The Benrus Watch Company Inc., was founded in New York City

New York City

New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...

 in the 1920s by Benjamin Lazrus. The name "BENRUS" originates from the combination of Benjamin Lazrus' forename and surname

Surname

A surname is a name added to a given name and is part of a personal name. In many cases, a surname is a family name. Many dictionaries define "surname" as a synonym of "family name"...

. In the 1960s, the Fair Trade Commission determined that Benrus marketing practices were misleading for a minority of potential customers.