Tavannes Watch
Tavannes Watch Co. (usually called Tavannes) was a Swiss watch company founded in 1891, defunct by 1966, and resurrected in 2008.
History
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
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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
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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
- 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
- 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
- 1894, February - The Le Locle firm of Henri Sandoz is deleted following the move of Henri Fréderic Sandoz to 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; the secretary of the board of directors is watch merchant Edmond Schwob, both in La Chaux-de-Fonds; the director is watchmaker Henri Sandoz in Tavannes
- 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 Moise Schwob from Cerneux-Péquignot, domiciled in La Chaux-de-Fonds, as president, and Isaac Schwob, of Morteau (France), domiciled in La Chaux-de-Fonds, as secretary
- 1904, September - The board of directors gives power of attorney to Eugène Romy from Sorvilier and Henri Sandoz-Maime from Le Locle, both in Tavannes
- 1904, December - No 404, page 1933
- 1910, February - No 32, page 210
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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, 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
- 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
- 1948, December - No. 305, page 3540
- 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
- 1961, July - No. 165, page 2092
- 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
- 1964, March - No. 49, page 667
- 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
Address
Tavannes Watch Co. S.A. Chemin des Jardinets 2 CH-2710 Tavannes Email : [email protected] Tel +41 (0)32 483 72 80