Our storied History
CHICAGO WATCHMAKING SINCE 1922
For more than 100 years, our family has been making watches in the heart of Chicago. Now in our fourth generation, Hampden carries forward a tradition of craftsmanship and care, creating meaningful timepieces that connect past, present, and future.
All Watches Tell Time. Hampden Watches Tell Stories.
All Watches Tell Time. Hampden Watches Tell Stories.
Hampden Watch has a family legacy spanning more than a century of American watchmaking. Led today by father-and-son team Joe and Daniel Wein, our company combines deep heritage with modern innovation to create timepieces that do more than tell time—they help you celebrate life’s meaningful moments.
The Hampden story began in 1877, with factories in Springfield, Massachusetts, and later Canton, Ohio. Hampden quickly became an important name in American watchmaking, producing millions of watches over five decades.
A watch should do more than tell time - it should tell your story.
CHICAGO SINCE 1922
CHICAGO SINCE 1922
Our family’s journey began in 1922, when Hyman Wein founded the Clinton Watch Company in Chicago. Hyman was one of five brothers and a brother-in-law who all founded watch businesses, two of which are still operating today: Hampden Watch in Chicago, and Marathon Watch in Canada, run by cousin Mitchell Wein.
What began as the Clinton Watch Company in 1922 became the steward of Hampden’s legacy in 1958, preserving not just a brand name, but a century of American watchmaking innovation.
Joe Wein, a trained engineer and U.S. Army veteran, joined as the third generation in the family business in 1985. As CEO since 2002, he has led Hampden through a quiet renaissance—streamlining operations, securing patents, and laying the foundation for the company’s second century.
A NEW INNOVATION
A NEW INNOVATION
Hampden is proud to introduce a new line of Swiss Made watches, crafted at the Marathon factory in La Chaux-de-Fonds. A century after brothers Hyman and Morris Wein began this journey, their grandchildren continue the tradition - making Hampden one of the oldest family-run watch companies in North America.
Daniel Wein has joined Hampden, becoming the fourth generation in our century-old business. We continue to produce watches that help people mark life’s milestones.
Hampden’s patented casecap® system allows each watch to be uniquely personal, offering a choice between an engraved caseback and an exhibition back, displaying the beautiful Swiss mechanical movement.
All Hampden watches can be customized with deeply personal engravings, to help our customers celebrate the moments and relationships that matter most.
SHOP the 1922 CENTENNIAL COLLECTION
The Centennial Collection marks our return - celebrating our history with timepieces crafted for today and tomorrow.
four generations of watchmaking
chicago since 1922
Four Generations
The fourth hand
Welcome to The Fourth Hand - the official journal of Hampden Watch.
Where time meets story, we explore the heritage, innovation, and craftsmanship that make a watch more than just a timepiece. From the revival of our fourth-generation American watch company to design inspiration and engraving stories, this is a space for timeless conversation.
How One Family Turned Six Personalized Hampden Watches Into Heirlooms for Generations
At Hampden Watch, we believe every timepiece should tell a story. For our client Joseph Lester, that story was one of family, memory, and legacy. Earlier this year, Joseph reached out with a vision...
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A Night to Remember: Hampden Watch’s Relaunch Party in Chicago
When I joined my father two years ago to relaunch Hampden Watch, I knew there would come a time when our work needed to be shared—not quietly, but in a way people could feel. Alive. Joyful. Rooted ...
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Marking Time: A Father-Son Journey in America’s Oldest Family-Owned Watch Company
When Joe Wein gave his son Daniel the first Hampden Model 1, it sparked a family revival—bringing fresh life to America’s oldest watch company.
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