Keystone Watch Case Co.

Philadelphia, Penn. and Riverside, New Jersey

Location: Philadelphia, Penn. and Riverside, New Jersey

Years of Operation: 1880-1956

Predecessor: C.N. Thorpe

The Keystone Watch Case factory began operations in 1880 under the ownership of Hagstoz & Thorpe. The company was officially incorporated in 1886 to consolidate several entities.

The Keystone Watch Case factory began operations in 1880 under the ownership of Hagstoz & Thorpe. The company had previously manufactured gold-filled cases under the "J. Boss" name and patent. The new factory was initially built to manufacture gold and silver cases, intended to be segmented from the gold-filled case production. These cases were marked with a Keystone symbol when the factory opened in 1880. Eventually, the Keystone Watch Case Copmany absorbed the gold-filled business operating under Hagstoz & Thrope, creating the Keystone Watch Case Company, and all cases were marked with the Keystone trademark.

Case Grades

Note: This chart is not intended to be a comprehensive list of grades. Some grades changed traits over time and other grades may not be listed. This chart will be improved as additional information is studied.

Name	Case Material	Gold Content	Gurantee	Source Catalogs	Trademarked
14K	Gold	14K		1890AP, 1890OY, 1892WES, 1893BHIA, 1894NRC, 1895OY, 1896OY, 1897BB, 1899BHIA, 1900BHIA, 1903BAC, 1903ACB, 1903FDW, 1904ACB, 1905FNCS, 1906ON, 1907ACB, 1913FDW, 1923CBN, 1923ON, 1925ASJ, 1928ON
18K	Gold	18K
Admiral	Rolled Gold Plate			1895OY
Base Metal	Nickel Alloy
Bee Hive					Nov 13, 1900
Boss	Gold-Filled		20-Year	1907ACB
Boss 10K Yellow GF	Gold-Filled	10K		1928ON, 1932ON, 1942WAG
Boss 14K Green GF	Gold-Filled	14K		1928ON, 1932ON, 1942WAG
Boss 14K White GF	Gold-Filled	14K		1928ON, 1932ON, 1942WAG
Boss Cyclone	Rolled Gold Plate		10-Year	1904BA	Nov 13, 1900
Boss Extra	Gold-Filled	14K	25-Year	1890SFM, 1890AP, 1890OY, 1890CHK, 1891SAC
Boss Extra Permanent	Gold-Filled	14K	Permanent	1903BAC
Boss Patent	Gold-Filled	14K	20-Year	1884LSS, 1885OY, 1888BA
Boss Scale 10K/15YR	Gold-Filled	10K	15-Year	1890SFM, 1890AP, 1890OY, 1890CHK, 1891RR, 1891SAC, 1892WES, 1892BAC, 1893SAC, 1893BHIA, 1893BFNA, 1894NRC, 1894BA, 1894BATM, 1895SFM, 1895OY, 1896OY, 1896MF, 1897BB
Boss Scale 10K/20YR	Gold-Filled	10K	20-Year	1890OY, 1892ACR, 1899BHIA, 1899ACB, 1900NHW, 1900BA, 1900BHIA, 1901BAC, 1902BB, 1902BATM, 1903BAC, 1903N76, 1903ACB, 1903FDW, 1904ACB, 1904BA, 1904LB, 1905FNCS, 1905BAC, 1906ON, 1907NAC, 1907NBC, 1910ACB, 1911OY, 1912HA, 1913FDW, 1915ON, 1925ASJ
Boss Scale Crown 14K/20YR	Gold-Filled	14K	20-Year	1890SFM, 1890AP, 1890OY, 1890CHK, 1891RR, 1891SAC, 1892WES, 1892ACR, 1892BAC, 1893SAC, 1893BHIA, 1893BFNA, 1894NRC, 1894BA, 1895SFM, 1895OY, 1896OY, 1896MF, 1897BB	Aug 8, 1911
