Noon at Watch Factory

By April of 1867, The National Watch Factory (which it was originally called) released its first watch, which they named the "B. W. Raymond" model. Acceptance to the new product was immediate. Eighteen thousand movements were turned out in 1867, and twenty six thousand were released in 1868. 

Almost from the start, people referred to them as "Elgin Watches".  So much confusion would be caused that the company eventually changed its name.  Throughout the next 100 years, The Elgin National Watch Company would employ as many as two thousand people and would manufacture over 55 million watches.