Swiss Poinçons de Maître
Copyright © David Boettcher 2005 - 2023 all rights reserved.NB: Bernd Riemann has discovered that the data in the tables supplied by the Central Office for Precious Metals Control, originally used to create the tables on this page, tell only part of the story, the very last part. The data was from a readout of the database in 2007. Between 1934 and 2007 many changes took place which are not documented: companies changed names, changed ownership, and sometimes the registration numbers were even reused! This makes the data in the 2007 tables unreliable. Bernd has researched all of these changes and has already made corrections to the tables; PdM2 to 6 are finished and Bernd is now working on updating and verifying PdM1.
In Switzerland in the 1920s, a system of marks called Poinçons de Maître, literally the “Punch of the Master”, was introduced to identify watch case manufacturers. There were two different types of Poinçon de Maître required for watch cases; one type was used on cases made of precious metal, principally gold, the other was used on cases plated with gold. Both systems were introduced in the 1920s.
- Bernd has discovered that the first collective responsibility mark was registered in 1926.
- The earliest evidence seen for a Poinçon de Maître on gold plated cases is an advert from April 1922.
Watch manufacturers didn't usually want the name of the case maker appearing in the back of their watches, because the case maker was usually a separate company who supplied many different watch manufacturers with cases. For cases made of precious metal a system of marks and code numbers was devised by the association of watch case manufacturers, with different symbols representing the different case making regions of Switzerland, principally Geneva and the Neuchâtel and Jura regions. This type of mark is called a “Collective Responsibility Mark” because the same mark was used by all the members of the association within the region, with a distinguishing number to identify which member.
Poinçons de Maître on precious metal cases are usually seen only in gold, platinum and palladium cases. Although provision was made by the Swiss watch case makers association for silver cases to be marked, these are only seen occasionally and were evidently not applied rigorously.
A Federal Law on the Control of Trade in Precious Metals and Precious Metal Works of 20 June 1933, came into force on 1 July 1934 and required that Poinçons de Maître were registered with the Central Bureau for the Control of Precious Metals in Bern. The only information the central database now cotains have is from 2007. However, the 2007 lists have lots of gaps in the sequences of numbers. This is because there were a lot of changes that are not recorded in the 2007 lists. This is particularly so for the mark of a hammer with handle. If you find any one of the marks with number that is not listed, please let me know.
Note that the names in the lists below are the latest ones recorded in the database of the Central Office for Precious Metals Control. It is known that some of these marks were transferred to new names when companies changed ownership, sometimes many times. Swiss law required that any change in ownership of a company had to be registered, which meant that company names changed when old owners retired and younger family members or relatives took over, even if the factory and workforce remained identical. In order to know what name a company was operating under when it made a particular case one needs to know the sequence of ownership of the company and the exact date when the case was made, which unfortunately is not recorded by either the Poinçons de Maître or Swiss hallmarks.
The data on the use of Poinçon de Maître No. 2, the hammer with handle, was gathered in an attempt to understand what happened to the mark before 1934, but it also indicates when the system of Poinçons de Maître was introduced in the mid 1920s. It would be interesting to extend this to the other Poinçons de Maître, so if you have a watch case with any Poinçon de Maître that can be positively dated, through British hallmarks or any other means, to 1925 or earlier, please let me know.
Poinçons de Maître on Precious Metal
A system of striking Poinçons de Maître (PdM) on watch cases made of precious metal in order to provide traceability back to the case maker was introduced in Switzerland in the mid 1920s.
I have seen a nine carat gold watch case with London import hallmarks for 1924 to 1925 which does not have a Poinçon de Maître, and a number of gold cases that were hallmarked in London and Glasgow in 1925 or 1926 which do have Swiss Poinçons de Maître. This suggests that the PdM system for watch cases made of precious metal must have begun around 1925. It has now been discovered that the first Poinçon de Maître mark was registered in 1926.
There are gaps in the 2007 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 collective responsibility mark 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 system that left the hammer with handle mark redundant and unused.
