Sultana: Difference between revisions
No edit summary |
No edit summary |
||
| Line 9: | Line 9: | ||
Alphonse's son René joined the watchmaking firm in [[1918]], and it was renamed A. Arnould & Fils. The father and son Alson formed a maker of metal and silver dials called Arnould & Cie in [[1927]], located at Rue Alexis-Marie-Piaget 32. A Saint-Imier dial maker named Jules Arnould (later called Arnould Frères) might have been related. Emile Arnould was also a partner in Arnould & Cie but he left the business just one year later. Both A. Arnould & Fils and Arnould & Cie were bankrupt in [[1930]], closing in April of the following year. By 1938, it appears that Alphonse had started production of glass crystals for watches at the same address, a business that continued as Arnould SA through the 1960s. | Alphonse's son René joined the watchmaking firm in [[1918]], and it was renamed A. Arnould & Fils. The father and son Alson formed a maker of metal and silver dials called Arnould & Cie in [[1927]], located at Rue Alexis-Marie-Piaget 32. A Saint-Imier dial maker named Jules Arnould (later called Arnould Frères) might have been related. Emile Arnould was also a partner in Arnould & Cie but he left the business just one year later. Both A. Arnould & Fils and Arnould & Cie were bankrupt in [[1930]], closing in April of the following year. By 1938, it appears that Alphonse had started production of glass crystals for watches at the same address, a business that continued as Arnould SA through the 1960s. | ||
Antoinette Arnould's Montres Sultana was closed on November 26, [[1935]]. This is the same day that [[Paul Schwarz-Etienne]]'s company was handed over to his sons, becoming [[Schwarz-Etienne|Fils de Paul Schwarz-Etienne]]. Just four days later, [[Helyette Schwarz]] and her brother [[Gaston Schwarz]] founded Montres Sultana, taking over Antoinette Arnould's brand. | Antoinette Arnould's Montres Sultana was closed on November 26, [[1935]]. This is the same day that [[Paul Schwarz-Etienne]]'s company was handed over to his sons, becoming [[Schwarz-Etienne|Fils de Paul Schwarz-Etienne]]. Just four days later, [[Helyette Schwarz]] and her brother [[Gaston Schwarz]] founded Montres Sultana, taking over Antoinette Arnould's brand. Antoinette Arnould opened a watch glass making business in her own name in [[1937]], and she took over Alphonse Arnould's watch glass company Arnould SA in [[1962]] following his death. | ||
== | ==Montres Sultana== | ||
Montres Sultana was registered by [[Helyette Schwarz]] on November 30, [[1935]], taking over the brand that Antoinette Arnould had registered in [[1933]]. The company was valued at just 5000 francs, a nominal amount suggesting that it was a reseller of watches rather than a producer. She was sole owner of the company, though her brother [[Gaston Schwarz|Gaston]] served as administrator. The siblings were also very involved with their father's watch company, known as [[Schwatz-Etienne]], though their brothers [[Herbert Schwarz|Herbert]] and [[Henri Schwarz|Henri]] do not appear to have been involved with Sultana. Oddly, the Sultana trademark remained in the hands of Antoinette Arnould until [[1946]] when Montres Sultana took over. | |||
Sultana took over the assets of Onésime Favret, watchmaker in [[Tavannes]], on September 15, [[1937]]. Onésime Favret was a merchant active since [[1922]] who focused on watches since [[1928]]. Favret attempted to use the brand Favret Watch but this was nullified by the court in [[1932]]. | |||
In February [[1939]], [[Gaston Schwarz]] took over Montres Sultana from Helyette Schwarz, raising 45,000 francs of capital and paying her 20,000 francs for her shares. | |||
Gaston Schwarz died on January 7, [[1952]], leaving ownership of Montres Sultana to his widow, Marguerite-Lucie Schwarz-Laubscher. The company was consolidated with the [[Schwarz-Etienne]] business and officially moved to the high-profile showroom and office at Avenue Léopold-Robert 96 in October of that year. | |||
In [[1954]] Gaston's younger son [[Frédy Schwarz]] took over as administrator of the company, replacing Henri Buffat. Frédy became director of the company in April [[1968]]. In the 1960s, Sultana also used the brand '''Carsic''' in certain markets. | |||
==Sultana and Le Phare== | |||
The company is said to have merged with [[Le Phare]] in [[1950]], but was not officially called Le Phare-Sultana SA until [[1976]]. Both firms were based in the same town and both included members of the Schwarz family of watchmakers. Both brands operated independently for decades, but often shared a single booth at major watch fairs, with La Phare on one side and Sultana on the other. | |||
The Sultana brand was not widely used by the combined company until it was re-launched after the [[1991]] acquisition of La Phare-Sultana by [[Renley Watch Manufacturing]] of Hong Kong. The Sultana brand continued until at least 2017, again sharing a booth at [[BaselWorld]] that year. Renley became [[Free Town Watch Products|Free Town]] in the 2000s. | The Sultana brand was not widely used by the combined company until it was re-launched after the [[1991]] acquisition of La Phare-Sultana by [[Renley Watch Manufacturing]] of Hong Kong. The Sultana brand continued until at least 2017, again sharing a booth at [[BaselWorld]] that year. Renley became [[Free Town Watch Products|Free Town]] in the 2000s. | ||
Revision as of 14:10, 1 July 2023
Sultana is a watch brand tracing its roots to 1935 and currently owned by Free Town Watch Products of Hong Kong.
