Throughout history, families have often moved in search of better opportunities. The early 20th century saw many families emigrating from Eastern Europe to the United States, including the Romanian Lazrus family, who settled in New York City. New York was a popular destination due to its bustling economy and diverse population. In 1921, Benjamin Lazrus, along with his brothers Oscar and Ralph, founded the Benrus Watch Company, leveraging the city’s vibrant commercial environment.
The name ‘Benrus’ is a unique brand name derived from Benjamin Lazrus, combining the first syllable of his first name, ‘Ben,’ and the last syllable of his last name, ‘Rus.’
The timing was ideal as men began regularly wearing wristwatches during World War I. Before this period, wristwatches were generally considered women’s fashion accessories, while men typically used pocket watches. However, during the war, the practicality and convenience of wristwatches became apparent. By 1921, both men and women were wearing wristwatches.
In its early years, Benrus imported Swiss movements and assembled their watches at their headquarters. This approach allowed them to offer reliable and stylish watches while leveraging the prestige associated with Swiss watch movements. After some early success, the company moved to the historic New York Hippodrome building in 1923, located on Sixth Avenue between West 43rd and 44th Streets, in the heart of Manhattan’s jewelry district.
By WWII, Benrus had established a strong reputation for quality and reliability, which helped them secure U.S. military contracts. They produced robust, water-resistant, and easy-to-read watches complete with luminous dials and hands for nighttime visibility that met the stringent specifications required by the military.
The Benrus Sky Chief was first launched in 1940 and quickly became one of the brand’s most famous chronographs, tailored to meet the needs of pilots. The Sky Chief was widely used in the aviation industry and was often called the “Official Watch of Famous Airlines” during the 1940s and 1950s.
Benjamin Lazrus passed away in 1947, but the company continued under the leadership of his brothers, Oscar and Ralph, and remained a significant player.
Following the war, Benrus continued to expand its product line and market presence. The 1950s and 1960s were particularly successful decades for the company.
The Dial-O-Rama, introduced in 1957, featured a unique jump hour mechanism with a small aperture displaying the time, making it a distinctive and collectible model. The Sea Lord, introduced in the early 1960s, was designed as a versatile watch suitable for both dress and sport, including diving activities. It became one of Benrus’s most popular models. The ‘Type I’ and ‘Type II,’ which were issued to the military during the Vietnam War, are prized for their rugged design and historical significance. The Wrist Alarm analog was introduced in 1963 and recognized as one of the first wristwatches to feature an alarm function.
Several famous individuals have been known to wear Benrus watches, contributing to the brand’s iconic status. Charles Lindbergh, the famous aviator, was one of the early celebrities to endorse Benrus in the 1920s, when advertisements featured Lindbergh wearing a Benrus Tank watch. Baseball’s Babe Ruth endorsed and wore a 1929 Art Deco-style rectangular Benrus with a brown leather wristband. This model included his facsimile signature on the watch face. The Democratic National Convention commissioned a unique Benrus watch in 1963 for President John F. Kennedy. This 14k gold self-winding watch with the inscription ‘TO OUR PRESIDENT J.F.K.’ on the back holds significant historical value. Although Kennedy wore it briefly, the watch was eventually gifted to his aide and friend, Dave Powers, and later auctioned. Steve McQueen, the legendary actor, wore a Benrus Series #3061 military-style watch in the 1968 film ‘Bullitt,’ which also became highly collectible.
Benrus was known for its innovative designs and marketing strategies. They produced a range of watches that catered to various market segments, from affordable everyday watches to luxurious dress watches. They also embraced the use of new materials and technologies, such as the introduction of electric watches in the 1960s, which predated the widespread adoption of quartz movements.
Ralph Lazrus died in 1960, and Oscar took full control of the Benrus Watch Company, having bought out his brothers’ shares earlier in the 1950s. Oscar continued to run the company until he sold it to Victor Kiam, known for his leadership of Remington Razors, in 1967.
The 1970s brought significant challenges to the watch industry with the advent of quartz technology, which revolutionized timekeeping but also led to a decline in the demand for mechanical watches. Benrus, like many traditional watchmakers, struggled to adapt to this new landscape and eventually filed for bankruptcy in 1977.
After the bankruptcy, Benrus was sold to the Hampden Company (not the same as the original Hampden Watch Company) which also owned Fantasy Diamonds, a family-owned jewelry company based in Chicago. They attempted to revive the Benrus brand, with some success, but it was short-lived. The company passed through several more hands and ownership structures over the following decades, but the brand struggled to regain its former prominence.
Today, the company has been revitalized and continues to produce watches inspired by its historic models. In 2014, an American entrepreneur acquired the brand with plans to transform it into a full-fledged lifestyle company centered around wristwatches. However, in 2017, he lost control of the trademarks. Since then, the company has been under the management of Benrus Holdings, LLC, from Providence, Rhode Island, which continues to produce and market the brand. With a focus on reviving its heritage, the company has relaunched several of its classic models, maintaining the original designs’ charm while incorporating modern watchmaking techniques that continue to appeal to watch enthusiasts and collectors worldwide.