Observations of a Poinçon de Maître hammer head with a number known to have been registered to C.R. Spillmann SA, and the same registration number on a hammer with handle on cases made by Spillmann for Rolex, gives a clue about what happened to the hammer with handle mark; it was phased out after 1926 and the hammer head took over. These observations are discussed in the section at PdM 2 No. 136: C.R. Spillmann SA.
Poinçons de Maître on Gold Plated Items
Bréguet-Bréting Advertisement with PdM : April 1922
La Fédération Horlogère Suisse, 5 May 1926.
Poinçons de Maître were also required for gold plated watch cases and other gold plated items, which had to meet certain requirements concerning the thickness and durability of the gold plate.
The extract from La Fédération Horlogère Suisse from May 1926 shown here describes how Poinçons de Maître are registered (déposé) at the bureau de contrôle (assay office) of the canton or arrondissement where the manufacturer is located. 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.
The earliest mention of a Poinçon de Maître on plated cases that I have seen to date is in the advert by Bréguet-Bréting from April 1922. The round topped shield containing the letters "J.B.B" is clearly identified as a Poinçon de Maître. 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.
The 1934 Precious Metals Act
The Swiss Federal Law on the Control of Trade in Precious Metals and Precious Metal Works that was decreed on 20 June 1933 came into force on 1 July 1934 required that all case maker's Poinçons de Maître were filed with the Central Bureau for the Control of Precious Metals in Bern, pursuant to Article 59 of the Act.
The collective responsibility marks shown in the section and tables 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 used on precious metal cases had different pictographic symbols to represent the different case making regions of Switzerland, principally Geneva and the Neuchâtel 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 was allocated a registration number which they stamped as part of the mark. This gave traceability back to the specific manufacturer of a watch case as required by law.
These 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 silver 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. However, note that some company names changed over time and the one listed might not have been the name in use when a particular case was made.
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. |
| No. 3 | Marquee of Fédération des Fabricants de Boîtes Argent (FFBA) | For silver watch cases made in the cantons of Neuchâtel and Jura. |
| No. 4 | Arbalète or Crossbow | For silver watch cases made in the cantons of Neuchâtel and Jura. |
| No. 5 | Key of Geneva | For gold, platinum and palladium watch cases of thickness 0.3mm or greater 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 gaps in it, which must be because the original 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 show 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.
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The "Hammer With Handle" Mystery
Hammer with Handle No. 180: Click to Enlarge.
The hammer with handle mark is rather interesting because there are only two numbers listed in the 1934 list, No. 115 Favre & Perret SA, and No 160 Joseph Erard SA. 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 stopped using this mark 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 they all simply stopped using the mark, but I don't know why.
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.
Hammer with Handle 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 a decision was taken some time in the 1920s or early 1930s to stop using the hammer with handle mark, rather than the unlikely scenario of over 300 separate case manufacturers all going out of business in the space of a few years.
Read Across
The discovery that the registration number 136 was registered to C.R. Spillmann SA for both PdM1, the hammer head, and PdM2, the hammer with handle, suggests 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.
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? Almost for certain: yes. 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 2007 hammer with handle list with registration number 160 is an error. The same name is listed in the hammer head list with registration number 161, so it was long thought that there might not be a direct read across. However, number 160 is missing from the hammer head list, and as latest research brought to light, the PdM2 number 160 was in fact registered to Marc Erard, not to his relative called Joseph, so that there now is no point against a read across. PdM1 No. 161 = Joseph Erard, PdM2 No. 160 = Marc Erard.
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Poinçon de Maître No.1 : Hammer Head
Where the date of Enregistrement is 21.07.1934, which a lot of them are, this refers to the date when the cantonal records were centralised at the Central Bureau for the Control of Precious Metals in Bern. It is not the date at which the mark was first used. The system of Poinçons de Maître was introduced in the mid 1920s and a mark recorded as “Enregistrement 21.07.1934” was almost certainly not first used on that date. A mark with this date was most likely used earlier, and could have been used from the very start of the system in the 1920s.
