The Auburndale Watch Company : $b first American attempt toward the dollar watch

"The Auburndale Watch Company: First American Attempt Toward the Dollar Watch" by Edwin A. Battison is a historical exploration that chronicles the ambitious, yet ultimately unsuccessful, endeavor to create an inexpensive timepiece in America. Focusing on the Auburndale Watch Company, the book illustrates the innovative strategies and formidable obstacles encountered by early watchmakers as they strived to produce a reliable "dollar watch." Central to the story are the mechanical creations of Jason R. Hopkins and William B. Fowle, including Hopkins’s unique rotary mechanism, along with the complexities of production, financial difficulties, and competitive hardships that led to the company's demise. It serves as a cautionary tale of early business ventures and highlights the significance of market readiness and sound planning.