speidel

Friedrich Speidel founded the Speidel Company in 1867.{{Cite web|title=Remembering The Speidel Twist-O-Flex Watch Bracelet|url=https://www.ablogtowatch.com/speidel-interview-watch-reviews/|date=2013-10-26|website=aBlogtoWatch|language=en-US|access-date=2020-05-01}} With an initial investment equivalent to US$10, Speidel started making gold and silver chains with his wife, in the basement of his home in Pforzheim, Germany. He has been credited with developing the gold-over-metal method of manufacturing called "bi-metal" (also incorrectly known as gold "plating") which proved successful.{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=kj8eAQAAMAAJ&q=Speidel+bi-metal|title=NAWCC Bulletin|date=1997|publisher=National Association of Watch and Clock Collectors, Inc.|language=en}} In 1896 he built the company's first factory, installing state-of-the-art machines for the production of gold chain, previously manufactured entirely by hand.{{Cite web|title=SPEIDEL Diamond Plate Cufflinks Vintage Engravable Signet Industrial M|url=https://www.goantiques.com/speidel-diamond-plate-cufflinks-vintage-engravable-signet-industrial-men-s-shirt-accessory-48530650|website=www.goantiques.com|access-date=2020-05-01}}

Friedrich Speidel sent his three sons, Albert, Edwin and Eugene to America to establish a branch of the family's jewelry chain manufacturing business.{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=uQUoAQAAMAAJ&q=Albert+Speidel|title=Rhode Island Jewish Historical Notes|date=1971|publisher=Rhode Island Jewish Historical Association.|language=en}} The Speidel Chain Company was officially founded in the United States in 1904.{{Cite web|title=Speidel Twist-O-Flex Apple Watch band review – The Gadgeteer|date=March 2, 2020 |url=https://the-gadgeteer.com/2020/03/02/speidel-twist-o-flex-apple-watch-band-review/|language=en-US|access-date=2020-05-01}}{{Cite web|title=Speidel Royal English Leather Apple Watch Band review|url=https://www.cultofmac.com/687491/speidel-royal-english-leather-apple-watch-band-review/|date=2020-02-27|website=Cult of Mac|language=en-US|access-date=2020-05-01}}

By 1912 the Speidel brothers hired the architectural firm Monks & Johnson to design the company's first headquarters. The five-story building, with its European-style front, was originally called the Doran-Speidel Building.{{Cite book|last1=Kulik|first1=Gary|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=MXx1QiuZnHIC&q=Speidel+factory+1896&pg=PA192|title=Rhode Island: An Inventory of Historic Engineering and Industrial Sites|last2=Bonham|first2=Julia C.|date=1978|publisher=U.S. Department of the Interior, Heritage Conservation and Recreation Service, Office of Archeology and Historic Preservation, Historic American Engineering Record|language=en}}

In 1937, Albert Speidel died young from pneumonia. His brother Edwin, founder of the Automatic Chain Company, became president of Speidel Corporation. Paul Levinger was made vice-president.{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=jDwoAQAAIAAJ&q=Paul+Levinger|title=The New York Times Biographical Service|date=1981|publisher=New York Times & Arno Press|language=en}} At that time, the majority control of the business was held by the German family. However, in 1939, all of the shares held by the German stockholders were purchased by Edwin Speidel and Paul Levinger.

At first, only jewelry chain was made in the new facilities. During the 1920s, costume jewelry and watchbands were added to the line.{{Cite book|last1=Creamer|first1=Donald E.|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=b6Fv2nK7HLwC&q=Speidel+costume+jewelry&pg=PA213|title=But Wait! There's More! (Maybe)|last2=Baar|first2=James|date=2008|publisher=Omegacom, Inc.|isbn=978-1-4363-3092-3|language=en}}{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=mUOcCTDGAEgC&q=Speidel+costume+jewelry&pg=PA714|title=Index of Trade-marks Issued from the United States Patent Office|date=1952|publisher=The Office|language=en}} Men's watchbands surged in popularity due to their use in the military during World War I.{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=2019-09-24|title=How World War I Changed Watches Forever|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-09-24/how-world-war-i-changed-watches-forever|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=2020-05-01|website=Bloomberg.com}} In the early 1920s, Albert Speidel formed Speidel Brothers, and produced watch bracelets manufactured and sold primarily to wholesalers.{{cite web |url=http://www.speidel.com/default.cfm?PID=1.3.1 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030831114721/http://www.speidel.com/default.cfm?PID=1.3.1 |archive-date=2003-08-31 |title=Speidel}}

