Tacy Watch
Tacy Watch Co. was a watch brand founded in Moutier in 1916. The name is a contraction of Tavannes and Cyma, two brands produced in the same factory, all of which were founded by Henri Sandoz.
Tacy Watch Co. was founded on July 4, 1916 by Henri Sandoz-Mamie, son of the factory founder. The products of the Tavannes Watch Co were represented at this time by the Schwob Frères and Schwob-Weill companies of La Chaux-de-Fonds, and the Cyma watch produced there was gaining a global reputation. The Cyma and Tacy brands were registered by the factory, not the Schwob family firms, but this would soon change as they gained more control. But Cyma was produced in Tavannes and sold through La Chaux-de-Fonds, while Tacy was registered in Moutier.
In August 1922 the Schwob family invested in the struggling watch company. Raphael Schwob became president, Arnold Schwob became vice-president, and René Schwob became secretary. Henri Sandoz-Mamie remained on as director and board member. Tavannes Watch Co. advertisements from the 1920s show the "Tacy" name inscribed on some movements along with their own name and the Cyma brand.
The company continued to struggle, and Henri Sandoz-Mamie was removed as director in April 1934. Share capital of Tavannes Watch Co was drastically reduced at the same time, and Henri had been forced out of his family firm nine months earlier. Théodore Schwob, who managed the Tavannes Watch Co, was named head of Tacy. Raphaël and Arnold Schwob left the firm in September 1936, replaced by René Schwob (president) and Adrien Schwob (vice president) with newcomer Georges Schwob taking over as secretary.
The firm continued to struggle and was written off by the family on December 23, 1941. As they were the only shareholders, there was no need to a lengthy legal process.
Timeline
- 1916, July 4 - The Tacy Watch Co is registered in Moutier as a Société Anonyme; share capital is 20,000 francs divided into 20 bearer shares of 1000 francs each; the company is represented by the signature of director Henri Sandoz from Le Locle, in Tavannes
- 1916, August 19 - The TACY WATCH CO trademark is registered
- 1922, August - A new board of directors is created, composed of French citizen and merchant Raphaël Schwob of La Chaux-de-Fonds, president, French citizen and trader Arnold Schwob of La Chaux-de-Fonds, vice-president, French citizen and merchant René Schwob of La Chaux-de-Fonds, secretary, and Henry Sandoz, director
- 1934, April - Henry Sandoz is removed as director of Tacy Watch Co; he is replaced by Théodore Schwob from Cerneux-Péquignot, domiciled in Tavannes
- 1936, September - Raphael Schwob and Arnold Schwob are removed from the board of directors; the former is replaced as chairman of the board by René Schwob, former secretary, and the latter is replaced as vice-president by Adrien Schwob from Cerneux-Pequignot, member of the board of directors; René Schwob is replaced as secretary by Georges Schwob from Cerneux-Péquiguot
- 1936, August 31 - The TACY WATCH CO trademark is renewed
- 1941, December 23 - The Tacy Watch Co is dissolved by decision of the extraordinary general meeting of shareholders; the liquidation being completed, this company is written off