Swiss Poinçons de Maître
Copyright © David Boettcher 2006 - 2018 all rights reserved.In the 1920s a formal registration system was introduced for Swiss watch case makers, to provide traceability for watch cases made of precious metals back to the actual maker. This required all precious metal watch cases made in Switzerland to carry a mark to identify the case maker. In Swiss the mark is called the Poinçon de Maître, which is literally the "Punch of the Master" but is usually referred to in English as a Collective Responsibility Mark. I rather like the Swiss term, so I will stick to using that.
Watch manufacturers didn't usually want the name of the case maker appearing in the back of their watches because the case maker was normally a separate company that supplied several, or even many, different watch manufacturers with cases. To comply with the law a system of marks and code numbers was devised by the Swiss watch case manufacturers, with different symbols representing the different case making regions of Switzerland, principally Geneva and the Neuchatel and Jura regions. The marks are called collective responsibility marks because each one was used by more than one member of the association.
These marks are usually seen in gold, platinum or palladium cases. Although provision was made by the Swiss watch case makers association for silver cases to be marked, these are rarely seen.
The lists of marks and registrants were centralised in 1934 and the only information the Swiss authorities now have is from that date. However, the lists have lots of gaps in the sequence of numbers and it seems unlikely that these were present in the original lists from the 1920s. If you find any one of the marks without a listed number please let me know.
Origins of the System
La Fédération Horlegère Suisse, 5 May 1926
The system was introduced in the mid 1920s. I don't know exactly when, and the current Swiss precious metal control authority doesn't know either. Before 1934 the system was administered locally in the individual Swiss cantons and when it was centralised in 1934 the previous records were not maintained.
The extract from La Fédération Horlegère Suisse from May 1926 shown here describes how the Poinçon de Maître are registered at the assay office or "bureau de contrôle" of the canton or arrondissement where the manufacturer operates or resides. This clearly shows that the system of poinçon de maître or collective responsibility marks for watch cases was certainly in use by May 1926.
The extract also says that the bureau de contrôle is responsible for the guarantee marks that are struck on the work that show the "dureé du plaqué" i.e. the duration or expected lifetime of plating. This is for gold filled or gold plated cases.
I have seen a nine carat gold watch case with London import hallmarks for 1924/1925 without a Poinçon de Maître. The earliest date the the London hallmark could have been struck was at the end of May or beginning of June 1924, so the system must have been started after that date but before May 1926.
Louis Lang advertisement with PdM January 1925
The earliest mention of a Poinçon de Maître that I have seen to date is in the advert by Louis Lang from January 1925. The round topped shield containing the letters "L.L."" is clearly identified as a Poinçon de Maître. This mark does not follow the scheme of the 1934 registration but is instead more like a normal trademark. It appears that initially manufacturers could register marks like this either in place of or in addition to one of the five collective responsibility marks.
The advert says that the company of Louis Lang manufactures watch cases in gold plate (plaqué or) that are guaranteed for 5, 10 or 20 years, and also cases in silver, "métal" and steel (acier). I think that in this context métal means nickel. It is strange that they do not mention making gold cases, only gold plated cases. The use of a Poinçon de Maître on gold plated cases ties in with the statement in the 1926 notice above about the mark guaranteeing the duration of the plating. A later Act in 1934 makes no mention of gold plated cases, only gold and platinum cases.
There are gaps in the 1934 list, most of them probably due to the registered company going out of business between the origin of the systems and the centralisation in 1934. Some of these gaps are quite large, for instance the list of Poinçons de Maître No. 1, the hammer head, contains only three numbers below 100, numbers 2, 11 and 26. This implies that the other 97 of the first 100 registrants had ceased trading by 1934.
The case of Poinçons de Maître No. 2, the hammer with handle, is even more mysterious. In the 1934 list there are only two entries, 115 and 160. The highest number that has been reported to me with a hammer with handle mark is 321. This implies that perhaps 319 companies on the original list had ceased trading by 1934. I don't think that was actually what happened, I think there was a reorganisation of the lists that left the hammer with handle mark redundant, but at the moment that is just speculation.
The 1934 Act
In 1934 a new Act was passed which required all the Poinçon de Maître marks to be registered at the Swiss Central Office for Precious Metals Control in Berne.
The responsibility marks shown in the section below were registered by the Fédération Suisse des Associations de Fabricants de Boîtes de Montres (Swiss Federation of Associations of Watch Cases Producers, or F.B. for short). The Federation changed its name in 1966 to called Union Suisse des Fabricants de Boites de Montre (USFB) (Swiss Union of Watch Cases Manufacturers). Later this was changed to the Union Suisse pour l'Habillage de la Montre (USH) (Swiss Union for Watch Casing). In 2006 it took the name USH-APIC, Union Suisse pour l'Habillage de la Montre et Association Patronale Suisse des Industries Microtechniques (Swiss Union for Watch Casing and Employers' Association of Industries Microtechnologies) and is now known as "apiah" (Association patronale des industries de l'Arc-horloger). It is based in La Chaux-de-Fonds.
Responsibility Marks
The system of Poinçons de Maître used different pictographic symbols to represent the different case making regions of Switzerland, principally Geneva and the Neuchatel and Jura regions. The marks are called "collective responsibility" marks because each one was used by more than one member of the association. However, so that the individual members could be identified, each member of the association was allocated a registration number which they stamped in the mark. The gave traceability back to the specific manufacturer of a watch case as was required by law.
The responsibility marks are shown in the table below. They are usually very small and quite difficult to see, and are mainly seen on gold, platinum or palladium cases., although they do very occasionally turn up one silver cases, which No.3 and No. 4 were specifically intended for. Responsibility marks were not required by law on Swiss cases so their use was voluntary.
When stamped the XXX shown in the marks are replaced with a number that indicates the maker of the case. If you do find one in your watch case, then it is a simple matter to consult the tables of registered marks further down on this page and see who was the case maker.