Both the Speidel family in Germany and the brothers who lived in the United States merged into the Speidel Corporation in 1928.{{Cite book|last=Office|first=United States Patent|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=hQ_rw88uS0cC&q=Speidel+Corporation&pg=PA683|title=Index of Trademarks Issued from the United States Patent Office|date=1948|publisher=The Office|language=en}}{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=dPUbAQAAMAAJ&q=Albert+Speidel|title=The Jewelers' Circular|date=1929|publisher=Jewelers' Circular Company|language=en}} The first president of Speidel Corporation was Albert Speidel,{{Cite book|last1=Sickinger|first1=Raymond L.|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=wMLWAAAAMAAJ&q=Albert+Speidel|title=The Germans in Rhode Island: Pride and Perseverance, 1850-1985|last2=Primeau|first2=John K.|date=1985|publisher=Published jointly by the Rhode Island Heritage Commission and the Rhode Island Publications Society|isbn=978-0-917012-77-8|language=en}} one of the Speidel brothers living in Providence, Rhode Island.{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=2sgLAAAAYAAJ&q=Albert+Speidel&pg=PA531|title=Report|date=1922|publisher=U.S. Government Printing Office|language=en}}{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=b9RGAQAAIAAJ&q=Albert+Speidel&pg=PA531|title=United States Congressional Serial Set|date=1922|publisher=U.S. Government Printing Office|language=en}}{{Cite book|last=Custodian|first=United States Alien Property|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=k46OSQqOmdMC&q=Albert+Speidel&pg=PA531|title=Annual Report of the Alien Property Custodian|date=1922|publisher=U.S. Government Printing Office|language=en}} In 1934 Paul Levinger was hired by Speidel Corporation as a plant foreman.{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=5U3lAAAAMAAJ&q=Paul+Levinger|title=Jewelers' Circular/keystone|date=1971|publisher=Chilton Company|language=en}}{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=3tUTAQAAMAAJ&q=Paul+Levinger|title=Investor's Reader|date=1965|publisher=Merrill Lynch Pierce Fenner & Beane.|language=en}}

Watchband production was cut back during World War II when Speidel converted most of its facilities and started manufacturing cathode ray tubes for radar and other electronic applications.{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=tRInAAAAMAAJ&q=Speidel+cathode+ray+tubes|title=Instruments & Control Systems|date=1944|publisher=Chilton Company|language=en}} However Speidel returned to watchbands as soon as peace returned. In 1947 Speidel brought out its first modernized version of the scissor-type expansion band called the Golden Knight.{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=MkYEAAAAMBAJ&q=Speidel+Golden+Knight&pg=PA18|title=LIFE|date=1948-06-07|publisher=Time Inc|language=en}} It proved to be a tremendous success in the men's watch bracelet field. The company also introduced elaborate packaging for its line of watch bracelets.{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=r5ATAQAAMAAJ&q=Speidel+Golden+Knight|title=Chilton's Jewelers' Circular/keystone 1970 Jewelers' Directory Issue|date=March 1973|publisher=Chilton Co.|language=en}}{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=UesUAQAAMAAJ&q=Speidel+Golden+Knight|title=Brands and Their Companies|date=2007-05-01|publisher=Gale Research|isbn=978-0-7876-2287-9|language=en}}