Boss Scale Crown 14K/25YR	Gold-Filled	14K	25-Year	1899BHIA, 1899ACB, 1900NHW, 1900BA, 1900BHIA, 1901BAC, 1902BB, 1902BATM, 1903BAC, 1903N76, 1903ACB, 1903FDW, 1904BA, 1904LB, 1905FNCS, 1905BAC, 1906ON, 1907NAC, 1907ACB, 1907NBC, 1910ACB, 1911OY, 1911NG, 1912NG, 1912HA, 1913FDW, 1915ACB, 1915ON, 1916LCM, 1917BA, 1923CBN, 1923ON,	Aug 8, 1911
Cyclone	Rolled Gold Plate		10-Year	1899BHIA, 1900NHW, 1900BHIA, 1901BAC, 1902BB, 1902BATM, 1903BAC, 1905FNCS	Nov 13, 1900
Cyclone	Rolled Gold Plate		5-Years	1890AP, 1891RR, 1891SAC, 1892WES, 1892BAC, 1893BHIA, 1893BFNA, 1894BA, 1894BATM, 1895SFM, 1895OY, 1896OY, 1897BB	Nov 13, 1900
Cyclone	Gold-Filled	10K	10-Year	1899ACB, 1903ACB, 1903FDW, 1904ACB	Nov 13, 1900
Excelsior 10YR	Gold-Filled		10-Year	1910ACB, 1911OY, 1915ACB
Excelsior 20YR	Gold-Filled		20-Year	1910ACB, 1911OY, 1915ACB, 1915ON
Excelsior Silverode	Nickel Alloy
Indian	Rolled Gold Plate				Apr 25, 1911
Keystone 10K Yellow GF	Gold-Filled	10K		1942WAG
Keystone 14K White GF	Gold-Filled	14K		1942WAG
Keystone Base Metal	Nickel Alloy			1942WAG
Keystone Chromium	Chromium			1942WAG
Keystone Coin Silver	Coin Silver			1882SFM, 1883GHR, 1885OY, 1891RR, 1891SAC, 1893BHIA
Keystone Extra	Gold-Filled	14K	Permanent	1902BB, 1904ACB, 1904BA, 1904LB, 1905FNCS, 1905BAC, 1923CBN	Feb 28, 1911
Keystone Filled	Gold-Filled	14K	20-Year		Feb 28, 1911
Keystone Rolled Gold Plate	Rolled Gold Plate	10K		1942WAG
Keystone Silver	Silver			1899BHIA, 1899ACB
Keystone Stainless Steel	Stainless Steel			1942WAG
Keystone Star	Gold-Filled		10-Year	1888BA
Keystone Star	Gold-Filled	10K	15-Year
Keystone Sterling	Silver			1900BHIA, 1902BB, 1903BAC, 1903ACB, 1903FDW, 1904ACB, 1904BA, 1904LB, 1905BAC, 1906ON, 1942WAG
Keystone Yellow Base Metal	Base Metal			1942WAG
Leader	Coin Silver			1890AP, 1890OY, 1890CHK, 1891RR, 1892WES, 1893SAC, 1893BHIA, 1893BFNA, 1894BATM, 1895OY, 1896OY, 1896MF, 1897BB, 1902BATM
Lion	Gold-Filled	10K	20-Year	1899BHIA, 1899ACB, 1900BA, 1900BHIA, 1901BAC
Lion	Gold-Filled	10K	15-Year	1890OY, 1893BHIA, 1894BA, 1896OY
Nickeloid	Nickel Alloy			1925ASJ, 1928ON, 1932ON
Niello Sterling	Silver			1900NHW, 1900BHIA, 1902BB, 1903BAC, 1903FDW, 1904LB, 1905BAC
Olympic	Rolled Gold Plate	10K	10-Year	1900BA, 1900BHIA
Perfection	Electro-Plated		None	1900BHIA, 1903N76, 1903ACB, 1903FDW, 1904ACB, 1906ON, 1907ACB
Senator	Rolled Gold Plate			1895OY
Silveroid	Nickel Alloy			1890SFM, 1890AP, 1890OY, 1890CHK, 1892BAC, 1893BHIA, 1893BFNA, 1894BA, 1894BATM, 1896MF, 1899BHIA, 1899ACB, 1900NHW, 1900BHIA, 1903BAC, 1903ACB, 1903FDW, 1904BA, 1904LB, 1905FNCS, 1906ON, 1907NAC, 1907ACB, 1907NBC, 1910ACB, 1911OY, 1912HA, 1913FDW, 1915ON, 1916LCM, 1917BA, 1923ON
Union	Rolled Gold Plate	10K	15-Year	1890AP
Victory	Rolled Gold Plate	10K		1925CPS, 1932ON