The construction of the American Railroad linked industry in the East with property development in the West. Time keeping became ever more important as faster trains were developed to carry increasingly heavier loads. Safety and dependability were the two characteristics prized in modern timepieces of this era.
American Waltham designed the pocket watch that became an American standard. Waltham timepieces were soon followed by other American watch factories, which created watches that were widely available to an array of consumers, whether affiliated with the railroad, or not.
Coin silver rapidly replaced gold in the manufacture of watch cases, but although more affordable, the silver alloy still could not hold up under the rigorous conditions of daily use. A new alloy, commonly called silverine, silverore, silverode, or silveroid, was developed just for the purpose. Easily polished and durable, the new alloy greatly resembled coin silver and consisted of 54% copper, 45% nickel and 1% manganese.
