The Cornell Watch Company, founded in 1870 in Chicago, Illinois, was an ambitious but short-lived American watch manufacturer. It was established by Paul Cornell, a prominent real estate developer, with the aim of producing affordable, high-quality pocket watches to compete with major players like Waltham and Elgin. Cornell’s watches featured key-wind and stem-wind movements and were known for their practical designs aimed at the middle-class market. However, financial difficulties and operational challenges plagued the company, leading to its closure in 1876.
Despite its brief existence, the Cornell Watch Company contributed to the rich history of American watchmaking and remains a point of interest for collectors of antique timepieces.