When stamped the XXX shown in the marks are replaced by a number that indicates the maker. | ||
| Number | Name | Description |
|---|---|---|
| No. 1 | Hammer Head, or Hammer without Handle | For gold, platinum and palladium watch cases made in Switzerland outside Geneva. |
| No. 2 | Hammer with Handle | Usage not recorded: see "The hammer with handle mystery" below. |
| No. 3 | Marquee of Fédération des Fabricants de Boîtes Argent (FFBA) | For silver watch cases made in Switzerland. |
| No. 4 | Arbalète or Crossbow | For silver watch cases made in Switzerland. |
| No. 5 | Key of Geneva | For gold, platinum and palladium watch cases of minimum thickness 0.3mm made in Geneva. |
| No. 6 | Shield | For gold, platinum and palladium watch cases of thickness less than 0.3mm made in Geneva. |
The system and numbering pre-dates 1934, but the 1934 list is the only one we have available today and it has some gaps in it, presumably where the registrant no longer existed when the 1934 list was compiled. So it is possible to find these Collective Responsibility marks in watch cases that are earlier than 1934, and if the registrant is in the 1934 list, all well and good, but the gaps in the 1934 list are presumably where earlier registrants had gone out of business before the list was compiled.
Lists of the marks and registration numbers, together with the names of the watch case makers who the marks were registered to, can be found further down on this page. You can click on the picture of the mark or the live links in the table above to jump straight to the part of the list that you want to see.
Missing Numbers
In addition to the large number of numbers missing from PdM number 2, the hammer with handle which I discuss in the "hammer with handle" mystery below, each of the lists has some numbers missing. If you have or see a watch case with one of the missing numbers, please let me know via my Contact me page.
The "Hammer With Handle" Mystery
Hammer with Handle No. 180
The hammer with handle mark is rather interesting because there are only two numbers listed in the 1934 list, 115 and 160. This seems to imply that there must have been a large number of companies with this mark at one time, but that they had all gone out of business before 1934. It seems unlikely that such a large number of companies would have gone out of business in 10 years and therefore I suspect that something else happened, but I don't know what.
An official description of the meaning and use of each of the marks that was supplied to me in 2011 by USH-APIC contains no reference to mark No. 2, the hammer with handle. Unfortunately this description is not dated.
The one thing that can be said for sure is that if your watch has a hammer with handle mark and the number on the hammer head is not either 115 or 160 then it must have been made between when the Poinçon de Maître system began, circa 1925, and 1934.
I have a Stauffer & Co. watch with the Hammer with Handle mark shown to the right. The watch case is 9 carat gold and has Glasgow import hallmarks for 1926 / 1927, further evidence that the Poinçon de Maître registration system was in use before 1934. As you can see it has a number 180 on the hammer head, but there is no record in the 1934 list of a company using this symbol with the number 180, so the maker of this case must have gone out of business between 1926 / 27 when this case was made and 1934 when the central list was compiled.
I asked USH-APIC and the Swiss Central Office for Precious Metal Control about this, but they have no records prior to 1934. If the numbers were issued consecutively starting with 1, like for the other marks, there may have been up to 180 companies, and possibly more, using the hammer with handle mark registered with the Cantonal Authorities outside Geneva in the mid 1920s when the Poinçon de Maître registration system was introduced.
No. 321, thanks to Glenn
If you have an example of a Poinçon de Maître of the hammer with handle that is not either 115 or 160, please let me know so that I can add the "unknown" manufacturers to the list. One day this might lead to something.
A correspondent sent me details of a lady's wristwatch with an 18K 0,750 gold case with Swiss head of Helvetia carrying the hammer with handle mark and the registration number 321 as shown in the second picture here.
The watch movement is marked Dueber Hampden Watch co, Swiss 2 Adj .15 Jewel, believed to be manufactured by the Venus Watch Co. of La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland, dating approximately to the 1920s.
The registration number 321 is is far higher than any previous registration number that I had seen. I now think it is more likely that some reorganisation or consolidation of the lists of Poinçons de Maître took place in the 1920s, rather than the unlikely scenario of over 300 separate case manufacturers all going out of business in the space of a few years.
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Poinçon de Maître No.1 : Hammer Head
Where a number is missing from the table the registrant of that number must have gone out of business before the data was centralised in 1934. At the moment we have no way to know who that company was.
Where the date of "Radiation" or striking off is blank, the company was still in existence when this data was compiled in September 2007.
