The Abingdon Co.

The Abingdon Co. is an independent watchmaker established in the United States in 2007 by Chelsea Abingdon Welch, who founded the company after earning a pilot licence and noticing that women working in aviation had relatively few watches designed around their needs. The company positions itself at the intersection of technical utility, professional activity, and feminine-focused design rather than treating women’s watches as smaller or purely decorative versions of men’s models. Welch founded the business on November 3, 2007, at the age of 22. She spent roughly eleven months developing the initial models, Jackie and Amelia. Early manufacturing was conducted in Hong Kong. These first watches established the company’s aviation orientation and were intended to provide practical functions for pilots and other users who needed readable, capable equipment. Depending on the model, Abingdon watches have incorporated features such as multiple time zones, date displays, chronographs, world-time functions, Zulu time, E6B flight calculators, compasses, and bezels designed to assist with aviation-related tasks such as memorizing ATIS codes. The company moved its office to Las Vegas in 2010. It subsequently expanded beyond aviation into diving, military, and racing watches, while retaining a focus on women in active, adventurous, and traditionally male-dominated professions. The brand works with female pilots, divers, and other professionals during product development, using their practical requirements to shape specifications and ergonomics. Its products may use Swiss, Japanese, or American-made movements, depending on the model. The Abingdon Co. reaches customers through its own online channel as well as aviation and pilot stores, aviation museums, Army and Air Force Exchange Service outlets, and selected women’s clothing and fashion retailers. This distribution mix reflects the company’s dual identity as both a specialist equipment brand and a lifestyle-oriented women’s brand. The company received wider public exposure when Welch presented the business on the television program Shark Tank in 2014. The pitch did not result in a deal. The company later obtained investment from other sources and continued expanding its watch range. Abingdon also became a sponsor and official timekeeper of the all-women Air Race Classic, linking the brand to women’s aviation and reinforcing its specialist credibility. Among its later releases is the Legends series, introduced in 2023 as a tribute to women aviators. The first release comprised 1,102 watches in collaboration with the National WASP World War II Museum. The quantity referenced the number of Women Airforce Service Pilots who served during World War II. In 2025, the company announced plans for a flagship store in downtown Las Vegas, extending its physical presence beyond its office and distribution partnerships. The Abingdon Co.’s central proposition is that women who fly, dive, race, serve, or work in other demanding environments should have access to watches designed specifically for their use rather than adapted from products developed primarily for men. Its identity therefore combines technical watchmaking, aviation heritage, women’s professional representation, and adventure-oriented styling.

The Abingdon Co. was founded on November 3, 2007, by Chelsea Abingdon Welch, who had recently obtained a pilot licence and was 22 years old at the time. Welch identified a gap in the watch market: women involved in aviation and other demanding professions had limited access to watches designed specifically for their requirements. Rather than simply reducing the size of existing men’s models, she sought to develop watches around women’s practical needs, wrist proportions, professional environments, and personal preferences. Welch spent approximately eleven months developing the company’s first models, Jackie and Amelia. The early production was carried out by manufacturing facilities in Hong Kong. These watches established the brand’s aviation identity and its interest in combining recognizable style with technical capabilities. Features associated with the company’s watches have included chronographs, multiple time zones, world-time displays, Zulu time, date functions, E6B flight calculators, compasses, and aviation-oriented bezel systems. In 2010, the company moved its office to Las Vegas. The relocation provided a base for the independent business while the brand continued to sell through specialist and lifestyle channels. Its distribution network has included the company’s website, aviation and pilot stores, aviation museums, Army and Air Force Exchange Service stores, and women’s clothing and fashion retailers. This blend of channels allows the brand to serve both professional aviation customers and consumers attracted to its broader adventure-oriented identity. The Abingdon Co. later broadened its product scope beyond aviation. It developed diving, military, and racing watches, continuing to aim its products at women who participate in active or technically demanding pursuits. The company has worked with female pilots, divers, and other professionals to understand field requirements and translate them into product specifications. Depending on the watch, movements have been sourced from Swiss, Japanese, and American manufacturers. Some diving models have included enhanced water resistance, wet-suit expander bands, and external diver bezels, while aviation models have offered functions relevant to flight planning and time-zone management. The company gained public attention through Welch’s 2014 appearance on Shark Tank. The pitch did not result in a deal. According to the company’s later account, it obtained investment from other sources and continued expanding its range. The failed television pitch did not end the business; instead, the brand continued developing watches for multiple activity categories and building relationships with specialist retailers and communities. A major element of The Abingdon Co.’s identity has been its connection to women’s aviation. The company sponsors and serves as official timekeeper for the all-women Air Race Classic, an annual cross-country aviation competition. This relationship links the brand to an active community of female pilots and reinforces its claim to design watches around actual aviation use rather than using aviation imagery only as a marketing theme. In 2023, the company introduced the Legends series, which pays tribute to women aviators. The first release was made in collaboration with the National WASP World War II Museum and consisted of 1,102 units. The number referred to the 1,102 women who served as Women Airforce Service Pilots during World War II. The series connected a contemporary commercial watch collection with the history of women’s participation in military aviation. In 2025, The Abingdon Co. announced a flagship store in downtown Las Vegas. The planned store represented a move toward a more visible physical retail presence and complemented the company’s existing online, specialist, museum, exchange-store, and fashion-retail distribution. The brand remains an independent watchmaker centered on women’s participation in aviation, diving, racing, military service, and other adventurous or technical fields.

