Brief History: Keystone Standard Watch Co.
Lancaster, Pennsylvania
1886 - 1891
The Keystone Standard Watch Company was started by Abram Bitner with the purchase of the factory and production of the Lancaster Watch Company in 1886. Almost 9000 Lancaster watch movements had been completed but not sold when Bitner assumed control of the company, and these were sold by Keystone Standard under the Lancaster name. Keystone continued to produce a relatively small number or watches, about 48,000 in total, until their sale to the Hamilton Watch Company in 1891.
Keystone Standard is NOT Keystone Howard
The Keystone Standard Watch Company should not be confused with the Keystone Watch Case Company, which purchased the rights to the "E. Howard" name in 1902 and subsequently sold watches under that name (known as Keystone Howard watches). For more information on Keystone-Howard watches, see the Howard Company History page of this web site.