18ct Gold Rectangular TAVANNES Wrist Watch. 1938

18ct Gold Rectangular TAVANNES Wrist Watch. 1938

18ct Gold Rectangular TAVANNES Wrist Watch. 1938 (Side View)

18ct Gold Rectangular TAVANNES Wrist Watch. 1938 (Case Back & Movement)

Solid 18ct gold wrist watch with an attractive, stepped case. Manufactured by the quality Swiss manufacturer Tavannes (Cyma) and dating from 1938.

Beautiful 18ct gold rectangular case with stepped sides and snap-on back. Crown set within recess on side of case. Case stamped with a British 18ct gold import hallmark corresponding to the year 1938. Case width (not including crown) : 21.5mm, length (including lugs) : 37.5mm. Case condition : 95%.

Very attractive and nicely refinished two tone silver coloured dial with an 'hour glass' design and subsidiary seconds. Signed, "Tavannes". Blue steel hands. Dial condition : 100%.

Nice quality, nickel plated, 15 jewel tonneau shaped movement. Chaton set jewels. Signed, “Tavannes” (calibre 365). Geneva Stripes. Early shock absorber. Movement condition (appearance) : 85% (slight wear to plating). Time keeping : good.

In 1871 Frédéric Henri Sandoz formed the watch making company, Henri Sandoz & Co in Le Locle, Switzerland. Around 1890 he moved to the nearby town of Tavannes and started a new company, Tavannes Watch Co which manufactured a wide range of timepieces from basic watches to chronographs. In 1892 Sandoz joined forces with Schwob Frères and Co. of La Chaux-de-Fonds who manufactured watches under various trade names including, ‘Alpine’, ‘Hermosa’, ‘Meridian’ and ‘New Haven’. As well as ‘Tavannes Watch Co’, the new company also produced watches named, ‘Chronomètre Civil’, ‘TWC’ 'Trusty' and ‘CYMA’. The company expanded and by 1905 they were producing 1000 watches per day. In the 1930s Tavannes-Cyma claimed to be Switzerland's largest supplier of precision watches and by 1938, they employed around 2000 staff and their output reached approximately 4000. By this time, as well as their ‘CYMA’ brand, their trade names also included, ‘TACY’, ‘AMYC’ and ‘Bijou’. After 1957, the company no longer manufactured movements, but fitted their watches with those produced by ETA. The company continued until 1966 when its name was purchased by Chronos Holding.

----------------------------------------------------------