historians will enjoy this peek at the revolution of timekeeping. The contemporary Ball Watch collection, which continues to focus on Webb Ball’s original precepts about time – accuracy legibility, durability and craftsmaship, is now featured at Sylvan’s Jewelers.

For more information about The Ball Watch Museum Tour at Sylvan’s Jewelers on Thursday, November 4th, please contact Bill Pruette at 803.799.2250 or bpruette@sylvans.com.

Sylvan’s Jewelers, established in 1897, is the personification of the American Dream.
Founded by brothers Gustaf and Johannes Sylvan, trained as a master watchmaker and master jeweler and diamond setter respectively. In 1905, the brothers moved their store to the site of the former Central National Bank building on the corner of Main and Hampton Streets where Sylvan’s Jewelers is located today. Sylvan’s Jewelers is a fourth-generation, family-run, independent jeweler.  


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Sylvan’s Jewelers, established in 1897, by brothers Gustaf and Johannes Sylvan, a master watchmaker and master jeweler. In 1905, the brothers moved their store to the corner of Main and Hampton Streets where Sylvan’s Jewelers is located today.