 "Marteau sans manche" : Hammer without handle, or hammer head. For gold and platinum watch cases made in Switzerland outside Geneva. Why do some of the companies have addresses in Geneva? Probably that was their headquarters, and they also had a factory outside Geneva. | ||||
| No. | Nom de l'utilisateur | Lieu | Enregistrement | Radiation |
| 2 | F. Baumgartner SA | Genève | 21.07.1934 | 05.11.1958 |
| 11 | Manufacture Taubert | Genève | 21.07.1934 | 05.11.1958 |
| 26 | Ponti, Gennari & Cie | Genève | 21.07.1934 | 05.11.1958 |
| 100 | Union Suisse pour l’Habillage de la Montre (USH) | Biel/Bienne 4 | 11.07.1969 | |
| 101 | Junod Frères & Cie | La Chaux-de-Fonds | 21.07.1934 | 12.09.1935 |
| 102 | Amez-Droz & Cie., Boîtes de montres Zéma | Tramelan | 21.07.1934 | 31.08.1966 |
| 103 | Pro-Boîtes SA | La Chaux-de-Fonds | 21.07.1934 | 07.02.1995 |
| 104 | Manufacture Cartier La Chaux-de-Fonds | La Chaux-de-Fonds | 21.07.1934 | 28.02.2000 |
| 105 | Les Fils de Jules Blum | La Chaux-de-Fonds | 21.07.1934 | 16.05.1974 |
| 106 | Louis Wursten fils | La Chaux-de-Fonds | 21.07.1934 | 01.01.1941 |
| 107 | Mme H. Cattin, Successeur de François Cattin | La Chaux-de-Fonds | 21.07.1934 | 13.03.1952 |
| 108 | Jacques Beiner / Roger Parel SA | St-Imier | 21.07.1934 | 05.01.1984 |
| 109 | Oréade, Manufacture de Boîtes SA | La Chaux-de-Fonds | 21.07.1934 | |
| 112 | G. & C. Ducommun SA | La Chaux-de-Fonds | 21.07.1934 | 01.01.1940 |
| 115 | Manufacture Favre & Perret SA | La Chaux-de-Fonds | 21.07.1934 | |
| 116 | Flückiger & Cie | La Chaux-de-Fonds | 21.07.1934 | 13.03.1952 |
| 117 | Guillod Gunther SA | La Chaux-de-Fonds | 21.07.1934 | |
| 119 | Gindraux SA | La Chaux-de-Fonds | 21.07.1934 | 30.08.1972 |
| 121 | Guillod Gunther SA | La Chaux-de-Fonds | 21.07.1934 | |
| 122 | Oreade, Manufacture de boîtes SA | La Chaux-de-Fonds | 21.07.1934 | |
| 123 | Pfenniger & Cie SA | La Chaux-de-Fonds | 21.07.1934 | 26.06.1980 |
| 124 | Manufacture Cartier La Chaux-de-Fonds | La Chaux-de-Fonds | 21.07.1934 | 30.04.1993 |
| 126 | Orac SA, Andre Brauchi | Yvonand | 21.07.1934 | |
| 127 | G. Balet SA | La Chaux-de-Fonds | 21.07.1934 | 09.09.1992 |
| 128 | Jung & Cie | La Chaux-de-Fonds | 21.07.1934 | 29.01.1966 |
| 129 | JSG SA | La Chaux-de-Fonds | 21.07.1934 | |
| 130 | Junod & Fils | La Chaux-de-Fonds | 21.07.1934 | 01.01.1941 |
| 132 | Eric Monnier | La Chaux-de-Fonds | 21.07.1934 | 10.03.1992 |
| 135 | Orixa SA | La Chaux-de-Fonds | 21.07.1934 | 01.01.1940 |
| 136 | C.R. Spillmann SA | Chêne-Bourg | 21.07.1934 | 05.04.1988 |
| 137 | Paul Voumard | La Chaux-de-Fonds | 21.07.1934 | 01.01.1941 |
| 140 | B. et C. Dubois | Le Locle | 21.07.1934 | 09.12.1947 |
| 141 | Gabus Frères, Oracier SA | Le Locle | 21.07.1934 | 26.06.1960 |
| 142 | Envers SA | Le Locle | 21.07.1934 | 20.01.1939 |
| 143 | Classicor SA | La Chaux-de-Fonds | 21.07.1934 | 10.03.1992 |
| 147 | Charles Kohli | Tramalan | 21.07.1934 | 15.01.1957 |
| 148 | Vuilliomenet & Cie SA | Biel/Bienne | 21.07.1934 | 01.01.1943 |
| 149 | Wyss & Cie | Biel/Bienne | 21.07.1934 | 18.01.1975 |
| 150 | Ernst Böhlen | Grenchen | 21.07.1934 | 15.01.1957 |
| 151 | Hermann Heggendom AG | Grenchen | 21.07.1934 | |
| 152 | Jean Curty SA | La Chaux-de-Fonds | 21.07.1934 | 26.01.1984 |
| 156 | Helbein Frères & Co. | Genève | 21.07.1934 | 21.12.1935 |
| 158 | Jean Arnoux | Le Noirmont | 21.07.1934 | |
| 161 | Joseph Erard SA | Le Noirmont | 21.07.1934 | |
| 163 | BGM Miserez SA | Saignelégier | 21.07.1934 | |
| 166 | Henri Jeanneret | Peseux | 21.07.1934 | 15.01.1957 |
| 167 | Carnal & Cie. SA | La Chaux-de-Fonds | 21.07.1934 | 31.12.1976 |
| 168 | A. Bähler & fils | Fleurier | 21.07.1934 | 17.09.1936 |
| 170 | Cédex, Charles Dubois SA | Le Locle | 25.11.1947 | 16.06.1982 |
| 171 | Bernard Dubois SA | Le Locle | 25.11.1947 | 20.01.1987 |
| 172 | Novelor, Jean-Pierre Dubois | La Chaux-de-Fonds | 25.11.1947 | 05.08.1987 |
| 173 | Pierre-Antoine Nardin & Cie. | Le Locle | 25.11.1947 | 17.08.1978 |
| 174 | Boîtes de montres Huguenin SA | Le Locle | 25.06.1958 | 14.10.1977 |
| 175 | Max Fuchs SA | Genève | 01.09.1961 | 02.10.1973 |
| 176 | Bielna SA | Biel/Bienne | 23.02.1962 | 09.09.1992 |
| 177 | Gerard Queloz SA | Saignelégier | 01.03.1962 | 29.01.1966 |
| 178 | Pernador SA | St-Imier | 13.04.1962 | 18.12.1969 |
| 179 | La Centrale | Biel/Bienne | 26.03.1962 | 15.02.1978 |
| 180 | U. Paratte fils | Le Noirmont | 08.06.1962 | 16.05.1970 |
| 181 | Fabrique de boîtes P. Etienne SA | Les Bois | 11.07.1962 | 01.01.1998 |
| 183 | Nouvelle Piquerez SA | Bassecourt | 01.04.1963 | |
| 184 | Schmitz & Cie | Nidau | 01.01.1938 | 29.01.1966 |
| 201 | Hermann Bodemer SA | La Chaux-de-Fonds | 21.07.1934 | 26.06.1980 |
