Mozart Watch Co., A gold-filled hunting cased watch with chronolever escapement, no. 50, circa 1865

gilt three-quarters plate movement with top plate inscribed Made Expressly For Hugh M. Quiston Recorder of Green Co. O. Under Don J. Mozart's Patent Decr 24th 1868, engraved balance cock, 11 jewels, Mozart's patented chronolever escapement, bi-metallic balance, blued steel hairspring, gold-filled cuvette inscribed Chronolever Escapement, by Don J. Mozart, white enamel dial, tulip hands, roman numerals, subsidiary seconds from 1-12, gold-filled engine-turned case with small open cartouche on front lid, cuvette, dial and movement signed, case stamped with maker's mark GWL, engraved under the bezel G.W. Ladd's patent jun. 11 67, accompanied by a copy of Hoke, The Time Museum Catalogue of American Pocket Watches. 

Time Museum Inventory No. 788

Founded by Don J. Mozart, the Mozart Watch Company began in 1864 in Providence, Rhode Island.  Very few examples of their production remain in existence as they encountered a number of failures.  Thus, Mozart's financial backers removed him and reformed the company in Massachusetts under the name of New York Watch Company, the predecessor of the Hampden Watch Company.

Despite these setbacks, Mozart moved to Ann Arbor, Michigan and reopened a new company under the original name in 1868.  The company worked diligently on making a three-wheel chronometer, for which a patent was issued in December 24, 1868. 

Mozart's chronolever escapement intended to deliver impulse directly to the balance from the escape wheel while employing a lever for locking the escape wheel, to overcome the chronometer's shortcomings of impulses delivered on alternate beats.  This type of movement never achieved popularity due to the complexity and difficulty of the jewelling of the escapement which proved too costly to produce within the constraints of mass production.

During their years of manufacture, the company produced approximately 30 movements, very few which were encased to be given to the investors, as most likely would have been the case with the present watch.  By 1870 the firm moved to Milwaukee and soon closed, as the new financial backers also pulled out, then selling all of the equipment to the Rock Island Watch Company. 

Mozart, who was born in 1820, had a colorful history.  At the age of nine, while playing on the wharf in Boston, he was enticed to join a ship.  He returned to America seven years later but was unable to locate his family.  As noted, he suffered many setbacks as a watchmaker and was involved with a variety of watchmaking companies. He died of "congestion to the brain on March 7, 1877,"  according to an article by Charles S. Crossman from The Jewelers Weekly of November 25, 1885.  Crossman continues, "Thus sadly ended the life of one who by his natural gifts, was fitted to be one of the most brilliant lights in the horological firmament, but who, from lack of mechanical education, and of what may be called judgment was prevented from attaining success."  

For information regarding Don Mozart his life and work see Chamberlain, It's About Time, pp. 225-228.  The Mozart watch in Chamberlain's collection is also illustrated in the supplement in the back of Watches, The Paul M. Chamberlain Collection at the Art Institute of Chicago, cat. no. 152.  It is quite interesting to compare Chamberlain's watch with the Time Museum example; both are in gold-filled engine-tured cases that are stamped GWL (which Chamberlain records as G.W. Ladd) and engraved under the bezel and obscured when the bezel is closed.  The case number of the Chamberlain watch is number 4261 and the Time Museum is 4257 and both watches have similar inscriptions on the cuvette.  Furthermore, the two watches are similarly engraved on the movement.  Chamberlain further notes that a full description of his watch is listed in the February 5th, 1919 issue of the Jeweler's Circular.