BALL Watch Company SA is an American watch company based in the Swiss city of La Chaux-de-Fonds. The event that inspired its creator, Webb C. Ball, to create the brand was a railroad accident in 1891 in Kipton, Ohio. At a time when railroads as a means of transportation were only in their infancy, trains used the same lines in opposite directions and had to cross each other at designated crossings. On April 19, one conductor's watch stopped for four minutes, leading to an unpleasant collision. To increase the safety of travelers and railroad employees, Webb C. Ball was appointed as the inspector responsible for the precise, uniform gait of all watches used by conductors. The result of these incidents is Ball's reliable watches, which meet the highest standards.