| 202 | Bijoux Bonnet SA | La Chaux-de-Fonds | 21.07.1934 | 03.03.1997 |
| 204 | Marcel Girardin | La Chaux-de-Fonds | 21.07.1934 | 17.09.1936 |
| 205 | Georges Meroz SA | Neuchâtel | 21.07.1934 | 31.08.1976 |
| 206 | Varac SA | La Chaux-de-Fonds | 21.07.1934 | 18.06.1981 |
| 207 | A. J. Niestlé | Peseux | 21.07.1934 | 16.05.1974 |
| 210 | Rubattel & Weyermann SA | La Chaux-de-Fonds | 21.07.1934 | |
| 211 | Spichiger, Hoffmann & Cie | La Chaux-de-Fonds | 21.07.1934 | 01.01.1941 |
| 212 | Marcel Etienne | Le Locle | 21.07.1934 | 12.06.1952 |
| 213 | René Fer SA | La Chaux-de-Fonds | 21.07.1934 | 26.11.1996 |
| 214 | Montadon & Cie | Le Locle | 21.07.1934 | 01.01.1967 |
| 215 | G. Schwab | La Chaux-de-Fonds | 21.07.1934 | 21.03.1938 |
| 217 | Jean Lampert | La Chaux-de-Fonds | 21.07.1934 | 17.06.1963 |
| 218 | J. Beiner, successeur de Gianoli | La Chaux-de-Fonds | 21.07.1934 | 05.01.1984 |
| 219 | Soguel & Co. | La Chaux-de-Fonds | 21.07.1934 | 26.06.1980 |
| 220 | Bijouterie M.-H. Baillod | La Chaux-de-Fonds | 21.07.1934 | 26.06.1980 |
| 221 | Manufacture Cartier La Chaux-de-Fonds | La Chaux-de-Fonds | 21.07.1934 | 28.02.2000 |
| 351 | Revor, Walter Brusa | La Chaux-de-Fonds | 21.07.1934 | |
| 352 | Serva SA | La Chaux-de-Fonds | 14.07.1947 | 01.01.1960 |
| 353 | Stila SA | La Chaux-de-Fonds | 21.07.1934 | |
| 354 | Grandjean Sarl | La Chaux-de-Fonds | 04.04.1973 | 10.09.2004 |
| 355 | Henri Viatte | Delémont | 25.11.1977 | 29.10.1981 |
| 356 | Simon & Membrez SA | Courtételle | 03.08.1978 | |
| 357 | Calame & Cie SA | La Chaux-de-Fonds | 21.07.1934 | |
| 358 | Bernard Paratte | La Chaux-de-Fonds | 21.07.1934 | 03.03.1997 |
| 359 | F. de G. SA | Chêne-Bourg | 21.07.1934 | |
| 360 | Jaquet SA | La Chaux-de-Fonds | 21.07.1934 | |
| 361 | Bruno Affolter SA | La Chaux-de-Fonds | 21.07.1934 | |
| 362 | Celinor SA | Le Locle | 21.10.1986 | 10.03.1992 |
| 363 | Donzé-Baume SA | La Chaux-de-Fonds | 15.09.1987 | |
| 364 | Manufacture Ruedin SA | Bassecourt | 15.10.1987 | |
| 365 | Louis Lang SA | Porrentruy | 26.10.1989 | |
| 366 | EMG Micromecanique SA | La Chaux-de-Fonds | 04.07.1990 | |
| 367 | Valentini SA | Bassecourt | 23.11.1990 | 10.09.2004 |
| 368 | Habra SA | Biel/Bienne | 14.05.1991 | 15.10.1993 |
| 369 | Jean Paratte Sarl | Saignelégier | 03.05.1991 | |
| 370 | AS Line SA | St-Imier | 17.07.1991 | |
| 371 | Froidevaux frères | Müntschemier | 11.07.1992 | |
| 372 | Miguel Gil | La Chaux-de-Fonds | 26.10.1993 | |
| 373 | Manufacture de boîtes de montres MRP SA / M.R.P. SA | Alle | 17.06.1993 | |
| 374 | Jean-Pierre Hadorn | Biel/Bienne | 24.01.1994 | 10.09.2004 |
| 375 | Boitor SA / Boîtor SA / Boîte Or Chiasso SA | Chiasso | 25.02.1994 | 27.03.1996 |
| 376 | Neuenschwander Composants Horologers SA | La Chaux-de-Fonds | 18.01.1994 | |
| 377 | Paul Wyss SA | Courtételle | 23.04.1999 | 10.09.2004 |
| 378 | Queloz SA | Saignelégier | 16.09.2003 | |
| 400 | Centre-Boîtes SA | Biel/Bienne | 01.01.1970 | 15.05.1975 |
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Poinçon de Maître No. 2: Hammer With Handle
The hammer with handle mark is rather interesting because there are only two numbers listed in the 1934 list, 115 and 160. This is discussed in greater detail in the section The "Hammer With Handle" Mystery at the head of this page.
People have been kindly sending me sightings of hammer with handle marks so now we have quite a large database of marks, but still very little idea about who the registrants were. Where a number is missing from the table the registrant of that number must have stopped using the mark before the data was centralised in 1934.
The first glimmer of light is that a hammer with handle mark No. 136 has been seen in a Rolex Oyster with Glasgow Assay Office import hallmarks for 1927 to 1928. This is interesting because my research has shown that these early Oyster cases were all made by the company C.R. Spillmann SA, who also had an mark in the hammer without handle list with the same number, 136.
Does this mean that if you have a watch case with an unidentified hammer with handle mark you can simply look up the registrant in the hammer head list? Unfortunately perhaps not. Although Manufacture Favre & Perret SA appears in both lists with registration number 115, Joseph Erard SA, the second of the only two numbers listed in the 1934 hammer with handle list with registration number 160, is listed in the hammer head list with registration number 161, so it appears that there might not be a direct read across. However, number 160 is missing from the hammer head list, so this does not entirely rule out the possibility of read across.
