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'''Sandoz''' was a brand of watches produced throughout the 20th century.

==History==

The Sandoz family dates back to the 16th century in [[Le Locle]], when Johannus Sandoz was born there in [[1530]]. Henry Sandoz, son of Jules E. Sandoz (1842-1912) established himself there as a skilled watchmaker in [[1895]], specializing in ultra-thin watches, repeaters, and chronographs.

The Odin Watch Factory was established in [[1870]] by the Lassueur family of [[Bienne]]. Henry Sandoz took over the Odin factory around the turn of the century. In [[1914]], Sandoz began producing wristwatches. 

==Peseux==

The firm moved to [[Peseux]] in [[1919]]. In [[1920]], Hermann Sandoz joined his father, renaming the firm '''Henry Sandoz & Fils.''' The company later marked its start as 1870.

Sandoz sold the original facility to [[Charles Berner]] in [[1923]], who transformed it into the [[Fabrique d'Ebauches de Peseux]] which also specialized in compact and shaped movements. Many decades later, the Peseux factory would supply ultra-thin movements to Sandoz.

==La Chaux-de-Fonds==

Henry Sandoz and his son constructed a larger factory in [[La Chaux-de-Fonds]] in [[1926]]. At this point, in addition to the '''Sandoz''' and '''Odin''' brands, the company produced watches as '''Crusader''' and '''Henry Sandoz & Fils'''. The company was recognized with two first prizes at the [[Neuchâtel Observatory]] in [[1938]].

Sandoz introduced a range of thin waterproof watches in [[1951]] and this would be their signature through the 1950s. In [[1954]] the firm introduced a waterproof watch just 7 mm thin, thanks to their new Calibre HSF 55. It was designed to be the thinnest movement with center seconds. The company introduced a new screwless ring balance made of beryllium alloy and SandoFix regulator in [[1956]].

In [[1958]], André Bezzola became a partner in the company. He had been production manager since [[1952]]. The company opened another new factory in [[Moudon]] in [[1960]]. In [[1961]], on the retirement of Hermann Sandoz, Eric Kocher took over management. This enabled the firm to expand their operations in both locations. The company marketed itself as '''Sandoz of Switzerland''' from the 1950s.

Sandoz specialized in [[ultra-thin]] watches in the 1950s and 1960s. Cal. HSF 55 was the thinnest in the world in [[1955]], as was the similar Cal. HSF 56. Cal. 333, introduced in [[1959]], was the thinnest automatic movement, with six ball bearings for the [[peripheral automatic]] rotor. It was available with 17, 25, or even 50 or 60 jewels. Many Sandoz watches in the 1960s used thin movements produced by [[Fabrique d'Ebauches de Peseux]], which was ironically located in the original Sandoz factory in that village.

By [[1970]], Sandoz was part of [[SGT|Société Des Garde-Temps SA]] along with [[Elgin]], [[Fleurier Watch]], [[Invicta]], and [[Waltham]]. The company sold [[LCD]] [[digital watch]]es under the SGT brand in the 1970s.

==Other Sandoz References==

* [[L. Sandoz-Vuille|Louis-Augustin Sandoz-Vuille]], maker of 8-day watches and automobile clocks in [[Le Locle]] and [[La Chaux-de-Fonds]]
* [[Georges Sandoz]] maker of [[balance spring]]s and founder of [[FSR]]
* Huguenin-Sandoz of Neuchâtel was a supplier of components
* [[Sandoz, Henri|Henri Sandoz]] founded a major watchmaking factory in [[Tavannes]]
* The Sandoz Family Foundation is a majority owner of [[Vaucher Manufacture Fleurier]] and [[Parmigiani Fleurier]]
* Maurice Sandoz of [[La Chaux-de-Fonds]] collected automata and is the namesake for the room housing his collection at the [[International Watch and Clock Museum]].

[[Category:Watch brands Switzerland]]
[[Category:La Chaux-de-Fonds]]
[[Category:Peseux]]