• 2025

  Las Vegas flagship store announced

  [1]The Abingdon Co.en.wikipedia.org

  The Abingdon Co. announced a flagship store in downtown Las Vegas.

• 2023

  Legends series launches

  [1]The Abingdon Co.en.wikipedia.org

  The company released the first Legends series watches in collaboration with the National WASP World War II Museum.

• 2014

  Shark Tank appearance

  [1]The Abingdon Co.en.wikipedia.org

  Founder Chelsea Abingdon Welch pitched the company on Shark Tank but did not secure a deal.

• 2010

  Office relocates to Las Vegas

  [1]The Abingdon Co.en.wikipedia.org

  The company moved its office to Las Vegas, which became its principal operating base.

• 2008

  Initial watch development is completed

  [1]The Abingdon Co.en.wikipedia.org

  After approximately eleven months of development, the company prepared its initial Jackie and Amelia models for production.

• 2007

  The Abingdon Co. is founded

  [1]The Abingdon Co.en.wikipedia.org

  Chelsea Abingdon Welch founded the company on November 3, establishing an independent watch business focused on women in aviation and other demanding professions.

A specialist, women-focused watchmaker offering functional timepieces for aviation, diving, military, racing, and other active professional contexts. The brand emphasizes purpose-built features, collaboration with women practitioners, and representation in male-dominated fields.

• Aviation watch · 2008

  Amelia

  One of the company’s original watch models, Amelia was developed as an aviation-oriented watch for women. The model is associated with the brand’s early effort to provide practical flight-related functionality in a watch designed specifically for female pilots and aviation enthusiasts. Amelia is also associated with aviation functions such as Zulu time.

• Aviation chronograph · 2008

  Jackie

  Jackie was one of The Abingdon Co.’s two initial models. It helped establish the company’s aviation and professional-tool positioning, with the model identified as a chronograph. The watch exemplifies the brand’s approach of combining aviation associations with a women-focused design brief.

• Aviation and heritage watch collection · 2023

  Legends series

  Introduced in 2023, the Legends series honors women aviators and was created in collaboration with the National WASP World War II Museum. Its first release was limited to 1,102 units, a number referencing the Women Airforce Service Pilots who served during World War II. The collection combines commemorative storytelling with the brand’s aviation-focused watchmaking.

• Diving watch

  Diving watches

  The company expanded into diving watches for women who participate in underwater activities and other demanding outdoor pursuits. Relevant configurations may include increased water resistance, a wet-suit expander band, and an external diver’s bezel. Exact specifications differ by model.

• Military-style watch

  Military watches

  The military-oriented line extends The Abingdon Co.’s utility-driven approach to women seeking robust watches associated with service, field use, and active lifestyles. The company’s military watches form part of its broader expansion beyond aviation.

• Racing watch

  Racing watches

  The racing collection broadens the brand’s activity-based offering to motorsport and speed-oriented use. It is aimed at active women and follows the company’s practice of developing watches around specialized interests rather than maintaining a single aviation-only assortment.

• 2023Legends series and National WASP World War II Museum collaboration

  United States

  The company collaborated with the National WASP World War II Museum on the Legends series, honoring women aviators and commemorating the Women Airforce Service Pilots.

  Outcome. The first release comprised 1,102 units, linking the product quantity to the number of WASP pilots who served during World War II.

  Source
• Air Race Classic partnership

  United States

  The Abingdon Co. sponsors and serves as the official timekeeper of the all-women Air Race Classic, connecting the brand with female pilots and competitive cross-country aviation.

  Outcome. The partnership reinforces the company’s aviation credentials and women-centered brand identity.

  Source

• 2025

  Announce a downtown Las Vegas flagship storeStrategy

  Background

  After operating from Las Vegas since 2010 and selling through online and specialist retail channels, the company planned a more prominent physical retail presence.

  Action taken

  The company announced the launch of a flagship store in downtown Las Vegas.

  Aftermath

  The announcement indicated an effort to increase direct brand visibility and provide a dedicated retail location.

  Source

• 2023

  Launch the Legends seriesProduct launch

  Background

  The company sought to connect its aviation-focused watchmaking with the history of women’s military aviation.

  Action taken

  The Abingdon Co. launched the Legends series with the National WASP World War II Museum.

  Aftermath

  The first release used a 1,102-unit production run referencing the number of Women Airforce Service Pilots who served during World War II.

  Source

• 2014

  Seek investment through Shark TankStrategy

  Background

  The founder presented The Abingdon Co. to a national television audience while seeking investment to support the business.

  Action taken

  Chelsea Abingdon Welch pitched the company on Shark Tank.

  Aftermath

  The pitch did not result in a deal. The company later obtained investment from other sources and continued expanding its product lines.

  Source

• 2010

  Relocate the company office to Las VegasStrategy

  Background

  The independent watchmaker needed an operating base as it developed its specialist product and distribution business.

  Action taken

  The company moved its office to Las Vegas.

  Aftermath

  Las Vegas became the company’s principal operating location and was later selected for its planned flagship store.

  Source

1. 1The Abingdon Co.en.wikipedia.org