Reinhard Straumann

Reinhard Straumann (1892-1967) was a Swiss engineer and inventor who made significant contributions to the field of precision engineering and watchmaking.

Early Live

Reinhard Straumann was born on November 3, 1892 in Bennwil, Switzerland, to Reinhard Straumann, a teacher, and Anna Heinimann. He spent his early years in Waldenburg, where his father was later elected as a teacher, and was closely associated with that town throughout his life. He attended primary and district school in Waldenburg and later studied at the cantonal technical school in Le Locle from 1908 to 1912, where he developed an interest in watch technology and precision engineering.

After completing his technical education, Straumann worked as a technician in Bienne until 1914. He then trained as an engineer at the Ecole supérieure d'Aéronautique et de Constructions Mécaniques in Lausanne, where he earned his engineering degree. In 1916, he joined Thommen's Watch Factory in Waldenburg as a designer, and later became the technical manager. His efforts were mainly focused on introducing the manufacture of wristwatches and aircraft onboard instruments.

Nivarox

Straumann realized that the further qualitative development of watches depended not only on design measures, but also on the availability of new materials with specifically adapted physical properties. As a result, he began to focus on research work, and in close cooperation with the vacuum smelter in Hanau, Germany he created a new material for spiral springs that possessed temperature-independent properties. The industrial exploitation of this development was initially taken over by the Karl Haas company in Schramberg and later by Nivarox SA, which was founded in Saint-Imier. Straumann entered the management of Nivarox SA in 1936 as a delegate of the board of directors and remained in this position until his death.

In 1938, Straumann took over the company Tschudin & Heid AG in Waldenburg and expanded it into a precision decolletage operation and the manufacture of hydraulic and pneumatic machine controls. He also established a research laboratory for the development of new materials and new measurement methods for technology, especially for the watchmaking industry. In 1954, the laboratory was converted into a stock corporation under the name Institut Dr. Ing. Reinhard Straumann.

Other Interests

Straumann was also active in politics and became a district administrator and district administrator. In addition, he studied the mechanics of ski flying in his free time and laid the foundations for the construction of modern ski jumps in a theoretical and experimental study of the aerodynamics of ski flying. He also had an artistic talent and built up a valuable collection of the best-known Swiss painters. He strongly supported the holding of artistically high-quality concerts in Waldenburg's acoustically favorable room for concerts in the gymnasium and showed his inclination towards art.

Straumann's work was recognized through various honors, including honorary membership of the Finnish watchmakers' association with the gold medal of merit in 1936, the Wilhelm Exner Medal from the Austrian Trade Association in 1959, honorary membership of the Swiss Ski Association in 1960, honorary membership of the Swedish Watchmakers Association and the Viktor Kullberg Medal by the Academy of Engineering in Stockholm in 1966, and honorary membership of the Société Suisse de Chronométrie in the same year. In 1967, the Fédération Internationale de Ski honored him with honorary membership, and his hometown of Bretzwil gave him honorary citizenship.

Death

Reinhard Straumann passed away on October 3, 1967, at the age of 74 years and 11 months. He was remembered for his significant contributions to the field of precision engineering and watchmaking and his devotion to art.