Where a number is missing from the table, the registrant of that number must have gone out of business some time after the system was first used at cantonal level and 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 | Baumgartner, Fritz, S. A. | Genève | 11.07.1934 | |
| Fritz Baumgartner | Genève | 16.02.1935 | ||
| F. Baumgartner | Genève | 28.12.1940 | 05.11.1958 | |
| 11 | Taubert & Fils | Genève | 11.07.1934 | |
| Taubert Frères S.A. | Genève | 05.06.1939 | ||
| Taubert Frères | Genève | 16.04.1951 | 05.11.1958 | |
| 26 | Ponti, Gennari & Cie | Genève | 11.07.1934 | 05.11.1958 |
| 100 | Union Suisse des fabricants de boîtes de montres (USFB) | Biel/Bienne | 18.08.1969 | |
| Union Suisse pour l’Habillage de la Montre (USH) | La Chaux-de-Fonds | 03.01.1990 | ||
| apiah, Association patronale des industries de l'Arc-horloger | La Chaux-de-Fonds | 15.05.2013 | ||
| 101 | Junod Frères & Cie | La Chaux-de-Fonds | 11.07.1934 | 12.09.1935 |
| 102 | Amez-Droz & Cie., Boîtes de montres Zéma | La-Chaux-de-Fonds | 11.07.1934 | |
| Jean Born, succ(esseur de Amez-Droz & Cie.) | Tramelan | 24.11.1959 | 31.08.1966 | |
| 103 | Baumann, Benguerel & Co | La Chaux-de-Fonds | 11.07.1934 | |
| Baumann & Benguerel | La Chaux-de-Fonds | 22.01.1942 | ||
| Jaquet & Etevenard | La Chaux-de-Fonds | 12.06.1957 | ||
| A. Jaquet | La Chaux-de-Fonds | 06.10.1972 | ||
| Pro-Boîtes SA | La Chaux-de-Fonds | 10.05.1977 | 07.02.1995 | |
| 104 | A. Beck & Co | La Chaux-de-Fonds | 11.07.1934 | 20.04.1937 |
| Beck & Cie | La Chaux-de-Fonds | 22.01.1942 | ||
| Raoul Grimm | La Chaux-de-Fonds | 09.03.1949 | ||
| Jean Grimm | La Chaux-de-Fonds | 11.06.1955 | ||
| Cristalor SA | La Chaux-de-Fonds | 02.03.1970 | ||
| CEC SA, Manufacture Cristalor | La Chaux-de-Fonds | 04.09.1991 | 28.02.2000 | |
| 105 | Les Fils de Jules Blum | La Chaux-de-Fonds | 11.07.1934 | 16.05.1974 |
| 106 | Würsten & Co | La Chaux-de-Fonds | 11.07.1934 | |
| Louis Wursten fils | La Chaux-de-Fonds | 28.04.1936 | 27.06.1941 | |
| 107 | François Cattin | La Chaux-de-Fonds | 11.07.1934 | |
| Mme H. Cattin, Successeur de François Cattin | La Chaux-de-Fonds | 19.12.1945 | 13.03.1952 | |
| 108 | Maurice Challandes | La Chaux-de-Fonds | 11.07.1934 | |
| Fabrique de boîtes de montres or Roger Parel SA | La Chaux-de-Fonds | 19.12.1945 | ||
| Fabrique de boîtes de montres or Roger Parel SA | St-Imier | 28.06.1946 | ||
| Jacques Beiner | St-Imier | 21.07.1962 | 05.01.1984 | |
| 109 | Châtelain, Sandoz & Co | La Chaux-de-Fonds | 11.07.1934 | |
| Châtelain & Witz, fabrique Oréade | La Chaux-de-Fonds | 20.08.1956 | ||
| Charles Witz, fabrique Oréade | La Chaux-de-Fonds | 31.01.1961 | ||
| OREADE, Girardin & Cie | La Chaux-de-Fonds | 23.10.1969 | ||
| Oréade, Manufacture de Boîtes SA | La Chaux-de-Fonds | 07.02.1995 | ||
| 112 | G. & C. Ducommun S.A. | La Chaux-de-Fonds | 11.07.1934 | 28.12.1940 |
