Tavannes Watch

File:Tavannes Fabrik 1891.jpg

Tavannes Factory 1891

Tavannes Watch Co. (usually called Tavannes) was a Swiss watch company founded in 1891, defunct by 1966, and resurrected in 2008.

History

An early image of the original Tavannes factory

Watchmaker Henri Sandoz founded his namesake watch company, Henri Sandoz and Co., in Le Locle in 1870. He left the company in 1891 and founded a new company in the small town of Tavannes in the Canton of Bern. This company, officially named Tavannes Watch Co. SA, produced watches, watchmaking machinery, and other specialized machines.

Tavannes soon struck a distribution deal with Schwob Frères of La Chaux-de-Fonds. Many Tavannes models were sold using the Cyma brand, with sales rapidly rising from 1900 through the 1950's. By 1938, Tavannes boasted that it was the 4th largest watch manufacturer in the world, having sold over 30 million. At that time, they were employing over 3,000 skilled watchmakers to produce around 4,000 watches per day.

Submarine Commander 1917

Template:Image left During WWI, the Tavannes Watch Co was approached by two British submarine commanders to consider the construction of a watch suitable for work on submarine decks awash in water. This watch was supposed to be water-tight, non-magnetic, and the balance wheel had to be of a material which shows a minimum of expansion and contraction with variations in temperature. The face had to be legible at all times. In 1917 was born the first waterproof wrist watch made by the Tavannes Watch Company.

Belt Watch 1928

Tavannes was an early producer of wristwatch-specific movements, introducing small calibres in the 1910s just for this purpose. It supplied many major manufacturers, including Jaeger-LeCoultre, Dunhill, Hermes, and Cartier. Tavannes' movement manufacturer was called Lisica SA, and many watches use this name instead.

One innovation from Tavannes was a belt buckle watch for the English King Edward VIII. This led to the creation of other "captive" watches for belt or desk, and may have inspired the iconic Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso which used a Tavannes movement. Hermes and Cartier marketed the belt buckle watch as "La Captive".

Driver’s Watch 1930

The two greatest mechanical inventions of the twentieth century are most likely fine mechanical wrist watches and automobiles. In the early 1930’s clocks were created for use in automobiles. At that same time Tavannes created the driver’s watch. The watch was designed to be worn on the side of the wrist as to tell time while driving.

Production stop in 1966

By 1966, however, production had stopped. Swiss watch giant ASUAG adopted both the Cyma and Tavannes brands under their Chronos Holding company that year. In November of 1969 Tavannes Watch Co. was merged into Cyma Watch Co within Chronos Holding. This occurred at the same time that Cyma and Doxa were merged into Synchron SA, the new holding company for Ernest Borel within Chronos. In this way, Tavannes, Cyma, Doxa, and Ernest Borel became brands of a single company.

Tavannes Today

The Tavannes brand was revived in 2008, once again located in the town of Tavannes. The company seeks to restore its original values of quality, innovation, and originality as a family business. The company's lineup now includes historic models in the vintage style.

During World War I, Tavannes was approached by two British submarine commanders to construct a watch suitable for use on submarines. It was waterproofed for use on the deck, antimagnetic, and resistant to temperature changes. The resulting "Submarine" wrist watch of 1917 was recalled in a 2017 edition featuring the historic look of wire lugs, oversize Arabic numerals, a knurled case, and oversized screw-down crown. Inside is an automatic movement, and the anti-magnetic case back and dial are marked "1917-2017".

Tavannes is also recalling the original "Belt Watch" of 1928 with a new 2018 edition that can be worn on the wrist, as a belt, or as a desk watch. In 2019, the company promises a new dive watch that recalls their 1930s original, worn on the side of the wrist with a steeply curved case.

