18ct Gold CYMA Military Type Wrist Watch. 1914

18ct Gold CYMA Military Type Wrist Watch. 1914

SOLD

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18ct gold, W.W.I. period, military style officer's wrist watch. Manufactured by the Swiss company, Cyma and dating from 1914. Watches such as these were designed with military use in mind and were available to troops as private purchase items.

Solid 18ct gold case with a hinged bezel and back. Gold wire lugs. Inside back stamped with the initials, "G.S." (George Stockwell & Co., Finsbury Street, London - watch importers) and with a full English 18ct gold import hallmark corresponding to the year 1914. Bezel fitted with original bevelled glass. Case back beautifully hand engraved with a cypher containing the initials, "C.H." (or "H.C."). Case diameter (not including crown): 32mm. Case condition: 90%.

White enamel, double sunk, military style dial with subsidiary seconds. Luminous hands and numerals. Dial signed, "Cyma". Dial condition: 98%.

Nice quality, silvered, Swiss made, 13 ligne,15 jewel movement. Unsigned, but positively identified as being manufactured by Cyma (calibre 370). Plates decorated with attractive 'Geneva Stripe' machine engraving. Breguet overcoil hairspring. Movement condition (appearance): 90%. Recently serviced. 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 the ‘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.

Inventory No. 518

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