| 115 | A. & M. Favre & Perret | La Chaux-de-Fonds | 11.07.1934 | |
| Favre & Perret | La Chaux-de-Fonds | 02.12.1960 | ||
| Favre & Perret SA | La Chaux-de-Fonds | 22.06.1966 | ||
| Manufacture Favre & Perret SA | La Crét-du-Locle | 10.09.2004 | ||
| Montres Breguet SA | L'Abbaye | 30.11.2011 | ||
| 116 | Flückiger & Cie | La Chaux-de-Fonds | 19.02.1937 | 13.03.1952 |
| 117 | Gunther & Co | La Chaux-de-Fonds | 11.07.1934 | |
| Gunther & Co SA | La Chaux-de-Fonds | 17.08.1937 | ||
| Guillod Gunther SA | La Chaux-de-Fonds | 03.03.1972 | ||
| 119 | Gindraux & Co | La Chaux-de-Fonds | 11.07.1934 | |
| Gindraux SA | La Chaux-de-Fonds | 15.10.1970 | 30.08.1972 | |
| 121 | Guillod & Co | La Chaux-de-Fonds | 11.07.1934 | |
| Guillod Gunther SA | La Chaux-de-Fonds | 03.03.1972 | ||
| 122 | Alcide Guyot | La Chaux-de-Fonds | 11.07.1934 | |
| Alcide Guyot & Cie | La Chaux-de-Fonds | 27.06.1949 | ||
| Guyot & Cie (SA) | La Chaux-de-Fonds | 30.11.1965 | ||
| Oreade, Manufacture de boîtes SA | La Chaux-de-Fonds | 11.03.2004 | ||
| 123 | Ferrier & Co | La Chaux-de-Fonds | 11.07.1934 | |
| Albert Ferrier | La Chaux-de-Fonds | 19.23.1942 | ||
| Albert Ferrier SA | La Chaux-de-Fonds | 16.12.1944 | ||
| Pfenninger & Cie SA | La Chaux-de-Fonds | 28.06.1946 | 26.06.1980 | |
| 124 | Fils de Georges Ducommun | La Chaux-de-Fonds | 11.07.1934 | |
| Paul Ducommun SA | La Chaux-de-Fonds | 20.12.1972 | ||
| Cristalor SA | La Chaux-de-Fonds | 21.04.1989 | 30.04.1993 | |
| 126 | Jean Humbert & Co. S.A. | La-Chaux-de-Fonds | 11.07.1934 | |
| Bräuchi & Humbert SA. | La-Chaux-de-Fonds | 13.02.1979 | ||
| Orac SA, André Bräuchi | La-Chaux-de-Fonds | 07.01.1981 | 19.07.2011 | |
| 127 | G. Schläppi & Cie | La Chaux-de-Fonds | 11.07.1934 | |
| G. Schläppi & Cie SA | La Chaux-de-Fonds | 28.06.1946 | ||
| Edmor S.A. | La Chaux-de-Fonds | 24.12.1954 | 28.03.1983 | |
| G. Balet SA | La Chaux-de-Fonds | 24.06.1983 | 09.09.1992 | |
| 128 | Jung & Fils | La Chaux-de-Fonds | 11.07.1934 | |
| Jung & Cie | La Chaux-de-Fonds | 13.03.1952 | 29.01.1966 | |
| 129 | Junod & Co | La Chaux-de-Fonds | 11.07.1934 | |
| Junod & Cie SA | La Chaux-de-Fonds | 03.04.1989 | ||
| JSG SA | La Chaux-de-Fonds | 17.11.1999 | 02.11.2009 | |
| 130 | Junod & Fils | La Chaux-de-Fonds | 11.07.1934 | 27.06.1941 |
| 132 | Monnier & Co | La Chaux-de-Fonds | 11.07.1934 | |
| Eric Monnier & Cie SA | La Chaux-de-Fonds | 22.03.1990 | 10.03.1992 | |
| 135 | Orixa SA | La Chaux-de-Fonds | 11.07.1934 | 29.06.1940 |
| 136 | C.R. Spillmann & Co. SA | La Chaux-de-Fonds | 11.07.1934 | 05.04.1988 |
| 137 | Paul Voumard | La Chaux-de-Fonds | 11.07.1934 | 27.06.1941 |
| 140 | B. & C. Dubois | Le Locle | 11.07.1934 | 09.12.1947 |
| 141 | Gabus Frères | Le Locle | 11.07.1934 | |
| Gabus Frères, Usine Safir S.A. | Le Locle | 29.06.1940 | ||
| Gabus Frères, Oracier SA | Le Locle | 16.05.1974 | 26.06.1980 | |
| 142 | Envers S.A. | Le Locle | 11.07.1934 | 05.06.1939 |
