NPS colorized version of the famous first flight photo taken on December 17, 1903.

December 12 1903

First powered, controlled, heavier-than-air flight takes place at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina.

Duration

The first flight lasted 12 seconds and covered 120 feet.

History

Four flights took place that day.
The last flight lasted 59 seconds and covered 852 feet.

On December 17th, 1903
twelve seconds changed the world.

At Kitty Hawk, a fragile aircraft lifted off the ground for the first time — carrying with it not just a pilot, but the beginning of an entirely new era of ambition, precision, and daring. Twelve seconds. One hundred twenty feet. The rest is history.

Founded by a pilot in Texas, 1903 Watch Co. was built on that same spirit. Every watch we make carries the discipline of early aviation — where a single miscalculation meant the difference between flight and failure, and where craftsmanship wasn't a luxury, it was survival. We design automatic watches with that same attention to detail: built to be precise, purposeful, and worn every day, not just admired from a case.

This isn't just a watch. It's a small piece of that pioneering spirit — for those who still chase their own horizon.

The One Hundred Watch Standard

At 1903 we believe precision comes from restraint.
We would rather build one hundred watches that are exactly right, than ten thousand that are merely acceptable.

Designed

In Texas

Picture of downtown Dallas at dusk.

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HANGAR MEMBERSHIP

Every watch adds you to the 1903 Hangar.

How did we get here?

Read Our Logbook
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