From Clinton to Hampden: A Century of American Watchmaking — The Lonely Wrist Podcast Feature
A Family Legacy That Redefined American Watchmaking
In a new episode of The Lonely Wrist, host Blake Ray sits down with Joe Wein, third-generation CEO of Hampden Watch, for a rare look at what it means to lead the oldest continuously operating family-run watch company in the United States.
Founded in 1922 as the Clinton Watch Company in Chicago, Hampden’s story spans the Great Depression, World War II, and the quartz revolution. What began in the city’s mail-order era has evolved into a brand defined by Swiss mechanical precision and personalization—still assembled under the same family name more than a century later.
From Catalog Counters to Caseback Innovation
Joe traces Hampden’s lineage from Chicago’s catalog-era roots—Montgomery Ward, Alden, and Spiegel—to a modern renaissance centered on emotional connection.
He shares family anecdotes that make the company’s history uniquely American:
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Divers’ watches once “packed in water.”
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A Hampden watch displayed in the Wright Brothers exhibit at the Smithsonian, marking the first watch flown in history.
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And a multi-brand family tree that once included Clinton, Wolbrook, Douglas, and Benrus—all founded by five Wein brothers across three countries.
Today, Hampden’s innovation is anchored by casecap technology—a patented removable caseback that lets wearers switch between a sapphire exhibition window and a perfectly aligned engraved caseback.
It’s an elegant solution to an age-old trade-off—and a physical expression of Hampden’s belief that technology should serve sentiment.
“I’d rather make a watch that’s precious than a watch that’s valuable,” Joe says in the episode. “We’re not just selling watches. We’re connecting people to their stories.”
Engraving, Education, and Emotion
The podcast also previews Hampden’s upcoming watchmaking classroom experience, debuting this winter in Chicago. Participants assemble a Unitas-based Swiss mechanical movement, engrave their initials on the ratchet wheel, and take home a timepiece that’s truly their own.
It’s an experience designed to make every customer part of Hampden’s next century—a theme echoed as Joe reflects on working alongside his son Daniel Wein, the company’s fourth generation.
“My father pressured me to join the business,” Joe shares. “I didn’t pressure Daniel. But when he joined, it brought everything full circle.”
The Meaning of Time
Listeners also hear Joe’s deeply personal stories—the watch his father carried through World War II, engraved with his Army serial number; his early innovations in laser engraving that cut production from 24 days to five; and how a lifetime of watchmaking taught him that patience, craftsmanship, and connection are the true measures of time.
As he puts it:
“If a hundred years from now a great-grandchild is holding one of our watches and it’s precious because of what’s engraved on the back, then we’ve done our job.”
Listen Now
For anyone fascinated by mechanical watches, family-owned craftsmanship, or the revival of American watchmaking, this episode offers a masterclass in purpose-driven design and generational leadership.
🎧 Listen to “From Clinton to Hampden: A Century of American Watchmaking with Joe Wein” on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube.