West End Watch Co
Encyclopedia
West End Watch Company is a manufacturer of watches located at Leytron
(Switzerland
). It is one of the oldest Swiss brands and has been in business for more than 120 years.
The company has produced and distributed more than 15 million watches worldwide since 1886.
, a district of the centre of London, inspired its name to Mr. Arnold Charpié who was the Bombay representative of the Alcide Droz & Sons firm, a watch company established at Saint-Imier
(Canton of Bern) in Switzerland.
In 1886, MM. Amstutz and Droz, the owner of Alcide Droz & Sons firm, began the exploitation of the trademark West End Watch Company in the Indian market and developed the first waterproof pocket watch ever produced : "L'Impermeable" (nowadays displayed at the International Watchmaking Museum of La Chaux-de-Fonds
).
During the First World War, a large force of British and Indian soldiers was sent from Bombay to the Persian Gulf to reach Mesopotamia
(modern-day Iraq
). They received some West End Watch Company watches.
In 1917, West End Watch Company changed its name to Société des Montres West End SA and was registered in Geneva
. At the same time the sub-brand Sowar was also registered.
In 1934, the Société des Montres West End SA was the first brand to introduce the Incabloc anti-shock system invented by Mr. Braunschweig.
In 1973, after several years of development, the company was finally sold, for lack of heirs, to his main supplier : "Aubry Brothers Ltd", established in Noirmont (Jura
) to keep open the Bombay West End Watch Company's office.
Since 2000 the workshops and the head office of the company have been moved to Leytron
, in Wallis. At the same time, the company was taken over by new shareholders and the management changed.
In 2005 West End Watch Company celebrated its 120th anniversary of uninterrupted presence in Asia
with the introduction of its "Silk Road concept". This concept came from the fact that the Silk Road
crossed most of the regions where the brand possessed, and still possesses, counters.
Nowadays, West End Watch Company is active in Saudi Arabia, in the United Arab Emirates, in the Himalaya Range (in particular in Tibet, Nepal and in Bhutan) and as well as in western half of China.
2010 A first in the brand's history, West End Watch Company watches are now exclusively distributed/sold in the USA and Canada by Empire Brands. EB is a distributor of leading products around the globe.
In 2011, West End Watch Company will celebrate its 125 years of uninterrupted activity so a commemorative book redrawing the history of the brand will be published in 2010 in association with the Centre Jurassien d’Archives et de Recherches Economiques.
The model still manufactured today is Sowar. In Hindustani
, Sowar
means "warrior" and this name was selected in honor of Sir Thomas Edward Lawrence (Lawrence of Arabia) because it's said that he and his soldiers wore some West End Watch Company watches during the war.
Leytron
Leytron is a municipality in the district of Martigny in the canton of Valais in Switzerland.-Geography:Leytron has an area, , of . Of this area, or 27.1% is used for agricultural purposes, while or 30.1% is forested...
(Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
). It is one of the oldest Swiss brands and has been in business for more than 120 years.
The company has produced and distributed more than 15 million watches worldwide since 1886.
History
The West End Watch Company was created in 1886. The West EndWest End of London
The West End of London is an area of central London, containing many of the city's major tourist attractions, shops, businesses, government buildings, and entertainment . Use of the term began in the early 19th century to describe fashionable areas to the west of Charing Cross...
, a district of the centre of London, inspired its name to Mr. Arnold Charpié who was the Bombay representative of the Alcide Droz & Sons firm, a watch company established at Saint-Imier
Saint-Imier
Saint-Imier is a municipality in the Jura bernois administrative district in the canton of Bern in Switzerland. It is located in the French-speaking Bernese Jura .Observatoire Astronomique de Mont-Soleil is located above the village....
(Canton of Bern) in Switzerland.
In 1886, MM. Amstutz and Droz, the owner of Alcide Droz & Sons firm, began the exploitation of the trademark West End Watch Company in the Indian market and developed the first waterproof pocket watch ever produced : "L'Impermeable" (nowadays displayed at the International Watchmaking Museum of La Chaux-de-Fonds
La Chaux-de-Fonds
La Chaux-de-Fonds is a Swiss city of the district of La Chaux-de-Fonds in the canton of Neuchâtel. It is located in the Jura mountains at an altitude of 1000 m, a few kilometres from the French border. After Geneva and Lausanne, it is the third largest city of Romandie, the French-speaking part of...
