The Elgin National Watch Company originally manufactured this stunning watch in Elgin, Illinois, in 1906 — the same year that the Norwegian Nobel Committee awarded President Theodore Roosevelt with the Nobel Peace Prize for his role in bringing peace between the Russian and Japanese Empires. He was the first U.S. president to receive the honor. In 1904, the Russo-Japanese War began when Russia expanded into Manchuria, potentially disrupting Japan’s plans of expanding their influence over Korea and Manchuria. The war began with the Battle of Port Arthur in February 1904 and raged on until the Treaty of Portsmouth concluded the conflict on September 5, 1905. President Roosevelt played a key role in brokering peace between the two nations.