Hampden Watches Are Back! Legacy Included

You’ve heard this story before—at least, you think you have: a defunct heritage brand gets dragged out of retirement, dusted off, and slapped onto some generic quartz movement. A name without a soul. But that’s not what happened here. The Hampden Watch Company wasn’t just revived—it was rebuilt by the same family that’s quietly kept American watchmaking alive for over a century. And it all started with a single gift between a father and son.

Let’s rewind. In 1922, Hyman Wein founded the Clinton Watch Company in Chicago, importing Swiss movements and assembling watches long before “microbrand” was even a word. This wasn’t a side hustle—it was a serious, boots-on-the-ground watch business. Over the decades, the Wein family expanded operations across the U.S. and overseas. Along the way, they acquired the rights to Hampden—yes, that Hampden, the American brand that helped define 19th-century pocket watches and whose original tooling was famously sold to the Soviets in 1930. By 1958, the name was theirs. For years, they held it close. Then in 1998, they made it official—renaming the company Hampden Watch Company. But it wasn’t until decades later that they were ready to put the name on something new.

Fast forward to 2023. Joe Wein, third-generation president, handed his son Daniel a one-of-a-kind mechanical watch. No media. No fanfare. Just a simple, powerful gesture: the first Hampden Model 1 “Sullivan.” It had everything—Swiss automatic movement, exhibition caseback, clean proportions—and something even more important: four generations of legacy etched inside. For Daniel, it wasn’t just a watch. It was the spark.

Daniel didn’t come from a bench—he came from the world of design and tech. But that perspective may have been exactly what Hampden needed. Over the next two years, he and Joe worked to reimagine what a modern Hampden could be. Not a replica. Not a throwback. A continuation. In July 2025, the new Hampden Watch Company launched publicly in Chicago’s West Loop, in front of 300 friends, collectors, and storytellers.

And here’s where Hampden gets interesting. It’s not trying to shout. It’s trying to connect. Every piece in their Centennial Collection runs on Swiss mechanical movements, but it’s the patented Casecap that sets them apart. One watch. Two casebacks. Tool-free switching between an exhibition back and a deeply engraved personal one. Show off the movement—or hide it behind a message that matters. A wedding date. A father’s initials. A fourth-generation promise. This isn’t just design—it’s emotion, built into the steel.

The launch collection includes four watches:

• Model 1 “Sullivan” – The one that started it all. Clean, versatile, with dial options in Carbon, Navy, and Parchment. Powered by a Sellita 279 automatic and made to be worn—and passed down.

• Model 2 “Algren” – A more modern silhouette, with confident numerals and subtle edge. Still Swiss. Still serious. Built for people who wear their watch every day and actually care what it says about them.

• Model 3 “Sandburg” – For the minimalist with a nostalgic streak. Smooth lines, refined dial, just enough mid-century charm to make it feel like it’s always been on your wrist.

• Model 4 “Dixon” – Entry-level in name only. It’s Swiss-powered, Casecap-equipped, and cut from the same cloth as its siblings—just trimmed down for everyday motion. 
  

These watches don’t just keep time—they carry stories. That’s Hampden’s entire philosophy. “All watches tell time. Hampden watches tell stories.” And unlike some revivals, this one isn’t bankrolled by venture capital or backed by branding buzzwords. It’s still a family company. Daniel Wein is the fourth generation, and what he’s building is meant to last longer than a launch cycle.

This isn’t just a comeback. It’s a handoff—from father to son, from past to present. A watch that earns its place—not just by what it shows, but by everything it carries.