Location: Brooklyn, New York

Years of Operation: 1885-1929

Organized by Augustin X. Roy, Charles Chevalier, and Aimee Girard. [Crossman]

Specialty: Fine 14K and 18K Gold Cases

Identification: Marks by the Roy Watch Case Company are usually easy to identify. Cases are generally marked "ROY" in an arched enclosure. Some cases are additionally marked with an illustration of a hand, indicating the case was engraved by hand at the factory. Some early cases are marked with a R.O.Y. monogram. Similar names such as "Roy & Co." should not be attributed to the Roy Watch Case Company.

Collectibility: The Roy Watch Case Company was one of the largest manufacturers for solid gold cases in the United States. 18K gold cases are more uncommon than the 14K cases manufactured at the factory. The patented "Aegis" case is extremely rare and desirable by collectors.

The Roy Watch Case Manufacturing Company was organized June 18, 1885.

In 1888, the company introduced a decorated case with a series of diamond decorated ornaments or monograms. This novelty of this case was described in the July 1888 issue of The Jewelers' Circular and Horological Review.

The iconoic ROY "Hand" case mark was introduced in 1890 to sufficiently indicate that the case was engraved entirely by hand.

In the summer of 1890, Augustin Xavier Roy severed his association with the company bearing his name and organized a new company under the name Roy & Co.

In 1891, the company introduced photo miniatures, applied to the gold caps of watch cases for a small fee of $3.50-$4.50. Leon Favre was the man behind the process required to apply the photo miniatures, and he received a patent on November 12, 1889 for the process. Following awards given to Favre at the World's Fair, he decided to sever his partnership with the Roy Watch Case Company to offer the photo miniature service to the general market. By 1895, the "Roy Photo Miniatures" were advertised again, possibly indicating a new partnership with Favre or development of thier own process.

Business excelled in 1892, and the company decided to open a western sales office in Chicago. A short time later, the company's continued success prompted them to open a west coast sales office in San Fancisco.

In 1894, company presiden Aime Girard died.

In May 1899, the organization of the Camm-Roy Watch Case Company caused a legal dispute over the "Roy" name.

In July 1904, Charles Glatz sold his interest in the company to Albert L. Stearns and Harry Canfield.

In 1908, the company introduced the "Aegis Case," based on a patented design where the center and bezel are a single piece.