The company instituted a planned reduction of costume jewelry, leading to its discontinuation from the Speidel product line in the early 1950s.{{Cite book|last1=Creamer|first1=Donald E.|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=b6Fv2nK7HLwC&q=Speidel+costume+jewelry+in+the+early+1950s&pg=PA213|title=But Wait! There's More! (Maybe)|last2=Baar|first2=James|date=2008|publisher=Omegacom, Inc.|isbn=978-1-4363-3092-3|language=en}} After the end of World War II, Speidel began to advertise nationally, first in magazines and then in radio with a program called “Stop the Music.” The successful campaign made Speidel well known in the US. Speidel discontinued its radio ads in 1949, opting to spend its ad dollars on TV campaigns.{{Cite book|last=Baughman|first=James L.|url=https://archive.org/details/sametimesamestat00baug_0|url-access=registration|page=[https://archive.org/details/sametimesamestat00baug_0/page/n234 203]|title=Same Time, Same Station: Creating American Television, 1948–1961|date=2007-03-26|publisher=JHU Press|isbn=978-0-8018-7933-3|language=en}} The company fully sponsored different TV programs, making Speidel one of the earliest television advertisers in the United States.{{Cite book|last=Monopoly|first=United States Congress Senate Committee on the Judiciary Subcommittee on Antitrust and|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=tHJFAQAAMAAJ&q=Speidel+television+advertisement&pg=PA901|title=Possible Anticompetitive Effects of Sale of Network TV Advertising: Hearings Before the United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary, Subcommittee on Antitrust and Monopoly, Eighty-Ninth Congress, Second Session|date=1966|publisher=U.S. Government Printing Office|language=en}}{{Cite book|last=Sponsor|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=oepEAQAAIAAJ&q=Speidel+television+advertisement|title=TV Results|date=1954|publisher=Sponsor Services, Incorporated|language=en}}{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=DY3mAAAAMAAJ&q=Speidel+television+advertisement|title=The Jewelers' Circular-keystone|date=1957|publisher=Jewelers'Publishing Corporation|language=en}}

As the Korean War got underway in 1951, Speidel began manufacturing identification bracelets.{{Cite book|last=Office|first=United States Patent|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=0mOj6URY_KMC&q=Speidel+identification+bracelet&pg=PA414-IA37|title=Official Gazette of the United States Patent Office|date=1962|publisher=The Office|language=en}}{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=hA0rAQAAMAAJ&q=Speidel+identification+bracelet|title=Broadcasting|date=1974|publisher=Broadcasting Publications.|language=en}} The first product in this category was the Photo Ident,{{Cite book|last=Shasho|first=Ray|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=zg7AiVMBbFUC&q=Speidel+identification+bracelet&pg=PA117|title=Check the Gs: The True Story of an Eclectic American Family and Their Wacky Family Business|date=2011-03-21|publisher=iUniverse|isbn=978-1-4502-9859-9|language=en}}{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=J9kNAQAAMAAJ&q=Speidel+identification+bracelet|title=Adweek's Marketing Week|date=1992|publisher=A/S/M Communications|language=en}} a combination identification bracelet with photo and an expandable wristband. Speidel advertised it on television, and it proved an immediate success.{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=DY3mAAAAMAAJ&q=Speidel+identification+bracelet|title=The Jewelers' Circular-keystone|date=1957|publisher=Jewelers'Publishing Corporation|language=en}}{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=IKQTAQAAMAAJ&q=Speidel+identification+bracelet|title=Jewelers' Circular/keystone '77 Directory|date=April 1981|publisher=Chilton Co.|language=en}}

In 1956, Speidel introduced men's jewelry.{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=kj8eAQAAMAAJ&q=Speidel+identification+bracelet|title=NAWCC Bulletin|date=1997|publisher=National Association of Watch and Clock Collectors, Inc.|language=en}} The move was designed to diversify its inventory, and fend off increasingly heavy competition from Japan. Speidel also changed its method to sole distributors, in strategic geographic locations, and built a sales force to cover the United States.{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=usoTAQAAMAAJ&q=Speidel+sole+distributors|title=Jewelers' Circular/keystone '77 Directory|date=1983|publisher=Chilton Co.|language=en}}

In 1946, E.F.M. Speidel was awarded U.S. patent 145467, entitled "Design For An Expansible Link Chain For Watch Bracelet Or The Like".{{cite web |title=Design For An Expansible Link Chain For Watch Bracelet Or The Like |url=https://patentimages.storage.googleapis.com/00/15/86/2764607e75eb59/USD145467.pdf |website=patentimages.storage.googleapis.com |publisher=United States Patent and Trademark Office |access-date=7 July 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221225191826/https://patentimages.storage.googleapis.com/00/15/86/2764607e75eb59/USD145467.pdf |archive-date=Dec 25, 2022 |language=en |date=Aug 20, 1946 |url-status=live}} In the 1950s, Speidel invested heavily in the development of automatic equipment to produce a bracelet similar to the German Fixo-Flex watchband.{{Cite book|last=Rieth|first=John K.|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Ne85DwAAQBAJ&q=Speidel+Twist-O-Flex&pg=PT339|title=Imperial Germany's Iron Regiment of the First World War: War Memories of Service with Infantry Regiment 169 1914 - 1918 Second Edition|date=2017-10-14|publisher=Badgley Publishing Company|isbn=978-0-9988045-0-7|language=en}} A German manufacturer had sent the first version of the Fixo-Flex to Paul Levinger who had worked out a license contract with the inventor who held the German patent, Karl E. Stiegle {{Citation needed|date=August 2022}}. In 1956, the first automatically produced bracelet under Stiegel's patent was introduced as a test under the Kingsway brand. By 1959, the company officially introduced the new watchband as the “Twist-O-Flex”.{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=LVIEAAAAMBAJ&q=Speidel+Twist-O-Flex&pg=PA15|title=LIFE|date=1972-03-31|publisher=Time Inc|language=en}}{{Cite book|last=Warshaw|first=James F. Engel, Hugh G. Wales, Martin R.|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Mh5-e3qM_igC&q=Speidel+Twist-O-Flex|title=Promotional Strategy|date=1967|language=en}}

