Charles S. Crossman, 1888:

The Washington Watch Co.

"As really a project of Mr. [J.R. Hopkins], who was probably better known in the trade as the inventor of the famous Auburndale Rotary Watch. But as he did not become actively connected with that company and was anxious to engage in a manufacturing enterprise, he interested with him Messrs. A.C. Richards, R.D.O. Smith and George S. Prindle, all of Washington, under the name of the Washington Watch Company, expecting later to incorporate under that title. Mr. A.C. Richards furnished the greater part of the capital.

A room was rented and a small amount of machinery was built for them by Mr. John Stark of Waltham, and Mr. Richard with a few men commenced in a small way and finally succeeded in making some forty or fifty watch movements. They were key wind three-quarter plate with a duplex escapement.

This is about the extent of actual achievement, but what they intended to do would no doubt fill a much larger volume. The money invested was all absorbed and the project subsequently entirely abandoned. Previous to this scheme of Mr. Hopkins' he had made about a half down fine movements by hand which are mostly carried in Washington."

No surviving examples of the Washington Watch Company watches are known. Note: Movements marked "Washington Watch Co." are attributed to the Illinois Watch Company and sold by Montgomery Ward & Co.

Jason R. Hopkins was the designer of the Auberdale Rotary Watch, introduced shortly after the Washington Watch Company failed to get off the ground.