| 143 | Ed. & Ch. Nardin | Le Locle | 11.07.1934 | |
| Nardin & Cie | Le Locle | 03.08.1957 | ||
| Pierre-A. Nardin | Le Locle | 02.12.1960 | ||
| Pierre-Antoine Nardin & Cie | Le Locle | 02.04.1969 | ||
| Classicor SA | Le Locle | 17.08.1978 | ||
| Classicor SA | La Chaux-de-Fonds | 28.03.1983 | 10.03.1992 | |
| 147 | Kohli & Hess | Tramalan | 11.07.1934 | |
| Charles Kohli | Tramalan | 12.09.1935 | 15.01.1957 | |
| 148 | Vuilliomenet & Co | Tramelan/Bienne | 11.07.1934 | |
| Vuilliomenet & Cie S.A. | Tramelan/Bienne | 06.02.1936 | 05.07.1943 | |
| 149 | Wyss & Co | Tramelan | 11.07.1934 | 15.05.1975 |
| 150 | Ernst Böhlen | Grenchen | 11.07.1934 | 15.01.1957 |
| 151 | Hermann Heggendorn | Grenchen | 11.07.1934 | |
| Hermann Heggendorn AG | Grenchen | 19.12.1945 | 30.11.2011 | |
| 152 | Jacob Leuenberger | Grenchen | 11.07.1934 | |
| Jacob Leuenberger & Cie | Grenchen | 12.09.1935 | ||
| Jacob Leuenberger SA | Grenchen | 14.11.1955 | ||
| Jean Curty SA | Grenchen | 29.06.1979 | ||
| Jean Curty SA | La Chaux-de-Fonds | 01.03.1982 | 26.01.1984 | |
| 156 | Helbein Frères & Co. | Genève | 11.07.1934 | 21.12.1935 |
| 158 | César Arnoux | Le Noirmont | 11.07.1934 | |
| César Arnoux S.A. | Le Noirmont | 24.11.1959 | ||
| Jean Arnoux | Le Noirmont | 13.03.1985 | 30.11.2011 | |
| 161 | Joseph Erard | Le Noirmont | 11.07.1934 | |
| Les fils de Joseph Erard Soc.à.r.l. | Le Noirmont | 02.07.1945 | ||
| Joseph Erard SA | Le Noirmont | 18.02.2002 | ||
| 163 | A.C. Miserez | Saignelégier | 11.07.1934 | 30.06.1936 |
| A.C. Miserez S.A. | Saignelégier | 04.04.1948 | ||
| Alphonse Miserez | Saignelégier | 03.08.1957 | ||
| Etablissements Miserez-Sanglard SA | Saignelégier | 15.10.1970 | ||
| Alphonse Miserez SA | Saignelégier | 17.01.1978 | ||
| Miserez SA | Saignelégier | 08.01.1991 | ||
| BGM Miserez SA | Saignelégier | 01.05.2001 | 30.11.2011 | |
| 166 | Henri Jeanneret | Le Locle | 11.07.1934 | 15.01.1957 |
| 167 | Carnal & Cie | La Chaux-de-Fonds | 11.07.1934 | |
| Carnal & Cie. SA | La Chaux-de-Fonds | 29.04.1966 | 31.12.1976 | |
| 168 | A. Bähler & fils | Fleurier | 11.07.1934 | 17.09.1936 |
| 170 | Charles Dubois & Cie | Le Locle | 25.11.1947 | |
| Cédex, Charles Dubois SA | Le Locle | 16.05.1974 | 16.06.1982 | |
| 171 | Bernard Dubois & Cie | Le Locle | 25.11.1947 | |
| Bernard Dubois | Le Locle | 02.12.1960 | ||
| Bernard Dubois SA | Le Locle | 28.03.1983 | 20.01.1987 | |
| 172 | "Novelor" Monnier & Voucher | La Chaux-de-Fonds | 21.12.1950 | |
| Novelor, Mechler | La Chaux-de-Fonds | 14.11.1955 | ||
| Novelor, Jean-Pierre Dubois | La Chaux-de-Fonds | 11.04.1968 | 05.08.1987 | |
| 173 | Jean-Pierre Perrin & Maurice Grandjean | Le Locle | 16.08.1952 | |
| "Classicor", Jean-Pierre Perrin | Le Locle | 20.08.1956 | ||
| "Classicor", Pierre-Antoine Nardin | Le Locle | 10.07.1965 | ||
| "Classicor", Pierre-Antoine Nardin & Cie | Le Locle | 02.04.1969 | ||