If you have an example of a Poinçon de Maître of the hammer with handle that is not either 115 or 160, please let me know so that I can add it to the list.
Dating a Hammer with Handle
A hammer with handle mark that is not either 115 or 160 must have been made between the date when the Poinçon de Maître system began, circa 1925, and 1934.
 Hammer with Handle or "Marteau avec manche". Usage not recorded — see The "Hammer With Handle" Mystery. | ||||
No. | Nom de l'utilisateur (Name of the User) | Lieu | Enregistrement | Radiation |
102 | Seen in a gold watch case with the trademark AK incuse within an incuse rectangular shield. | |||
103 | 9ct gold cushion case wristwatch around 1930 movement stamped PLUTO, possibly Leon Breitling. | |||
105 |  Seen in a gold ladies watch by Mido, and also in the 18 carat gold case of a Harwood self winding watch marketed in Barcelona by Blancpain in 1932 as per image here, thanks to Colin J. | |||
109 | Seen in a lady's wristwatch by Cyma with Glasgow Assay Office import hallmarks for 9 carat gold 1927/28 sponsor's mark JC with also Schwob Freres mark. | |||
112 |  Seen in a Gruen gold watch case with Swiss 14k hallmark and the German crown mark from circa 1932. The Swiss hallmark shows 0,585 fineness with two squirrels, one large one small, which indicates the slightly higher 14 carat fineness for counties where this was the minimum legal requirement.
Also seen in a case with Glasgow Assay Office import hallmarks for 1933/34 and the sponsor's mark GN for George Nicolet of Stauffer, Son and Co. A late use of this mark. | |||
114 | Seen in a lady's gold-cased wristwatch marked Dublin import 1927 9 carat gold with Stockwell & Co. sponsor's mark. | |||
115 | Manufacture Favre & Perret SA; one of the only two numbers listed in the 1934 list. Interestingly, the company had the same registration number for a hammer without handle in the 1934 list. | Le Crêt-du-Locle | 21.07.1934 | 22.06.1966 |
116 |  Seen in the 18 carat gold case of an Eterna watch. | |||
117 |  Seen in an 18 carat gold case marked Baume & Mercier, and also Normana Chronograph with Valjoux 22 15''' movement. | |||
119 |  Seen in an 18 carat gold case of a jump hour watch, the mechanism bears a mark of a shield with TR, registered by A. Schild in 1927. | |||
120 | Seen in a pocket watch case with Swiss hallmarks for 14 carat gold and the German sun and imperial crown mark. | |||
121 | Seen in ladies' 9 carat gold watch case with London import hallmarks for 1927/28, sponsor's mark DBS for Dimier Brothers. | |||
122 | Seen in a pocket watch with a Marvin movement. | |||
124 |  Seen in a Rotary watch with Glasgow Assay Office import hallmarks for 1929/1930, sponsor's mark SD (Sylvain Dreyfuss). Also seen in an unidentified nine carat gold watch case with Glasgow Assay Office import hallmarks for 1926 to 1927 (date letter "d"), shown in the image here. | |||
126 | Seen in a lady's watch case with Swiss hallmarks for 14 carat gold and the German sun and imperial crown mark. | |||
130 |  Seen in a nine carat gold watch with Stockwell and Company's sponsor mark GS and London Assay Office import hallmarks for 1926/27. The movement is an A. Schild calibre 168 which carries the trademark "Sunbeam 554" engraved on the barrel bridge. | |||
132 | Seen in a Swiss chronograph wristwatch with 18 carat gold case bought in Italy after World War 1. | |||
133 | Seen in a Swiss pocket watch with 14 carat 0.585 gold case. | |||
134 |  Seen in a watch case with the trademark MD in rectangle with convex top registered 28 July 1934 by Fils de Moise Dreyfuss, Fabrique de Montres Rotary, La Chaux-de-Fonds. It seems likely that the PdM was registered by a separate company that made the watch case. | |||
135 |  Seen in a gold trench watch with Sylvain Dreyfuss' sponsor mark SD and London Assay Office import hallmarks for 1925/26. | |||
136 |
C.R. Spillmann SA. 
Spillmann's PdM No. 1 #136 
Spillmann's PdM No. 2 #136 The hammer with handle mark with number 136 was seen in the case of a Rolex Oyster with Glasgow Assay Office import hallmarks for nine carat gold and the date letter "d" for 1926 to 1927. This is an interesting observation because the vast majority of early Rolex Oyster cases that I have seen have PdM No.1, the hammer head, with the registration number 136 of C.R. Spillmann SA. One of these marks is also reproduced here, from a Rolex Oyster case with Glasgow Assay Office import hallmarks for 1927 to 1928. The coincidence between the number 136 on a hammer with handle mark in a gold Rolex Oyster case hallmarked 1926/27, and the number 136 on a hammer head, which we know from the 1934 list is Spillman's registration number, is notable. Does this allow us to fill in one of the blanks in the "Hammer with Handle" list? I think so, hence the name in bold at the head of this section. Another interesting possibility is that this shows a changeover from the hammer with handle mark, used by Spillman until 1926/27, to the hammer head in 1927/28. We know that by 1934 the use of the hammer with handle mark had virtually ceased, there are only two registrants listed on the 1934 hammer with handle list. Perhaps this the first clue to what happened, use of the hammer with handle was discontinued in favour of the hammer head, a more discreet mark. Does this mean that if you have a watch case with an unidentified hammer with handle mark you can simply look up the registrant in the hammer head list? Unfortunately perhaps not. Although Manufacture Favre & Perret SA appears in both lists with registration number 115, Joseph Erard SA, the second of the only two numbers listed in the 1934 hammer with handle list with registration number 160, is listed in the hammer head list with registration number 161, so it appears that there is not always a direct read across. The hammer with handle mark with number 136 was also seen in a watch case with Glasgow Assay Office import marks for nine carat gold and the date letter "d" for 1926 to 1927, sponsor's mark entered by Samuel Norman Burgess of London. The case was clearly made by Spillmann SA for a customer other than Rolex, so seeing Spillmann's PdM on a case does not necessarily mean that the watch has any connection to Rolex. | |||
138 |  Seen in a ladies' watch with 18 carat white gold case sold by Mersmann, who are still an upmarket jewellers in Lugano, Switzerland, founded in 1925. The face is Art Deco which suggests a 1920/30 date that fits in exactly with the Hammer with Handle mystery. The case also has a crown within a sun mark. This is a German mark but doesn't always mean that the watch was imported into Germany, see German Marks. | |||
142 | Seen in a gold pocket watch with London import hallmarks. | |||
145 |   Seen in a ladies' watch with Edinburgh import marks for 9 carat gold for 1927 to 1928. The sponsor's mark is AGR for Robert Pringle & Sons.
