The Cornell Lozier Is American-Made with Two Exceptions
The revived Chicago watchmaker Cornell Watch Company has an impressive luxury watch that is almost completely made in the United States, but right now, you’ll have to wait to get your hands on one.
The original Cornell Watch Company was founded by real estate developer Paul Cornell and John C. Adams, the latter of whom would later found the Elgin Watch Company in 1870. What would follow would be a series of unfortunate events. Shortly after the company built a large factory employing 200 people in Hyde Park and successfully manufactured high-quality, 7- to 19-jewel pocket watches, the devastating Great Chicago Fire of 1871 happened. A couple of years later was the financial panic of 1873. To survive, the company moved to San Francisco, CA, and two years later, it moved to Berkeley. Shortly afterward, the company went belly up for good.
But the brand was revived in 2023 by Chicagoans, John and Chrissy Warren, collectors of vintage Cornell pocket watches. Their passion for the Cornell Watch Company led them to revive the brand and take their place in the resurgence of American watchmaking.
Their first permanent-collection watch is the Lozier, a classic three-hand dress watch which is styled after a Patek ref. 96. The watch is 37.4mm across and only 8.5mm thick, including the sapphire crystal, wich a 22mm lug width and 50m of water resistance.
The dial steals the show. It’s a three-tier German silver dial with a grained finish and diamond-cut edges. The numerals, a Cornell original, are inspired by the city’s Art Deco architecture. The Cornell Leaf hands are also created in German silver and finished by hand with brushed tops and diamond-cut edges. A subtle nod to brand heritage; the central seconds hand evokes Cornell’s fleur-de-lis in the counterweight.
American components with a Swiss Movement
The Lozier is all-American except for the Swiss movement, Sellita Caliber SW300-1 b automatic, running at 28,800vph with a 56-hour power reserve, and Japanese Sapphire crystal. The case, dial, and crown are made in the United States on Kern 5-Axis CNC machines. The same that high-end Swiss watch makers use, at Hour Precision in Columbus, Ohio. The strap is a dark taupe nubuck with a Cornell-signed steel buckle made by Veblenist in Chicago, and final controls, regulation, and assembly are completed by Justin Harrell and Sergio Berrios at The Watchmaker’s Shop in Asheville, NC.
The Lozier is a beautiful watch, but the price of $6,200 for a three-hand Sellita-powered watch might sound a little steep. However, you’re going to have a tough time finding a comparable watch of this caliber made domestically. As a fellow Illinoisan, myself just south of Chicago, I am excited that the Warrens revived a Chicago watch brand. So I may not be completely objective here, but I believe that this watch is worth every penny. It’s stellar watchmaking, and you can’t fault them for using a trusted Swiss movement or a Japanese Sapphire crystal.
The Lozier can be ordered on the Cornell Watch Company website; it’s currently sold out. This is a testament to the demand for a quality American watch. I’m hoping that Cornell expands their watch line in the future. But for now, if you want to find out about 2026 Lozier releases, you can inquire through their contact form on their website..
