What Jewell Instruments does

Jewell Instruments is a privately held US manufacturer of high-precision motion sensors and panel meters, founded in 1924 and headquartered in Manchester, New Hampshire. The company operates approximately 160 employees across two manufacturing facilities and reports product usage in 95 countries. Its portfolio spans three core sensor technologies — Force Balance, MEMS, and Electrolytic — applied to accelerometers, inclinometers, eCompass modules, IMUs, GEO tiltmeters (standard, high-precision, and ultra-precision with nanoradian resolution), strain gauges, and a separate line of analog and digital panel meters and avionic instruments. Sub-brands include RailStar for rail transportation and DGH for industrial data acquisition hardware.

The company's products are certified to military and aerospace standards including MIL-STD-202, MIL-M-16034, MIL-M-19261, and RTCA DO-160, and to rail standards AREMA and CENELEC, with ISO 9001:2015 quality certification. Customers and case studies span aerospace (Black Hawk, Apache, AV-8 Harrier II, T-6 trainer, Space Shuttle), military weapons and guidance systems, rail (35,000+ sensors installed globally), bridge and infrastructure structural monitoring (Golden Gate Bridge, Tappan Zee Bridge, Mississippi River Bridge), and industrial, mining, oil & gas, renewable energy, geophysical, and scientific research applications. In 2024 it launched the Ruby MEMS product line, its next-generation inertial sensor family with IP67 packaging and a 3-year warranty.

Jewell Instruments generates revenue primarily through direct hardware sales using a quote-based pricing model (no public pricing or disclosed figures). Its go-to-market is sales-led, combining direct website sales, dedicated phone lines by product family, custom solutions engineering, and a network of regional representatives. The company also offers calibration and repair services, custom engineered solutions, and partnership manufacturing, indicating a recurring service layer alongside the hardware core. Revenue and ownership details are not publicly disclosed; there is no identified parent company, venture backing, or institutional investor in the available data.

Name

Jewell Instruments

Legal name

Jewell Instruments

Website

https://jewellinstruments.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1924

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Jewell Instruments is a privately held, 100-year-old US manufacturer of high-precision motion sensors (accelerometers, inclinometers, IMUs, eCompass) and panel meters, serving aerospace, military, rail, infrastructure, geophysical, and industrial customers across 95 countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Precision Motion and Tilt Sensors

NAICS

Instruments and Related Products Manufacturing for Measuring, Displaying, and Controlling Industrial Process Variables (334513), Navigational, Measuring, Electromedical, and Control Instruments Manufacturing (33451), Search, Detection, Navigation, Guidance, Aeronautical, and Nautical System and Instrument Manufacturing (334511), Instrument Manufacturing for Measuring and Testing Electricity and Electrical Signals (334515)

SIC

Industrial Instruments For Measurement, Display, And Control (3823), Search, Detection, Navagation, Guidance, Aeronautical Sys (3812), Instruments For Meas & Testing Of Electricity & Elec Signals (3825)

akta.pro primary industry

Industrial-Grade Sensors & Transducer Components (Discrete sensing elements, transducers, MEMS sensors) (IMAGAJAO)

akta.pro secondary industries

Sensors, MEMS & Imaging ICs (HDAHAAAG), Sensor Fusion, Interface ICs & Modules (AFE/Readout/Packaging/Calibration) (HDAHALAO)

Keywords

• Precision inertial sensors
• Tilt sensors and tiltmeters
• Force balance accelerometers
• MEMS inclinometers
• Panel meters and avionics

Headquarters

HQ city

Manchester

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Hardware Sensor Sales: Jewell Instruments generates revenue through the sale of precision sensors including accelerometers, inclinometers, eCompass modules, IMUs, GEO instruments, and related accessories. Products are sold directly to customers with custom engineering support.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Jewell Instruments designs, manufactures, and sells high-precision inertial and tilt sensors — including force-balance and MEMS accelerometers and inclinometers, eCompass modules, IMUs, GEO tiltmeters, strain gauges, panel meters, and avionic instruments — built on three core technologies (Force Balance, MEMS, and Electrolytic). Products are sold direct via quote, supported by custom engineering, in-house calibration, and a network of local representatives, serving aerospace, military, rail, infrastructure, geophysical, and industrial customers.