| Pierre-Antoine Nardin & Cie | Le Locle | 21.03.1970 | 17.08.1978 | |
| 174 | Boîtes de montres "Huguenin S.A." | Le Locle | 20.05.1958 | 14.10.1977 |
| 175 | Max Fuchs | Genève | 01.11.1961 | |
| Max Fuchs SA | Genève | 18.06.1981 | 21.02.1996 | |
| 176 | Boites de montres "Bielna S.A." | Biel/Bienne | 23.02.1962 | 09.09.1992 |
| 177 | Gérard Queloz | Saignelégier | 13.03.1962 | 29.01.1966 |
| 178 | Pernador SA | St-Imier | 13.04.1962 | 18.12.1969 |
| 179 | La Centrale S.A. | Biel/Bienne | 26.03.1962 | 15.02.1978 |
| 180 | U. Paratte fils, s.á r.l. | Le Noirmont | 08.06.1962 | 16.05.1970 |
| 181 | Gigon S.A. | Le Noirmont | 11.07.1962 | |
| Les Fils de A. Bouille | Les Bois | 20.12.1972 | ||
| Fabrique de boîtes P. Etienne SA | Les Bois | 02.06.1992 | 09.03.1999 | |
| 183 | Erwin Piquerez SA | Bassecourt | 10.05.1963 | |
| Piquerez-Bourquard SA | Bassecourt | 13.03.1985 | ||
| E. Piquerez SA | Bassecourt | 22.03.1990 | ||
| Monnier et DuRoy SA | Bassecourt | 04.0.1991 | ||
| Nouvelle Piquerez SA | Bassecourt | 01.02.1996 | 30.11.2011 | |
| 184 | Schmitz & Cie | Nidau/Bienne | 11.11.1963 | 29.01.1966 |
| 201 | Bodemer & Aab | La Chaux-de-Fonds | 11.07.1934 | |
| Hermann Bodemer SA | La Chaux-de-Fonds | 21.11.1968 | 26.06.1980 | |
| 202 | Joseph Bonnet | La Chaux-de-Fonds | 11.07.1934 | |
| J. Bonnet & Cie | La Chaux-de-Fonds | 22.01.1942 | ||
| J. Bonnet SA | La Chaux-de-Fonds | 15.10.1994 | 03.03.1997 | |
| 204 | Marcel Girardin | La Chaux-de-Fonds | 29.03.1935 | 17.09.1936 |
| 205 | Georges Méroz | La Chaux-de-Fonds | 11.07.1934 | |
| Georges Méroz | Neuchâtel | 22.01.1942 | ||
| Meroz SA | Neuchâtel | 28.06.1946 | 31.08.1976 | |
| 206 | Arnold Montandon | La Chaux-de-Fonds | 11.07.1934 | |
| Auguste Bräuchi, succ. d'Arnold Montandon | La Chaux-de-Fonds | 29.06.1940 | ||
| A. Bräuchi & fils | La Chaux-de-Fonds | 02.02.1962 | ||
| Orac SA | La Chaux-de-Fonds | 03.01.1974 | ||
| Varac SA | La Chaux-de-Fonds | 17.08.1978 | 18.06.1981 | |
| 207 | A. J. Niestlé | Peseux | 22.09.1947 | 16.05.1974 |
| 210 | Rubattel & Weyermann SA | La Chaux-de-Fonds | 21.07.1934 | |
| 211 | Spichiger, Hoffmann & Cie | La Chaux-de-Fonds | 11.07.1934 | 22.01.1942 |
| 212 | Marcel Etienne | Le Locle | 11.07.1934 | 12.06.1952 |
| 213 | Léon Maumary | La Chaux-de-Fonds | 11.07.1934 | |
| Marcanti & Desforuneaux | La Chaux-de-Fonds | 27.06.1941 | ||
| Pascal Marcanti | La Chaux-de-Fonds | 02.07.1945 | ||
| A. Ramseyer & Cie | La Chaux-de-Fonds | 05.05.1948 | ||
| René Fer SA | La Chaux-de-Fonds | 17.01.1977 | 26.11.1996 | |
| 214 | Jacot fils | Le Locle | 11.07.1934 | |
| Montandon frères | Le Locle | 22.01.1942 | ||
| Montandon & Cie | Le Locle | 81.04.1947 | 03.03.1967 | |
| 215 | G. Schwab | La Chaux-de-Fonds | 11.07.1934 | 21.03.1938 |
| 217 | Jean Lampert | La Chaux-de-Fonds | 11.07.1934 | 17.06.1963 |
| 218 | Egidio Gianoli | La Chaux-de-Fonds | 15.01.1936 | |