Timeline

Henri Sandoz in Le Locle

See Also: Henri Sandoz

• 1851, March 5 - Henri Sandoz is born in Le Locle
• 1864 - The 13-year-old Sandoz begins a watchmaking apprenticeship for Samuel Aubert, a specialist case fitter for repeater watches
• 1869 - The 18-year-old Henri Sandoz establishes himself as a specialist case fitter and maker of gongs for repeating watches
• 1875 - About 1875 Henri Sandoz marries a woman with the last name Sandoz, styling his name officially as Henri Sandoz-Sandoz
• 1876 - Nelly Sandoz is born; she would run the Undervelier watch case factory for Tavannes
• 1878 - Henri Sandoz junior is born; he would take over the Tavannes Watch Company following his father's death
• 1879 - Charles Sandoz is born; he would found his own watch tool business
• 1881 - Henri Sandoz begins designing his own complicated watch movements as well as specialized machines to produce them
• 1882, November 8 - Julie Sandoz is born
• 1883, April - The initial registry of Swiss businesses finds Henri Fréderic Sandoz as a watch fitter in Le Locle; the firm is located at Rue des Envers 342
• 1884 - Rosy Sandoz is born
• 1892 - Henri Sandoz moves his family to Tavannes by March
• 1894, February - The Le Locle firm of Henri Sandoz is deleted following the move

Tavannes Watch Co

A view of Tavannes around 1895 with the factory in the lower left

• 1890, February - The bourgeoisie of Tavannes, meeting in general assembly, decided unanimously to build a watch factory; a sum of 55,000 francs was allocated
• 1892, March - The firm of Henri Sandoz-Sandoz is registered by Henri Sandoz, allié Sandoz, originally from Le Locle, domiciled in Tavannes; it is a watchmaking form with offices in Tavannes
• 1895, September 25 - The public limited company Tavannes Watch Co is formed, with headquarters in Tavannes; its purpose is the manufacture and sale of watches; the company was concluded for a period of ten years beginning on September 25, 1895; share capital is 360,000 francs, divided into 36 registered shares of 10,000 francs each; the chairman of the board of directors is watch merchant Théodore Schwob of Schwob Frères; the secretary of the board of directors is watch merchant Edmond Schwob of Schwob-Weill & Fils, both in La Chaux-de-Fonds; the director is watchmaker Henri Sandoz in Tavannes
• 1896, September 30 - Théodore Schwob dies
• 1896, November - Théodore Schwob, president, and Edmond Schwob, secretary of the board of directors of the public limited company Tavannes Watch Co have ceased to be part of this board; they are replaced by Moïse Schwob of Schwob-Weill & Fils from Cerneux-Péquignot, domiciled in La Chaux-de-Fonds, as president, and Isaac Schwob of Schwob Frères, of Morteau (France), domiciled in La Chaux-de-Fonds, as secretary
• 1897 - A factory for steel watch cases is built at Undervelier; Henri Sandoz' daughter Nelly Sandoz moves there to manage it
• 1897 - Tavannes tests paying employees every day rather than on Saturday; the concept is soon tested by others, including FHF
• 1900 - Tavannes Watch Co initiates a bonus system, paying 50% extra for additional work once average output for a 10-hour workday has been achieved
• 1900, July 27 - Edmond Schwob dies
• 1901, April 6 - The bourgeoise of Tavannes decides to sell the Tavannes Watch factory to the company for 30,000 francs and to offer cheap land to the company for expansion
• 1903, January 3 - The Cyma brand name is registered by Tavannes Watch Co for their ultra-thin 17 ligne movement
• 1904, September - The board of directors gives power of attorney to Eugène Romy from Sorvilier and Henri Sandoz-Maime, son of the founder
• 1904, December 19 - At its general meeting, Tavannes Watch Co added "the electrical and mechanical branches" to its goal and made the duration of the company unlimited; share capital was increased to 390,000 francs divided into 39 registered shares of 10,000 francs
• 1906 - Tavannes Watch Co is targeted, along with Léon Lévy & Frères, Fabrique d'Horlogerie de Büren, Fritz Meier et Stüdeli, and Maire Frères, by union organizers; Henri Sandoz strongly resists these efforts; the union calls for a ban on workers there
• 1906, January - Henri Sandoz announces that Tavannes Watch Co will not join the Syndicat des Fabriques de Montres, the largest factory to refuse; a few days later he changes his mind, announcing that the company will join
• 1906, June - Tavannes declares that Saturday work will end at noon, reducing the work week without reducing pay or benefits; this is renewed the following year
• 1907, December - The Tavannes Watch Co sets up one of the first mutual funds for workers, contributing 10,000 francs to initiate it; the firm also donated 3,000 francs to the Société de Secours Mutuels
• 1908, October - Tavannes Watch Co initiates an 8-hour work day, from 7:30 to noon and then 13:30 to 17:00
• 1910, January - Tavannes Watch Co takes on a loan of 1.2 million francs from the Federal Bank secured against the mortgage on the factory and bonds offered to the public with 4.5% interest rate
• 1910, January 31 - The share capital was increased to 780,000 francs, divided into 78 shares of 10,000 francs
• 1913, March 18 - Henri Sandoz dies
• 1913, April 3 - The signature conferred on director Henry Sandoz-Sandoz is extinguished; he is replaced as director by Henri Sandoz-Mamie, Eugène Romy, and Nelly Sandoz
• 1913, July 26 - Schwob Frères registers the Cyma watch brand (registered a decade earlier by TWC)