The trademark is the initials RV run together | |||
160 | Joseph Erard SA; the second of the only two numbers listed in the 1934 list. The company has the hammer without handle number 161 in the 1934 list, although there is no number 160 in that list. | Noirmont | 21.07.1934 | 01.01.1940 |
180 | Seen in a Swiss wristwatch imported by Stauffer & Co., the nine carat gold case has Glasgow Assay Office import hallmarks for 1926 / 1927. | |||
201 |  Seen in a lady's 18K watch case with Swiss head of Helvetia. | |||
203 |  Seen twice in ladies' 18K 0,750 watch cases with Swiss head of Helvetia hallmark. Thanks to Vanessa for the image. | |||
205 |  Seen in a ladies' watch case with Swiss head of Helvetia hallmark and 18K mark, containing a movement by Tavannes. Thanks to Jay for the image. | |||
321 |  Seen in a lady's 18K 0,750 watch case with Swiss head of Helvetia hallmark. The case is in the "art deco" style. Thanks to Glenn for the image. The movement is marked "Dueber Hampden Watch Co, Swiss", with two adjustments and 15 jewels. The watch and its case were entirely made in Switzerland. It is believed to have been manufactured by the Venus Watch Co. of La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland in the 1920s. The America Dueber Watch Case Company and the Hampden Watch Company moved to Canton, Ohio USA, in 1888. In 1923 they merged to become the Dueber-Hampden Watch Company. | |||
on the sloping face of a pyramid. This mark was registered by the Actua Watch Co. SA of Plainpalais, Switzerland, on 14 June 1927. Actua also used the name Nitramex SA and had addresses in Bienne (1918-1925) and Geneva from 1925 until at least 1947. It was most likely simply a trading company and not a manufacture. Unfortunately this gives us no clue to the maker of the watchcase.Back to the top of the page.
Poinçons de Maître No. 3 and 4: Marquee and Crossbow
The lists under poinçon de maître No. 3, the marquee of the Fédération des Fabricants de Boîtes Argent (FFBA), and poinçon de maître No. 4, the arbalète or crossbow are identical up to entry number 48. Numbers 49 and 50 appear to have been "recycled", I have noted this on the list below. Other than this the two lists are identical so I have made one combined version here. The crossbow list stops at 50 with the exception of number 67 Manufacture Cartier La Chaux-de-Fonds, which is the same in both lists.
Where a registration number is missing from the sequence, the inference is that the registrant of that number had gone out of business before the data was centralised in 1934. At the moment we have no way to know who that company was. Where the date of "Radiation" or striking off is blank, the company was still in existence when this data was compiled in September 2007.
PdM 3: FFBA Marquee and PdM 4, Arbalète or Crossbow with Laurel Leaves. Both marks used by Fédération de Fabricants de Boîtes Argent (FFBA) (federation of silver case makers), later Fédération Suisse des associations de Fabricants de boîtes de montre (FB) then Union Suisse des fabricants de boîtes de montre (USFB). Only for silver watch cases made in the Swiss cantons of Neuchâtel and Jura. | ||||
| No. | Nom de l'utilisateur | Lieu | Enregistrement | Radiation |
| 1 | S. Graber SA | Renan BE | 02.08.1934 | 26.06.1980 |
| 2 | Bielna SA | Biel/Bienne | 02.08.1934 | 09.09.1992 |
| 3 | A. Bréguet SA | Biel/Bienne | 02.08.1934 | 01.01.1945 |
| 4 | La Centrale | Biel/Bienne | 02.08.1934 | 15.02.1978 |
| 5 | Heng & Bühlmann | Biel/Bienne | 02.08.1934 | 09.12.1935 |
| 6 | Nobs & Hermann | Biel/Bienne | 02.08.1934 | 04.05.1973 |
| 7 | A. Maeder-Leschot | Biel/Bienne | 02.08.1934 | 10.03.1948 |
| 8 | Meyer &Wetzel | Biel/Bienne | 02.08.1934 | 21.07.1962 |
| 10 | Schmitz &Cie | Nidau | 02.08.1934 | 06.10.1972 |
| 12 | Averos SA | Boécourt | 02.08.1934 | 13.11.2001 |
| 13 | Fabrique de boîtes Tramelan SA | Tramelan | 02.08.1934 | 06.10.1972 |