).
During the First World War, a large force of British and Indian soldiers was sent from Bombay to the Persian Gulf to reach Mesopotamia
Mesopotamia
Mesopotamia is a toponym for the area of the Tigris–Euphrates river system, largely corresponding to modern-day Iraq, northeastern Syria, southeastern Turkey and southwestern Iran.Widely considered to be the cradle of civilization, Bronze Age Mesopotamia included Sumer and the...
(modern-day Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
). They received some West End Watch Company watches.
In 1917, West End Watch Company changed its name to Société des Montres West End SA and was registered in Geneva
Geneva
Geneva In the national languages of Switzerland the city is known as Genf , Ginevra and Genevra is the second-most-populous city in Switzerland and is the most populous city of Romandie, the French-speaking part of Switzerland...
. At the same time the sub-brand Sowar was also registered.
In 1934, the Société des Montres West End SA was the first brand to introduce the Incabloc anti-shock system invented by Mr. Braunschweig.
In 1973, after several years of development, the company was finally sold, for lack of heirs, to his main supplier : "Aubry Brothers Ltd", established in Noirmont (Jura
Canton of Jura
The Republic and Canton of the Jura , also known as the Canton of Jura or Canton Jura, is one of the cantons of Switzerland. It is the newest of the 26 Swiss cantons, located in the northwestern part of Switzerland. The capital is Delémont...
) to keep open the Bombay West End Watch Company's office.
Since 2000 the workshops and the head office of the company have been moved to Leytron
Leytron
Leytron is a municipality in the district of Martigny in the canton of Valais in Switzerland.-Geography:Leytron has an area, , of . Of this area, or 27.1% is used for agricultural purposes, while or 30.1% is forested...
, in Wallis. At the same time, the company was taken over by new shareholders and the management changed.
In 2005 West End Watch Company celebrated its 120th anniversary of uninterrupted presence in Asia
Asia
Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...
with the introduction of its "Silk Road concept". This concept came from the fact that the Silk Road
Silk Road
The Silk Road or Silk Route refers to a historical network of interlinking trade routes across the Afro-Eurasian landmass that connected East, South, and Western Asia with the Mediterranean and European world, as well as parts of North and East Africa...
crossed most of the regions where the brand possessed, and still possesses, counters.
Nowadays, West End Watch Company is active in Saudi Arabia, in the United Arab Emirates, in the Himalaya Range (in particular in Tibet, Nepal and in Bhutan) and as well as in western half of China.
2010 A first in the brand's history, West End Watch Company watches are now exclusively distributed/sold in the USA and Canada by Empire Brands. EB is a distributor of leading products around the globe.
In 2011, West End Watch Company will celebrate its 125 years of uninterrupted activity so a commemorative book redrawing the history of the brand will be published in 2010 in association with the Centre Jurassien d’Archives et de Recherches Economiques.
The model still manufactured today is Sowar. In Hindustani
Hindustani language
Hindi-Urdu is an Indo-Aryan language and the lingua franca of North India and Pakistan. It is also known as Hindustani , and historically, as Hindavi or Rekhta...
, Sowar
Sowar
Sowar , meaning 'The one who rides' in Persian, was originally a rank during the Mughal period. Later during the British Raj it was the name in Anglo-Indian usage for a horse-soldier belonging to the cavalry troops of the native armies of British India and the feudal states...
means "warrior" and this name was selected in honor of Sir Thomas Edward Lawrence (Lawrence of Arabia) because it's said that he and his soldiers wore some West End Watch Company watches during the war.
Articles
- Ella MaillartElla MaillartElla Maillart was a French-speaking Swiss adventurer, travel writer and photographer, as well as a sportswoman.- Life :...
mentions the presence of West End Watch Company watches in Western China in the 1930s in her book "Forbidden Journey - From Peking to Cashmir" (on page 252) : He introduces us a robust Turki with blond beard whose 'West End Watch chronometer' features an inscription in which Aurel Stein expresses his thanks to Musa Ahoun, his interpret.
External links
- Federation of the Swiss Watch Industry
- Société des Montres WEST END SA
- International Watchmaking Museum
- http://www.westendwatchusa.com