Waterbury Local Storytelling Series – The Waterbury Times

By D.M.Livingston|Published Sept 2025

Updated Nov 23, 2025 7:52

It has long been known as the Brass City, a place where industry thrived, innovation sparked, and factory whistles marked the rhythm of daily life. Among the many companies that once hummed with life during the city’s industrial heyday, one name still rings with a quiet tick of nostalgia: Lux Clock Manufacturing Company.

While the massive brass factories may be long gone, Lux Clock stands as one of the last echoes of Waterbury’s golden industrial era.

Humble Beginnings on Local Soil

The Lux Clock story begins in 1914, when Paul Lux, a German-American clockmaker, decided it was time to strike out on his own. After working for the famed Waterbury Clock Company, Paul—alongside his wife Caroline and sons Fred and Herman—founded the Lux Clock Manufacturing Company right here in Waterbury.

At first, the company specialized only in clock movements, the intricate mechanical heart of every timepiece. But over time, Lux Clock expanded, eventually producing entire clocks that would make their way into homes across the country.

Time Stops for War

Like many companies of its era, Lux’s ticking halted with the onset of World War II. In 1941, clock production paused as the company shifted to manufacturing war-related products, supporting the national effort as so many Waterbury factories did during that critical time.

Growth Beyond the Brass City

After the war, Lux resumed clock production and began expanding far beyond Connecticut. In 1954, a new plant opened in Lebanon, Tennessee. By 1959, the company went international with a facility in Ontario, Canada.

But a major change came in 1961, when the Robertshaw-Fulton Controls Company—a giant in the thermostat and controls industry—acquired Lux Clock. The company continued to produce clocks and timers under the Robertshaw Controls Company, Lux Time Division name, adapting to the growing demand for household timers and temperature control devices.

New Ownership, Familiar Name

In 1991, the consumer division of Lux was sold to Michael DeLuca, with Paul Balon taking over as CEO. The newly formed Lux Products Corporation kept the historic Lux name alive, manufacturing thermostats, kitchen timers, and home accessories. Though its headquarters moved to Philadelphia, and manufacturing shifted to Laredo, Texas, the company’s legacy remained rooted in Waterbury’s craftsmanship.

A Final Chapter in Time

The most recent chapter in the Lux story came in October 2018, when Johnson Controls Inc. acquired the assets of Lux Products Corporation, folding its long history into a global manufacturing leader. Though the original Waterbury facilities are long gone, the name Lux remains a quiet testament to the city’s industrial ingenuity.

A Legacy Cast in Brass and Time

Lux Clock may be one of the last recognizable names from Waterbury’s industrial past—a relic of a time when the city’s factories kept pace with the world’s progress. In remembering Lux, we remember not just a company, but a city built by hands, gears, and dreams.

Do you have memories or heirlooms from the Brass City’s golden era? Share your story with us for the next edition of the Waterbury Local Storytelling series.