Product overview

Jewell Instruments is a manufacturer of high-precision sensors and panel meters, organized into three main product categories: Inertial & Tilt Sensors (accelerometers, inclinometers, eCompass, IMU), GEO Instruments & Sensors (Standard, High Precision, and Ultra Precision tiltmeters, Mini Tilt Sensors, Strain Gauges), and Panel Meters & Avionics (Analog and Digital Panel Meters, Avionic Instruments, Solenoids). The company also offers the DGH data acquisition hardware brand for industrial automation. Core sensor technologies include Force Balance, MEMS, and Electrolytic technologies. The company serves diverse markets including aerospace, military, rail, industrial, mining, oil & gas, solar & wind, geophysical, and geotechnical sectors. Recent innovation includes the Ruby MEMS line featuring improved price-performance with IP67 packaging and a 3-year warranty.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• RailStar: A brand of sensors specifically designed for Rail and Rail Transportation Markets, including accelerometers and inclinometers meeting CENELEC and AREMA standards.

Products and services

• Force-Balance Accelerometers High-precision accelerometers using closed-loop force-balance sensor technology with rugged construction, high reliability, miniature design, and minimal current drain. Available in single-, dual-, and tri-axis configurations for nuclear power, military, and aviation flight controls.
• MEMS Accelerometers Microelectromechanical systems accelerometers with robust, rugged enclosures available in single, dual, and tri-axis models, designed for high stability and low power applications.
• Force Balance Inclinometers High-precision inclinometers using a balanced lever system providing measurements of horizontal angle or vertical deviation with very high resolution, fluid-damped noise rejection, and high temperature/vibration resistance with excellent output stability.
• MEMS Inclinometers Low-cost, high-performance MEMS inclinometers in small packages measuring positive and negative inclination in one- and two-axis configurations from ±1 degree to ±90 degrees, with custom ranges, thermal compensation, and various output options.
• eCompass Modules (ECG, ECL, ECS, ECV Series) Electronic compass sensors in multiple configurations (ECG, ECL, ECS, ECV) with small, thin form factors, ~±0.5 degree rms static heading accuracy, low power consumption, 3-axis magnetoresistive sensing, and multiple output types.
• ECV-IMU Inertial Measurement Unit Inertial measurement unit combining accelerometers, gyroscopes, and magnetometers for comprehensive motion sensing and orientation tracking.
• GEO Standard Tiltmeters (850, 875, 900 Series) Economical GEO tiltmeters divided into 850, 875, and 900 series with varying resolution levels for geophysical and geotechnical applications.
• GEO High Precision Tiltmeters (800 Series) High-precision GEO tiltmeters with enhanced sensitivity for applications requiring greater measurement accuracy, including shallow-water and deep-water rated models.
• GEO Ultra Precision Tiltmeters (500, 600, 700, 750 Series) Ultra-precision GEO tiltmeters with extreme sensitivity, with resolutions reported in nanoradians, including vacuum-compatible models for laboratory and scientific applications.
• Mini Tilt Sensors & Signal Conditioners Miniature tilt sensors and signal conditioners for applications requiring compact form factors with precise measurement capabilities.
• Asphalt & Concrete Strain Gauges (ASG, CSG Series) Strain gauges utilizing a Wheatstone bridge strain circuit for measuring axial strength in pavements and concrete structures, with a wide operating temperature range up to 200 °C and no signal conditioning requirement.
• Analog Panel Meters (A&M, Emico, Jewell, Modutec Series) Moving iron, moving coil, and stepper motor analog panel meters for measuring AC and DC current, with many models CE and UL approved and available in custom and standard sizes, input ranges, and scales.
• Digital Panel Meters (Jewell DPM, Modutec Series) LED and LCD digital panel meters for laboratory and industrial automation applications, available in a wide range of DC or AC current and voltage ranges with computer connectivity for data transfer.
• Avionic Instruments (Flag Mechanisms, Pointer Mechanisms) Traditional electro-mechanical avionic meter mechanisms (flag and pointer instruments) with all assembly, calibration, and testing performed in-house.
• DGH Data Acquisition Hardware DGH sub-brand data acquisition modules including analog input/output modules, digital I/O modules, Ethernet modules, Modbus modules, USB modules, and serial converters for industrial automation applications.
• RailStar Sensors High-performance sensors and control products specifically designed for rail and rail transportation markets, including force-balance and MEMS-based sensor technology meeting CENELEC and AREMA standards.
• Solenoids Electromechanical solenoid devices for various industrial and aerospace applications.
• Ruby MEMS Sensors Next-generation high-performance MEMS inertial sensors with improved price-performance ratio, enhanced resolution, faster frequency response, and wider bandwidth. IP67 package with a 3-year warranty; series include JDHI, JMHI, and JMHA.
• Calibration & Repair Services Factory calibration and repair services for Jewell Instruments sensors, panel meters, and related products, supporting customers across the installed base.
• Custom Solutions Engineering Custom-engineered sensor solutions where Jewell's application engineers design and configure sensors for specific customer application requirements.
• Partnership Manufacturing Partnership manufacturing and OEM/private label sensor production services, leveraging Jewell's two manufacturing facilities and in-house assembly, calibration, and testing capabilities.