Tavannes Watch under Henri Sandoz Junior

See Also: Henri Sandoz-Mamie

• 1918, March 12 - The Tavannes Watch Co SA increases share capital from 780,000 francs to 2,500,000 francs divided into 250 registered shares of 10,000 francs; the board of directors is composed of Nephtaly Woog of Morteau (France), Raphaël Schwob of Morteau (France), and Adrien Schwob from Carneux-Péquignot
• 1919, December 31 - Schwob & Cie is merged into Schwob Frères, uniting the two Schwob families
• 1920, June 7 - Betty Sandoz marries Fernand Roblin, technical director of Tavannes Watch Co
• 1921, March 14 - A foundation named Caisse de Retraite is established in Tavannos to help the staff of Tavannes Watch Co who are unable to work "through no fault of their own", as well as their widows or orphans; the Board of Directors is composed of Moise Schwob, Raphaël Schwob, and Eugone Romy
• 1921, September 3 - Following a rejection of a proposal to reduce their wages by 25%, Tavannes Watch Co issues a dismissal of all hands
• 1923, May 17 - Moise Schwob dies
• 1924, September - Power of attorney is given to Théodore Schwob from Cerneux-Péquignot
• 1926, February 9 - The Tavannes Watch Co, at its general meeting, revised its statutes; Moïse Schwob, deceased, is replaced by Anatole Schwob; the board of directors gives individual signature to Armand Schwob, René Schwob, and Maurice Schwob, all from Morteau (France), and Georges Schwob, from Cerneux-Péquignot
• 1933, January 16 - A pipe bomb explodes at the home of Fernand Roblin and Betty Sandoz
• 1933, August - Administrators with sole signature are named: Armand Schwob from Francs and Georges Schwob from Cerneur-Péquignot; the board of directors gave power of attorney to Fernand Roblin from France and [[William Egger] from La Scheulte; Henri Sandoz-Mamie resigned; Nephtali Woog and Anatole Schwob have died

Restart Under Schwob Frères

See Also: Schwob Frères

• 1934, April 17 - At the general meeting, share capital is reduced from 2,500,000 francs to 625,000 francs by reducing the nominal value of each share from 10,000 to 2500 francs; at the meetings of February 12, 1926 and May 1, 1934 the board of directors changed its representation as follows: Raphaël Schwob is appointed chairman of the board of directors, Adrien Schwob is appointed vice-president and Isaac Schwob secretary
• 1936, February - Henri Sandoz-Mamie dies
• 1936, February - The signatures of Nelly Sandoz, as Director, and René Sehwob, as procuration, are deleted