| 14 | H. Finger AG | Lengnau BE | 02.08.1934 | |
| 15 | Girard Frères | Grenchen | 02.08.1934 | 05.05.1961 |
| 16 | Heuri Frères | Welschenrohr | 02.08.1934 | 09.12.1935 |
| 18 | Schmitz frères & Cie. SA | Grenchen | 02.08.1934 | 01.01.1973 |
| 19 | Ducommun &Cie | La Chaux-de-Fonds | 02.08.1934 | 06.03.1936 |
| 20 | Manufacture Cartier La Chaux-de-Fonds | La Chaux-de-Fonds | 02.08.1934 | 30.04.1993 |
| 22 | Nobilia SA | Porrentruy | 02.08.1934 | 02.04.1969 |
| 23 | Pauli Frères | Villeret | 02.08.1934 | 19.10.1968 |
| 24 | BGM Miserez SA | Saignelégier | 02.08.1934 | |
| 25 | Gerber Frères SA | Delémont | 02.08.1934 | 09.12.1935 |
| 26 | Louis Lang SA | Porrentruy | 02.08.1934 | |
| 27 | Lüthy Frères | Delémont | 02.08.1934 | 02.12.1960 |
| 28 | Varrin &Cie | Fontenais | 02.08.1934 | 27.08.1959 |
| 30 | G. Hamel successeurs &Cie | Noiraigue | 02.08.1934 | 21.07.1962 |
| 31 | Fabrique de boîtes P. Etienne SA | Les Bois | 02.08.1934 | 01.01.1998 |
| 33 | Crevoisier &Cie | Fornet-Dessus | 02.08.1934 | 21.12.1935 |
| 34 | Donzé-Baume SA | Les Breuleux | 02.08.1934 | |
| 36 | Joseph Erard SA | Le Noirmont | 02.08.1934 | 03.12.1936 |
| 37 | Léon Frossard | Les Pommerats | 02.08.1934 | 01.08.1944 |
| 38 | G &E Bouille SA | Neuchâtel | 02.08.1934 | 27.06.1975 |
| 39 | Jeangros Frères &Cie | Montfaucon | 02.08.1934 | 02.04.1969 |
| 40 | Albin Jobin | Saignelégier | 02.08.1934 | 01.01.1940 |
| 41 | BGM Miserez SA | Saignelégier | 02.08.1934 | 15.10.1970 |
| 42 | Manufacture Mirval SA | Saignelégier | 02.08.1934 | 15.10.1970 |
| 43 | Jean Parattte Sàrl | Saignelégier | 02.08.1934 | |
| 44 | Prétat SA | Cornol | 02.08.1934 | |
| 45 | Voisard SA | Les Pommerats | 02.08.1934 | 28.03.1983 |
| 46 | Boîtes de montres Huguenin SA | Le Locle | 02.08.1934 | 14.10.1977 |
| 47 | Eric Monnier | La Chaux-de-Fonds | 23.04.1970 | 10.03.1992 |
| 48 | Oréade, Manufacture de boîtes SA | La Chaux-de-Fonds | 23.04.1970 | |
| 49 | (Marquee) Pfenniger &Cie. SA | La Chaux-de-Fonds | 02.08.1934 | 26.06.1980 |
| 49 | (Crossbow) Helbein Frères &Co. | Genève | 02.08.1934 | 21.12.1935 |
| 50 | (Marquee) Joseph Erard SA | Le Noirmont | 23.04.1970 | |
| 50 | (Crossbow) Federation des fabricants de boites argent (FFBA) | Le Noirmont | 10.08.1937 | 29.04.1966 |
| 51 | Artisanor SA | Carouge GE | 01.01.1972 | 28.03.1983 |
| 52 | Orac SA, André Bräuchi | Yvonand | 31.10.1973 | |
| 53 | Cédex, Charles Dubois SA | Le Locle | 14.02.1974 | 16.06.1982 |
| 54 | Revor, Walter Brusa | La Chaux-de-Fonds | 14.02.1974 | |
| 55 | Classicor SA | La Chaux-de-Fonds | 14.02.1974 | 10.03.1992 |
| 56 | Stila SA | La Chaux-de-Fonds | 14.02.1974 | |
| 57 | Edmor SA | La Chaux-de-Fonds | 14.02.1974 | 28.03.1983 |
| 58 | Gabus Frères, Oracier SA | Le Locle | 14.02.1974 | 26.06.1980 |
| 59 | A. & J.-L Glauser/Diamantor | Montmollin | 14.02.1974 | 28.03.1983 |
| 60 | Union Suisse pour l’Habillage de la Montre (USH) | Biel / Bienne | 21.03.1970 | |
| 61 | Manufacture Cartier La Chaux-de-Fonds | La Chaux-de-Fonds | 14.02.1974 | 28.02.2000 |
| 62 | Max Fuchs SA | Genève | 05.05.1972 | 18.06.1981 |
| 63 | Henri Viatte | Delémont | 25.11.1977 | 29.10.1981 |
| 64 | Bernard Paratte | La Chaux-de-Fonds | 28.12.1978 | 03.03.1997 |
| 65 | Froidevaux frères | Müntschemier | 08.03.1991 | |
| 66 | Habra SA | Biel / Bienne | 14.05.1991 | 15.10.1993 |
| 67 | Manufacture Cartier La Chaux-de-Fonds | La Chaux-de-Fonds | 22.07.1991 | 28.02.2000 |
| 68 | Paul Wyss SA | Courtételle | 23.04.1999 | 10.09.2004 |
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Poinçon de Maître No. 5: Key of Geneva
Where a number is missing from the table the registrant of that number must have gone out of business before the data was centralised in 1934. At the moment we have no way to know who that company was.
Where the date of "Radiation" or striking off is blank, the company was still in existence when this data was compiled in September 2007.
