The first prototype watch was completed in 1850.
A year later, the company moved to its own factory in Roxbury, Massachusetts, employing both Swiss and English watchmakers. Dennison began to make watch parts for the company in its 'Howard & Davis' factory in 1849. Initial funding of $20,000 came from venture capitalist as well as T.P. Howard wanted Dennison to build locomotives but instead went into business with Dennison to make watches. In 1849, Dennison was approached by Edward Howard, a clock and scale maker from Boston. This was to reduce the expense of repairing watches. Dennison had the idea to make watches using machinery utilizing interchangeable parts. He also created the Dennison Gauge which became the 'US Standard' gauge used to accurately measure different parts of watches. He also studied under Tubal Hone, considered the best watchmaker in America at the time. In 1833 he became a journeyman watchmaker with Currier & Trott in Boston, Massachusetts, leaving in 1839 to go into business for himself. The idea for the Waltham Watch Company came from watchmaker Aaron Lufkin Dennison. Aaron Lufkin Dennison, founder of the Waltham Watch Company.
