Bozeman Watch Company
TypePrivately held company
IndustryOriginal luxury timepiece engineer and manufacturer
FounderChristopher F. Wardle
Defunct2015
Headquarters
Bozeman, Montana
,
United States
ProductsWristwatches, leather goods

The Bozeman Watch Company of Bozeman, Montana, was an American company that designed and engineered its own timepieces and had its mechanical components certified by the Contrôle officiel suisse des Chronomètres (COSC) certified timepieces.[1] It went out of business in 2015.

History

Christopher F. Wardle, originally a native of Birmingham, Michigan, sought out an industrial designer to help put his vision and original watch designs to paper. Having been a collector of many American brands and having the desire to keep the models reminiscent of the mid 20th century styles, Wardle started to clinch concepts into designs and in 2005 introduced the first timepiece, the Smokejumper Chronograph.

Operations

The company opened its first exclusive showroom in Bozeman, Montana, the same year. In 2008, the company expanded its Michigan design staff and started expanding its ability to create original engineering data, tooling, and suppliers to ramp up its model lineup for its expanded showroom plans. In 2010, the Bozeman Watch Company opened another dealer in Whitefish, Montana and Jackson Hole, Wyoming, in 2011.[2]

Staying away from standard production parts, the company claimed that it was taking up to 3 years to design and take to market any of its watch models. "Where many watch makers buy out of catalogs, BWC uses tiny parts that are made for their company exclusively".[3]

Watch Models

Yellowstone

The ladies' Yellowstone watch has a 32 mm case diameter, interlaced with sapphire crystals. It is waterproof to 5 ATM or about 165 ft. It has a 21-jewel automatic mechanical movement with a date function and a sweep second hand. A hundred pieces were expected to be produced in 2011 and estimated to be available for purchase in December 2011. A men's 38 mm model was expected to be released simultaneously with the ladies' model. The men's model was planned to house a 25-jewel automatic movement. It was available in stainless steel or alligator black wristband.[4]

B1 Hellcat

This watch offered two straps, a tan or black saddle leather strap and a stainless steel bracelet. This watch was planned to be released with a first edition of 200. It has a 42.6 mm diameter watch face, a 13.2 mm height. It also has a 25-jewel Swiss movement, 28,800 VPH, a sweep second hand and date functions as well as a screw-down crown. It is water resistant to 330 ft.[5]

Snowmaster Telemetric

The Snowmaster Telemetric has 43 mm stainless steel case with 25-jewel automatic Swiss Valjoux movement. Each movement is independently COSC certified in Geneva with second, minute and hour Chronograph timing functions. It also comes with a second 24-hour time zone complication or GMT function as well as a speed and distance telemetric scale.

Smokejumper GMT and Smokejumper Chronograph

There are two Smokejumper style watches, the Smokejumper GMT or Chronograph. The GMT World time is the National Smokejumpers official timepiece. It comes with two different available dial colors: silver and black or enamel and super luminescent. The GMT has automatic Swiss specialty-line mechanical movement, a 21-jewel movement with 28,800 vibrations per hour (VPH). It has a 42-hour power reserve and a second time zone function. It is COSC certified, is water resistant to 330 ft and is domed with sapphire crystals. The back is engraved with the Missoula, MT smokejumper base logo endorsement. The GMT will initially be limited to one hundred individual numbered pieces. The original Smokejumper Chronograph, as stated in the April 2008 issue of Insync; "[I]s BWC's only chronograph and at 46.5 mm, its largest. It is also limited to 100 individually numbered watches.

Herradura

The Herradura was developed with direction from two-time World Series winner, Boston Red Sox pitcher Josh Beckett. Beckett's signature was sent to the BWC, so that each of the 53 numbered pieces have the pitcher's mark on it. The Herradura has 24 jewels with 28,800 VPH, a sweep second hand with a three o'clock date window. It is COSC certified with raised Arabic numerals and raised gold markers with luminescence. It is water resistant to 330 ft and comes with a 44 mm stainless steel case. The leather strap, which is available in saddle tan, is handmade.[6]

Sidewinder

The Sidewinder Retrograde was introduced as a part of its "Montana Class Watch Collection".[7] It is made in the style of a 19th-century timepiece, with raised and separate dial accents. The watch is limited to 100 silver dial and 50 black dial references, with each piece individually numbered. They each have a power reserve meter sub dial, a sweep second hand and a three o'clock date marker and are all COSC certified. They are water resistant to 330 ft and have convex sapphire crystal dome and come with a 44 mm stainless steel case.

USS Montana

The USS Montana has modified Val Granges automatic caliber, with 24 jewels and 28,800 VPH. It is COSC certified with sweep second hand and raised blue Roman numerals. It is water resistant up to 330 ft and comes with 44 mm stainless steel case. The USS Montana has a convex sapphire crystal and tiered lugs.

2nd Edition Cutthroats

The 2nd edition Cutthroat watch has been made with the addition of 24-hour time zone or GMT function. There are 5 versions of the Cutthroat. Swiss automatic caliber (movement), 21 jewels with 28,800 VPH, sweep second hand and date function, 24-hour second time zone on outer dial, COSC certified, individually placed, raised luminescent hour markers, water resistance to 10 ATM below sea level, 42 mm stainless steel case and only 10.5 mm in height, and convex (domed) sapphire crystal.[8]

Schofield

Limited to a 2010 production of 10 Silver dial individually numbered pieces and with 24 jewels with 28,800 vibrations per hour, the Schofield timepiece is 44 mm stainless steel case with sweep second hand and 3 o'clock date window. It has individually placed stainless Roman Numerals and raised luminescent 3, 6, 9, 12-hour markers. It comes in a silver or black dial. It comes in Caiman handmade crocodile strap, available in brown or black, handmade Louisiana alligator strap, available in brown or black, or handmade Montana saddle leather strap available in tan or black. All of them have deployment buckles.[9]

References

  1. ↑ "Upscale Bozeman Watch Co. expands to Whitefish". Daily Inter Lake. 2010-11-07. Retrieved 2011-09-23.
  2. ↑ mitra, sramana (2 June 2010). "Deal Radar 2010: Bozeman Watch Co". Sramanamitra. Retrieved 8 December 2011.
  3. ↑ Rosenleaf, Nicole. "Not Just a Matter of Time" (PDF). Bozeman Daily Chronicle. Archived from the original (PDF) on 5 April 2012. Retrieved 6 December 2011.
  4. ↑ "Yellowstone". Bozeman Watch Company. Retrieved 6 December 2011.
  5. ↑ "B1 Hellcat". Bozeman Watch Company. Retrieved 6 December 2011.
  6. ↑ "Herradura". Bozeman Watch Company. Retrieved 6 December 2011.
  7. ↑ "Sidewinder". Bozeman Watch Company. Retrieved 8 December 2011.
  8. ↑ "Cutthroat". Bozeman Watch Company. Retrieved 8 December 2011.
  9. ↑ "Schofield". Bozeman Watch Company. Retrieved 6 December 2011.
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