March 2026 NAWCC 135 Chapter Meeting (In Person)
Sun, Mar 08
|Norwest School of Horology, Shoreline
From the NAWCC archives, a video presentation about Luther Goddard, the first American watchmaker. Presented by Noel Poirier, NAWCC Museum Director.
Time & Location
Mar 08, 2026, 12:30 PM – 3:00 PM PDT
Norwest School of Horology, Shoreline, 18560 1st Ave NE, Shoreline, WA 98155, USA
About the event
In late 1807, Britain and France were at war, and Congress enacted a trade embargo which cut off most trade with England and France. The Embargo Act of 1807, a response to the harassment and impressment of U.S. merchant ships by the British and French, banned U.S. merchant ships from sailing for foreign ports.
President Thomas Jefferson hoped to keep America out of the war and at the same time punish Britain economically. The embargo did more damage to the American economy, as the country depended on goods imported from Europe. The Embargo Act was repealed in 1809, but the Non-intercourse Act, which also imposed trade restrictions, continued until 1814.
From this disaster came opportunity. Without cheap watches from Europe, American watchmakers were suddenly able to compete. In 1809, Luther Goddard produced the first serialized watches made in America, Verge-fusees of good quality and costing the then-princely sum of $60.…