Antoinette Arnould
The Sultana name was registered by Antoinette Arnould of La Chaux-de-Fonds on May 15, 1933. She was previously the wife of watchmaker Alphonse Arnould but the couple divorced that same month, so it appears that Sultana was an emancipated venture for her. The firm was located at Rue du Parc 130 in La Chaux-de-Fonds, the same address as her former husband's Arnold & Fils.
Alphonse Arnould is first listed as an engraver of watch cases in La Chaux-de-Fonds in 1892, specializing in novelties for the German market. Arnould's business grew in the 1910s and he moved to Rue du Parc 128-130 by 1908. In 1900, Emile Arnould (likely Alphonse's brother) also went into the engraving business in the city, though he is no longer listed in 1908. Emile switched to watch cases later before entering the watchmaking business in 1917 as Maison Mondius.
Alphonse's son René joined the watchmaking firm in 1918, and it was renamed A. Arnould & Fils. The father and son Alson formed a maker of metal and silver dials called Arnould & Cie in 1927, located at Rue Alexis-Marie-Piaget 32. A Saint-Imier dial maker named Jules Arnould (later called Arnould Frères) might have been related. Emile Arnould was also a partner in Arnould & Cie but he left the business just one year later. Both A. Arnould & Fils and Arnould & Cie were bankrupt in 1930, closing in April of the following year. By 1938, it appears that Alphonse had started production of glass crystals for watches at the same address, a business that continued as Arnould SA through the 1960s.
Antoinette Arnould's Montres Sultana was closed on November 26, 1935. This is the same day that Paul Schwarz-Etienne's company was handed over to his sons, becoming Fils de Paul Schwarz-Etienne. Just four days later, Helyette Schwarz and her brother Gaston Schwarz founded Montres Sultana, taking over Antoinette Arnould's brand. Antoinette Arnould opened a watch glass making business in her own name in 1937, and she took over Alphonse Arnould's watch glass company Arnould SA in 1962 following his death.
Montres Sultana
Montres Sultana was registered by Helyette Schwarz on November 30, 1935, taking over the brand that Antoinette Arnould had registered in 1933. The company was valued at just 5000 francs, a nominal amount suggesting that it was a reseller of watches rather than a producer. She was sole owner of the company, though her brother Gaston served as administrator. The siblings were also very involved with their father's watch company, known as Schwatz-Etienne, though their brothers Herbert and Henri do not appear to have been involved with Sultana. Oddly, the Sultana trademark remained in the hands of Antoinette Arnould until 1946 when Montres Sultana took over.
Sultana took over the assets of Onésime Favret, watchmaker in Tavannes, on September 15, 1937. Onésime Favret was a merchant active since 1922 who focused on watches since 1928. Favret attempted to use the brand Favret Watch but this was nullified by the court in 1932.
In February 1939, Gaston Schwarz took over Montres Sultana from Helyette Schwarz, raising 45,000 francs of capital and paying her 20,000 francs for her shares.
Gaston Schwarz died on January 7, 1952, leaving ownership of Montres Sultana to his widow, Marguerite-Lucie Schwarz-Laubscher. The company was consolidated with the Schwarz-Etienne business and officially moved to the high-profile showroom and office at Avenue Léopold-Robert 96 in October of that year.
In 1954 Gaston's younger son Frédy Schwarz took over as administrator of the company, replacing Henri Buffat. Frédy became director of the company in April 1968. In the 1960s, Sultana also used the brand Carsic in certain markets.
Sultana and Le Phare
The company is said to have merged with Le Phare in 1950, but was not officially called Le Phare-Sultana SA until 1976. Both firms were based in the same town and both included members of the Schwarz family of watchmakers. Both brands operated independently for decades, but often shared a single booth at major watch fairs, with La Phare on one side and Sultana on the other.
The Sultana brand was not widely used by the combined company until it was re-launched after the 1991 acquisition of La Phare-Sultana by Renley Watch Manufacturing of Hong Kong. The Sultana brand continued until at least 2017, again sharing a booth at BaselWorld that year. Renley became Free Town in the 2000s.