- Jan 2, 2004
- 676
- 0
- 76
Back in the 1800s, the Tates Watch Co. of Massachusetts wanted to produce other products and, since it already made the cases for pocket watches, decided to market compasses for the pioneers traveling west. It turned out that although the watches were of the finest quality; the compasses were so bad that people often ended up in Canada or Mexico rather than California. This, of course, is the origin of the expression, "He who has a Tates is lost!"