Speidel introduced the Euro-Flex in 1988, an updated version of the Twist-O-Flex watchband.{{cite web |url=http://www.speidel.com/default.cfm?PID=1.10 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030203111807/http://www.speidel.com/default.cfm?PID=1.10 |archive-date=2003-02-03|title=Speidel }} The new watchband used heavier materials and contemporary European styling.{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=-e0UAQAAMAAJ&q=Speidel+Twist-O-Flex|title=Brands and Their Companies|date=2007-05-01|publisher=Gale Research|isbn=978-0-7876-2288-6|language=en}} Speidel continued to expand its line of products with the introduction of the “Signet” watch line in 1994;{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Q2BWAAAAMAAJ&q=Speidel+Signet|title=European jeweler|date=1989|publisher=Rühle-Diebener-Verlag.|language=de}} a patented plastic top shell watchband in 1995; and the first watchband with rubberized coating in 1996.{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=-e0UAQAAMAAJ&q=Speidel+Signet|title=Brands and Their Companies|date=2007-05-01|publisher=Gale Research|isbn=978-0-7876-2288-6|language=en}}

By 1964 the company, now owned by Paul Levinger, had grown significantly both in size and importance to the jewelry industry.{{Cite book|last=Board|first=United States National Labor Relations|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=RQVaAAAAYAAJ&q=Paul+Levinger&pg=PA743|title=Decisions and Orders of the National Labor Relations Board|date=1958|publisher=The Board|language=en}} Levinger sold the company to Textron, Inc. in May 1964.{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=e3DzSxs62h8C&q=speidel+Textron,+Inc.&pg=PA22215|title=Federal Register|date=1979-04-10|publisher=Office of the Federal Register, National Archives and Records Service, General Services Administration|language=en}}{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=XSUhAQAAIAAJ&q=speidel+Textron,+Inc.&pg=PA2436|title=Catalog of Copyright Entries. Third Series: 1966: July-December|date=1969|publisher=Copyright Office, Library of Congress|language=en}}{{Cite news|date=1964-05-07|title=SPEIDEL IS SOLD TO TEXTRON, INC.; Price for Watch Band Unit Estimated at $15 Million|language=en-US|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1964/05/07/archives/speidel-is-sold-to-textron-inc-price-for-watch-band-unit-estimated.html|access-date=2020-05-01|issn=0362-4331}}{{Cite web|title=Textron, Inc. v. Spi-Dell Watch Jewelry Co., 283 F. Supp. 920 {{!}} Casetext Search + Citator|url=https://casetext.com/case/textron-inc-v-spi-dell-watch-jewelry-co-2|website=casetext.com|access-date=2020-05-01}} By 1966 Speidel had expanded its distribution capacity and entered the men's toiletries market, with the introduction of the men's fragrance British Sterling.{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=SzchAQAAIAAJ&q=speidel+British+Sterling&pg=RA2-PA121|title=Catalog of Copyright Entries: Third series|date=1965|language=en}} The company aggressively marketed the product with such enduring phrases as, “Make him a legend in his own time,” which helped to create a market success without parallel. Speidel became one of Textron's top local divisions

in sales volume and performance.{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=7EJj7NQsAmYC&q=speidel+British+Sterling&pg=PA109|title=Ebony|date=December 1977|publisher=Johnson Publishing Company|language=en}}{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Rk0qAQAAMAAJ&q=speidel+British+Sterling|title=Product Marketing and Cosmetic & Fragrance Retailing|date=1981|publisher=Charleson Publishing Company|language=en}}

The company began to expand its marketing reach internationally in the 1970s, beginning with Canada in 1971. The company furthered its sales market by branching out to Australia and New Zealand in 1972. Great Britain and Ireland in 1973; and Germany, Switzerland, Norway, Sweden, Denmark and Finland in 1974.

