The Benrus Watch Company was founded in New York City in 1921 by Benjamin, Ralph, and Oscar Lazarus. The name "Benrus" originates from the combination of Benjamin Lazarus's first and last name. Benrus was headquartered in the New York City borough of Manhattan and had an additional assembly factory in Waterbury, Connecticut. Benrus typically purchased Swiss and some German-made watch parts and assembled the watches in both New York and Waterbury. Inexpensive Swiss parts after World War II contributed to the success of the company. However, import duties on Swiss watch parts in the 1950s, inexpensive Japanese watch imports in the 1960s, and the overall decline of the market for mechanical watches contributed to the company's eventual demise.