The factory was badly damaged in a 1940 fire

* 1940 - A fire badly damages the Tavannes factory complex; it is soon rebuilt

• 1940, June 18 - The company elected, as a new member of the board of directors, Maurie Sehwob, a French citizen, in La Chaux-de-Fonds, who commits the company by his individual signature; the procuration conferred on Maurice Schwob is removed
• 1941, January 31 - The company revised its articles of association; the shares were transformed from registered shares into bearer shares; the capital of 625,000 francs is fully paid up
• 1941, November 12 - The company appointed as the new director Eugène Romy, from Sorvilier, in Tavannes, until now director, who will commit the company by his individual signature; Georges Schwob was appointed Chairman of the Board of Directors
• 1942, November 18 - The extraordinary general meeting of shareholders revised the company's articles of association; This now aims to manufacture and sell watchmaking and will be able to extend its activity to everything related to this field, as well as electricity and mechanics; It may also, by decision of the board of directors, create or acquire in Switzerland or abroad branches or independent companies pursuing the same purpose and may generally process all commercial, industrial, financial or real estate transactions related to the company's activity; the general meeting decided to issue 500 bearer vouchers with no face value giving the right to participate in the profits, according to the decision of the general meeting; share capital of 625,000 francs, composed of 250 bearer shares of 2500 francs each, is fully paid up
• 1943, April 12 - The company, in the meeting of its board of directors, appointed Joseph Ducommun, of Le Locle, in Tavannes, attorney, who committed the company by signing collectively either with Fernand Roblin or with William Egger
• 1943, December 13 - The company, in an extraordinary general meeting of shareholders, appointed Théodore Schwob, from Cerneux-Péquignot, in Tavannes, currently director, to the functions of director of the company, with individual signature
• 1946, April - The power of attorney conferred on Joseph Ducommun is extinguished
• 1946, June - Georges Maire, from La Sagne, Les Ponts-de-Martel and Brot-Dessus, in Tavannes, is appointed power of attorney; he commits the company by signing collectively with Fernand Roblin and William Egger
• 1946, October 15 - The company increased its share capital from 625,000 francs to 2,000,000 francs by issuing 550 shares of 2500 francs each, fully released by two claims totaling 1,201,764 francs against the company and by payment of the balance in cash; share capital, fully paid up, is 200,000 francs, divided into 800 shares of 2500 francs each
• 1948, April - The powers of the deceased administrator Raphaël Schwob are extinguished
• 1948, December - Georges Maire will henceforth commit the company with his individual signature affixed as a power of attorney; Georges Bridevaux, appointed proxy, will commit the company by his signature affixed collectively with one of the already registered power of attorney
• 1949, July 11 - The company appoints directors Pierre Sehwob, from Cerneux-Péquignot, in La Chaux-de-Fonds, and Jean Schwob, from and in La Chaux-de-Fonds; administrators Isaac Schwob and Adrien Schwob have resigned and their powers are extinguished; the soeiété is engaged by the individual signature of the directors, by the individual signature of Georges Maire, proxy, and by the collective signature of two of the proxy officers: William Egger and Georges Bridevaux
• 1949, December - André Wasem, from Boveresse (Neuchâtel) and Guggisberg (Bern), and Francis Schwob, from La Chaux-de-Fonds, both in Tavannes, are appointed power of attorney
• 1957, February 20 - Fernand Roblin dies
• 1958, April 23 - Nelly Sandoz dies
• 1959, June - Maurice Schwob, Chairman of the Board of Directors, has died and his powers are removed; the board of directors is composed of Theodore Schwob (appointed president), Armand Schwob, secretary, Georges Schwob, Pierre Schwob, Jean Schwob
• 1960, April - Armand Schwob, administrator, has resigned; Claude-Théodore Selwob, from and to La Chaus-de-Fonds, is appointed new administrator
• 1960, December - Georges Schwob, administrator, has resigned
• 1961, April - René Lüthy, of Langnau, and Heinrich Häring, of Arisdorf, both in Tavannes, were appointed proxies; the five already registered proxies are William Egger, Georges Bridevaux, André Wasem, Francis Schwob and Maurice Lutz
• 1961, July - Signatures of the proxies William Egger and Fraucis Schwob are extinguished; attorneys Georges Bridevaux, André Wasem, Maurice Lutz, René Lüthy, and Heinrich Haring are now committing the company by collectively signing in pairs with each other
• 1963, January 4 - Following its extraordinary general meeting Charles Veillon, of Aigle and Bex, in Lausanne, was appointed Chairman of the Board of Directors, and Ami Scholler, of Saint-Ursanne, in Lausanne, Vice-President of the Council; Claude-Théodore Schwob, already registered as a director, was appointed secretary
• 1963, April - The signature of the proxy René Lüthy is deleted
• 1964, March - The signatures of the proxies Andre Wasem and Heinrich Häring are deleted
• 1966, November - Directors Théodore Schwob, Pierre Schwob, and Jean Schwob have resigned; their signatures, as well as that of the power of attorney Georges Maire, are erased
• 1967, March The board of directors is composed of Charles Veillon, president, Claude-Théodore Schwob, secretary, Ami Scholler (former vice-president), Jean Hegetschweiler from Basel and Urdorf in Bienne, Pierre Renggli, from and in Bienne, and Erwin Schnegg, from Zäziwil, in Tramelan
• 1967, April 1 - Tavannes Watch Co merges with Foyer Populaire de Tavannes, with Tavannes Watch Co taking over the assets and liabilities, on a universal basis, of Le Foyer; according to the balance sheet as of December 31, 1966, an asset of 1,859,685.85 francs (real estate, liquidity and receivables) and a liability of 1,641 130.90 francs (mortgage debts) or a net asset of 218,554.95 francs (share capital and reserves)

