Towson Watch Company was founded at the beginning of the new millennium by Hartwig Balke & George Thomas. Two freshly retired foreign engineers who moved to America to sail the coast and further pursue their passion for horology and craftsmanship.

This is the story of Towson Watch Company’s STS-99 Chronometer. A watch that put American watchmaking back on the map, stamping itself in history as one of the first automatic watches worn in outer-space.

Today, Towson Watch Company stands as a rare example of old-school craftsmanship thriving in America. Every Towson watch is made the traditional way: slowly, thoughtfully, and without shortcuts, for collectors who know the difference.

In 2025, the term microbrand is everywhere. It suggests small scale, direct access to the maker—and all too often, outsourced production and catalog parts. Long before the label existed, Towson Watch Company quietly defined what the term could mean: designing, engineering, and building meaningful watch collections on American soil.