J.E. Caldwell & Co. Pocket Watches
With intricate and refined artistry, the jewelers at J.E.Caldwell & Co. have been handcrafting illustrious watches and adornments — including cocktail rings, engagement rings and link bracelets — for nearly two centuries. The American firm, which is among the oldest silver and jewelry companies in the United States, has found acclaim with collectors and buyers worldwide.
Born in Poughkeepsie, New York, J.E. Caldwell & Co. founder James Emmott Caldwell (1813–81) apprenticed as a silversmith and subsequently trained in watchmaking under the esteemed watchmaker Samuel Ward Benedict in New York City. Following his apprenticeships, Caldwell sought work in Philadelphia, initially securing a position with a wholesale jeweler before importing watches for a jewelry manufacturer. In the late 1830s, he established a storefront of his own, in a stately marble building on Chestnut street. Caldwell partnered with James M. Bennett thereafter in order to launch a jewelry shop nearby that they called Bennett & Caldwell. With the passing of Bennett, Caldwell partnered with a former employer, John C. Farr, and changed the company name, establishing the J.E. Caldwell & Co. of today.
In 1876, Philadelphia hosted the first World’s Fair held in the United States. Alongside the Gorham Manufacturing Company — a legendary but largely overlooked American silver firm — J.E. Caldwell showcased an array of stunning jewelry and silver objects at the event’s Centennial International Exhibition. In the early 1900s, J.E. Caldwell was contracted to fashion a presentation silver tea service — more than 160 pieces — for a newly commissioned battleship, the U.S.S. Pennsylvania. The brand’s exquisite silver wares traveled at sea aboard this battleship — and later, on the U.S.S. Valley Forge — for decades.
J.E. Caldwell & Co. became known for exquisite Art Nouveau and Art Deco jewelry. Ownership of the firm passed through the family over the years before changing hands to business interests outside of the family. Today a J.E. Caldwell & Co. retail location continues to operate in Philadelphia.
Find antique and vintage J.E. Caldwell & Co. jewelry on 1stDibs.
1910s Swiss Vintage J.E. Caldwell & Co. Pocket Watches
1930s Swiss Art Deco Vintage J.E. Caldwell & Co. Pocket Watches
1950s American Vintage J.E. Caldwell & Co. Pocket Watches
18k Gold, Yellow Gold, Enamel
1920s Art Deco Vintage J.E. Caldwell & Co. Pocket Watches
Enamel
2010s American J.E. Caldwell & Co. Pocket Watches
14k Gold, Yellow Gold
Early 20th Century Swiss Art Nouveau J.E. Caldwell & Co. Pocket Watches
Silver, Enamel
Early 20th Century J.E. Caldwell & Co. Pocket Watches
18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Early 19th Century Unknown Renaissance Antique J.E. Caldwell & Co. Pocket Watches
Pearl, Enamel
Early 20th Century Swiss J.E. Caldwell & Co. Pocket Watches
18k Gold, Yellow Gold
19th Century Antique J.E. Caldwell & Co. Pocket Watches
Diamond, Gold, Silver, Enamel
Early 19th Century French Empire Antique J.E. Caldwell & Co. Pocket Watches
Silver, Enamel
Late 19th Century American Antique J.E. Caldwell & Co. Pocket Watches
Early 20th Century American Edwardian J.E. Caldwell & Co. Pocket Watches
Gold-filled
19th Century Danish Antique J.E. Caldwell & Co. Pocket Watches
18k Gold
Mid-20th Century English Art Deco J.E. Caldwell & Co. Pocket Watches
1910s Swiss Vintage J.E. Caldwell & Co. Pocket Watches
18k Gold
1930s Swiss Art Deco Vintage J.E. Caldwell & Co. Pocket Watches
18k Gold
1930s Swiss Vintage J.E. Caldwell & Co. Pocket Watches
Sterling Silver
Early 20th Century Swiss Art Deco J.E. Caldwell & Co. Pocket Watches
Onyx, Sterling Silver