Synchron

See Also: Synchron

• 1967, August - Henry-Auguste Favre from Locle in Bellevue (Geneva) is appointed a member of the board of directors
• 1968, September - Jean-Louis Borel is appointed a member of the board of directors
• 1968, December 18 - Supported by Chronos Holding, Ernest Borel & Cie SA changes its company name to Synchron SA
• 1969, March 27 - Synchron SA merges with Cyma Watch Co SA of La Chaux-de-Fonds and with Manufacture des Montres Doxa SA of Le Locle
• 1969, November - Cyma Watch Co SA merges with Tavannes Watch Co; Cyma takes over the assets and liabilities of Tavannes Watch Co, both the assets and to the liabilities of 4,684,400.56 francs; at the same time, Synchron SA takes over the assets and liabilities of Cyma Watch Co SA; Cyma Watch Co SA is dissolved; the creditors having been disinterested, having obtained collateral or having accepted the merger, the company is deregistered
• 1970, April - The signatures of director Claude Schwob, and André Jeannet, and Georges Nidegger are erased; deputy directors Maurice Sauser and Hans Rudolf Knoepfel are appointed directors; Paul-André Fallet and Pierre Henzi are appointed as proxy
• 1972, February - The signatures of directors Marcel Germond and Francis Schwob and deputy directors Kurt Baechler and Fredy Vallon and proxy Maurice Lutz are deleted
• 1977, November 7 - A suspension of 4 months is granted to Synchron under bankruptcy court in La Chaux-de-Fonds
• 1978, March 7 - By judgment of the Neuchâtel Cantonal Court, an agreement is approved for abandonment of assets between the company and its creditors; the liquidation commission is composed of Louis Genilloud and Maurice Favre; the signatures of president Jean Hegetschweiler, vice-president Jean-François Krebs, deputy director general Maurice Sauser, as well as the powers of attorney of Jean Alpers, Paul-André Fallet, Jean Matthey, Roger Pétremand, and Michel Gaille are removed; the unsigned administrators Jean Perrin and Roger Anker are removed; the company name is changed to Synchron in Liquidation
• 1986, November - The liquidation of Synchron SA being completed, this company is deleted

Rebirth

• About 1978 - The Cyma and Tavannes Watch Co brands are purchased at auction by Claude Guilgot
• 1980s - The Cyma brand is re-established in Le Locle
• 2002 - Florin Niculescu joins Cyma
• 2006 - Florin Niculescu becomes president of Cyma USA
• 2008 - The Tavannes Watch Co brand is taken over by the Niculescu family
• 2019 - The new Tavannes Watch Co acquires La Chaux-de-Fonds based watch manufacturer UM2

Address

Tavannes Watch Co. S.A.
Chemin des Jardinets 2
CH-2710 Tavannes
Email : [email protected]
Tel +41 (0)32 483 72 80

External Links

• tavanneswatches.com