In the midst of their international sales expansion, Speidel started OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturing) Business Supplies in 1972.{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=4sETAQAAMAAJ&q=speidel+OEM|title=Jewelers' Circular/keystone '77 Directory|date=January 1985|publisher=Chilton Co.|language=en}} OEM manufactured outsourced metal watchbands for watch companies such as Seiko, which at the time had just introduced the “quartz” watch, the first totally machine-assembled timepiece, which dramatically reduced watch prices. That same year, Speidel began its watchband replacement program for mass merchandisers, making it much easier for consumers to find the appropriately sized watchband replacement at their local store.{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=vcMDAQAAIAAJ&q=speidel+OEM|title=Control Engineering|date=1989|publisher=Technical Publishing Company|language=en}}

In 1997, Textron sold Speidel to the Austrian-based Hirsch Armbänder AG, a leading manufacturer of leather watchbands in Europe.{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=j5wYAAAAIAAJ&q=speidel+BOUGHT+BY+Hirsch|title=Hoover's Handbook of American Business|date=1998|publisher=Reference Press, Incorporated|isbn=978-1-57311-045-7|language=en}} The new company was Hirsch Speidel Inc.{{Cite news|date=1999-06-25|title=Company Briefs|language=en-US|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1999/06/25/business/company-briefs-332232.html|access-date=2020-05-01|issn=0362-4331}} Two years later, as part of a global manufacturing consolidation strategy, Hirsh closed Speidel's original Ship Street property and relocated its headquarters to East Providence.{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=SP5aAAAAYAAJ&q=Hirsch+East+Providence|title=Companies and Their Brands|date=2005|publisher=Gale Research|isbn=9780787689582|language=en}} In coordination with the move, Speidel closed down its manufacturing operations and outsourced its workload. A portion of the production continued in Rhode Island with local manufacturing companies, and the balance moved overseas.

In 2002, the company's ownership once again returned to the United States, when JRM Holdings bought Speidel from Hirsch Armbänder.{{Cite web|title=Speidel Acquired in Management Buyout|url=https://www.jckonline.com/magazine-article/speidel-acquired-in-management-buyout/|website=JCK|date=May 2003 |language=en-US|access-date=2020-05-01}} Five years later Fred Levinger (Son of Paul Levinger) acquired Speidel.{{Cite web|title=Providence businessman Levinger buys Speidel|url=http://sip-trunking.tmcnet.com/news/2007/02/13/2334945.htm|website=sip-trunking.tmcnet.com|access-date=2020-05-01}} In 2009, Cerce Capital LLC purchased Speidel's assets for US$1.65 million. The purchase was part of a bankruptcy settlement.[http://www.idexonline.com/FullArticle?id=32798 "Speidel Assets Sold for $1.65 Million," Michelle Graf, Idexonline.com, from National Jeweler Network], accessed 2 Feb 2018 Speidel has now been revived as a brand, and sells old and new watch strap lines.{{Cite web|title=Iconic Twist-O-Flex Band Now Available for the Fitbit|url=https://www.prweb.com/releases/iconic_twist_o_flex_band_now_available_for_the_fitbit/prweb15960355.htm|website=PRWeb|access-date=2020-05-01}}

In 1937 Albert Speidel died at an early age from pneumonia. His brother Edwin, the founder of the Automatic Chain Company —who had not been active in the Speidel Corporation up to that time— became president of Speidel Corporation, and Paul Levinger was made vice-president.{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=jDwoAQAAIAAJ&q=Paul+Levinger|title=The New York Times Biographical Service|date=1981|publisher=New York Times & Arno Press|language=en}} The majority ownership of the business was held by the German family, but in 1939, all of the shares held by the German stockholders were purchased by Edwin Speidel and Paul Levinger.

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• [http://www.speidel.com Speidel] - official site

Category:Manufacturing companies based in Rhode Island

Category:Companies established in 1867