Quantifiable outcome

• 100,000 hour MTBF reliability for LSMP Series accelerometers
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments13 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature7 records

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Kistler Group: Swiss-based manufacturer of high-precision piezoelectric sensors, accelerometers, and force/torque measurement systems. Closely comparable to Jewell's high-precision Force Balance accelerometers and GEO/inertial instrumentation for industrial and research customers.
• HBK (Hottinger Brüel & Kjær): Global supplier of sound, vibration, and acceleration measurement instrumentation for aerospace, defense, automotive, and industrial applications. Directly competes with Jewell in precision accelerometers, tilt, and structural health monitoring.
• PCB Piezotronics: Manufactures precision piezoelectric accelerometers, vibration sensors, and related instrumentation for aerospace, defense, and industrial test applications. Directly comparable to Jewell's Force Balance and MEMS accelerometer lines serving flight control, structural monitoring, and military customers.
• MTS Systems: Supplies high-precision sensors and test systems for industrial, automotive, and aerospace applications. Overlaps with Jewell's GEO/inertial sensors and structural health monitoring use cases, particularly in test and measurement.
• LORD MicroStrain (Parker LORD): Manufacturer of inertial sensors, IMUs, and inclinometers for industrial, aerospace, and unmanned systems markets. Closely comparable to Jewell's IMU, eCompass, and MEMS inclinometer/accelerometer product lines.

Broad incumbents

• Honeywell Aerospace: Major aerospace and defense inertial sensor, navigation, and instrumentation provider. Competes with Jewell in flight control, guidance, and avionics sensors for both commercial and military platforms, but at much greater scale.
• TE Connectivity: Broad-line sensor and connector manufacturer serving industrial, aerospace, rail, and automotive markets. Competes with Jewell across accelerometers, inclinometers, and tilt sensors as part of a much larger components portfolio.
• Curtiss-Wright: Diversified defense and industrial manufacturer with a portfolio including rugged inertial sensors, signal conditioning, and data acquisition for aerospace, defense, and naval applications. Larger incumbent serving many of the same end-markets as Jewell.
• Safran Electronics & Defense: Aerospace and defense inertial navigation and sensor provider serving commercial, military, and space platforms. A larger incumbent competing with Jewell's aerospace and military precision sensor business, particularly on flight control programs.
• Sensata Technologies: Industrial sensor manufacturer with offerings in position, motion, force, and pressure sensing across aerospace, rail, industrial, and off-road markets. Overlaps with Jewell in accelerometers, tilt, and rail-grade sensing.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@jewellinstruments472
• Facebookfacebook.com/Jewell-Instruments-468241973195251
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/jewell-instruments
• Xx.com/Jewell_Sensors

Compliance11 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Jewell Instruments