PdM 5, key of Geneva. For gold and platinum watch cases minimum thickness 0.3mm made in Geneva. | ||||
| No. | Nom de l'utilisateur | Lieu | Enregistrement | Radiation |
| 1 | Ed. Wenger SA | Genève | 12.09.1934 | 07.04.1992 |
| 2 | F. Baumgartner SA | Genève | 12.09.1934 | 04.05.1973 |
| 3 |  This mark is something of a mystery. It is not on the list that I got from the Swiss authorities, which is supposed to show all marks in use between 1934 and 2007. The image shows an 18 carat gold case of a Jaeger-leCoultre wristwatch with a Cal. 480 movement circa 1950s. The horizontal rectangular mark with a slash through it and 4/10 numbers below is thought to refer to the case thickness 0.4mm, which is thicker than the minimum of 0.3mm allowed under this mark. Thanks to Conrad for the image. | |||
| 4 | Antoine Gerlach SA | Genève | 12.09.1934 | 29.08.1977 |
| 5 | Genevor SA | Meyrin | 12.09.1934 | 15.04.1991 |
| 6 | François Tavernier SA | Genève | 12.09.1934 | 21.07.1962 |
| 7 | Fabior, Olivier Judas | Gimel | 05.09.1957 | |
| 8 | C. Markowski | Genève | 12.09.1934 | 17.06.1963 |
| 9 | Emile Vichet SA | Genève | 12.09.1934 | 02.12.1960 |
| 10 | Union Suisse pour l’Habillage de la Montre (USH) | Biel/Bienne | 12.09.1934 | |
| 11 | Manufacture Taubert | Genève | 12.09.1934 | 16.05.1974 |
| 12 | Genex SA | Chêne-Bourg | 12.09.1934 | 19.12.1985 |
| 13 | Humbert-Droz &Fortner | Genève | 12.09.1934 | 17.08.1937 |
| 14 | J. + E Bonard &Cie. | Genève | 12.09.1934 | |
| 15 | Uli Rotach | Carouge GE | 12.09.1934 | 29.10.1975 |
| 17 | R. Schneider | Genève | 12.09.1934 | 29.08.1977 |
| 18 | Chappuis | Genève | 12.09.1934 | 01.01.1941 |
| 19 | Marc Houriet | Genève | 12.09.1934 | 12.06.1937 |
| 20 | Artisanor SA | Carouge GE | 12.09.1934 | 28.03.1983 |
| 21 | Ponti &Cie. SA | Genève | 12.09.1934 | |
| 22 | H. Maire SA | Genève | 12.09.1934 | 10.06.1954 |
| 23 | Eggly &Cie | Genève | 12.09.1934 | 22.03.1990 |
| 24 | Sogno SA | Genève | 12.09.1934 | 25.07.1986 |
| 26 | Ponti, Gennari & Cie | Genève | 12.09.1934 | 18.12.1969 |
| 27 | Adea Fontan Sàrl | Les Acacias | 12.09.1934 | |
| 28 | Patek, Philippe SA | Genève 2 | 12.09.1934 | |
| 29 | Weber &Cie. SA | Genève | 12.09.1934 | |
| 30 | Pellarin &Cie | Genève | 12.09.1934 | 16.05.1974 |
| 31 | Albert Lassieur | Genève | 12.09.1934 | 01.01.1940 |
| 32 | Gay Frères SA | Genève | 12.09.1934 | 04.05.2000 |
| 33 | Jules Mégevand | Genève | 12.09.1934 | 03.12.1936 |
| 34 | G. Meuwly & Fils, P. Meuwly succ. | Genève | 12.09.1934 | 22.03.2005 |
| 35 | Claude + Francis Hertig | Carouge GE | 24.06.1963 | 27.03.1996 |
| 36 | F. Kuhn SA | Genève | 11.11.1963 | 27.06.1975 |
| 37 | R. Staffelbach | Carouge GE | 01.01.1966 | 29.08.1977 |
| 38 | Max Fuchs SA | Genève | 31.10.1973 | 24.08.1994 |
| 39 | Stylor SA | Genève | 21.03.1974 | 25.07.1986 |
| 40 | Centre-Boîtes SA | Biel/Bienne | 01.01.1970 | 15.05.1975 |
| 41 | René Chambaz | Genève | 12.12.1974 | 29.10.1975 |
| 42 | F. de G. SA | Chêne-Bourg | 31.05.1983 | |
| 43 | Florian Favre SA | Les Acacias | 28.02.1989 | |
| 44 | Tournor, Charles Brandt &Fils | Genève | 25.02.1991 | 24.08.1994 |
| 45 | Franck Muller Watch Land SA | Genthod | 27.11.1991 | |
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Poinçon de Maître No. 6: shield
Where a number is missing from the table the registrant of that number must have gone out of business before the data was centralised in 1934. At the moment we have no way to know who that company was.
Where the date of "Radiation" or striking off is blank, the company was still in existence when this data was compiled in September 2007.
PdM 6, shield. For gold and platinum watch cases thickness less than 0.3mm made in Geneva. | ||||
| No. | Nom de l'utilisateur | Lieu | Enregistrement | Radiation |
| 1 | Ed. Wenger SA | Genève | 01.11.1957 | 22.03.1990 |
| 2 | F. Baumgartner SA | Genève | 01.11.1957 | 04.05.1973 |
| 5 | Genevor SA | Meyrin | 01.11.1957 | 15.04.1991 |
| 6 | François Tavernier SA | Genève | 01.11.1957 | 21.07.1962 |
| 9 | Emile Vichet SA | Genève | 01.11.1957 | 02.12.1960 |
| 11 | Manufacture Taubert | Genève | 01.11.1957 | 16.05.1974 |
| 12 | Genex SA | Chène-Bourg | 01.11.1957 | 19.12.1985 |
| 20 | Artisanor SA | Carouge GE | 24.12.1958 | 28.03.1983 |
| 23 | Eggly & Cie | Genève | 17.07.1959 | 22.03.1990 |
| 24 | Sogno SA | Genève | 01.01.1960 | 25.07.1986 |
| 26 | Ponti, Gennari & Cie | Genève | 01.01.1960 | 18.12.1969 |
| 29 | Weber & Cie SA | Genève | 03.06.1958 | |
| 36 | F. Kuhn SA | Genève | 01.09.1963 | 27.06.1975 |
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Copyright © David Boettcher 2006 - 2018 all rights reserved. This page updated December 2017. W3CMVS.