| J. Beiner, successeur de Egidio Gianoli | La Chaux-de-Fonds | 06.02.1959 | 05.01.1984 | |
| 219 | Soguel Frères | La Chaux-de-Fonds | 10.04.1947 | |
| Soguel Frères & Co. | La Chaux-de-Fonds | 15.01.1957 | ||
| Soguel & Co. | La Chaux-de-Fonds | 11.11.1963 | 26.06.1980 | |
| 220 | Henri Baillod, "Le Joaillier" | La Chaux-de-Fonds | 18.10.1951 | |
| Maison Henri Baillod, "Le Joaillier", Mme Vve Henri Baiollod, propr. | La Chaux-de-Fonds | 12.06.1957 | ||
| "Le Joaillier", Maison Henri Baillod S.à r.l. | La Chaux-de-Fonds | 30.05.1960 | ||
| H. Baillod S.à r.l | La Chaux-de-Fonds | 31.08.1966 | 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 |
Back to the top of the page.
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? Almost for certain: yes. 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 old 1934 hammer with handle list with registration number 160 has been an error in the official Swiss authorities list. The same name is listed in the hammer head list with registration number 161, so it was long thought that there might not be a direct read across. However, number 160 is missing from the hammer head list, and as latest research brought to light, the PdM2 number 160 was in fact registered to Marc Erard, not to his relative called Joseph, so that there now is no point against a 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 watch case with a “hammer with handle” mark that is not either 115 or 160, which are on the 1934 list, 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. |
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No. | Nom de l'utilisateur (Name of the User) | Lieu | Enregistrement | Radiation |
39 |  Seen in the 14 carat gold hunter case of a quarter repeater pocket watch, thanks to Christopher. | |||
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 | .jpg)  Seen in a lady's gold watch by Mido. 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. The second image shows a trademark AD with pharaoh's head that is not listed in any of my references, but Alcide Droz & Fils (West End Watch Co.) registered a trademark "Nile Watch" beneath a pharaoh's head in 1893 so it seems quite likely that this trademark with the initials AD was also entered by Alcide Droz & Fils. | |||
106 |  Seen in an Alpina Valjoux 13 for German market as per the main image here and another watch advertised on eBay (the inset image), thanks to George for the image of the Alpina. | |||
108 |  Seen in the gold case of a lady's watch with Edinburgh Assay Office import hallmarks for nine carat (·375) gold. The date letter is the "V" of the Edinburgh hallmarking year from July 1926 to June 1927. Edinburgh Assay Office wardens were elected on Michaelmas day, 29 September. The new date letter punches were used from the first hallmarking day in October, so the Edinburgh hallmarking year signified by the date letter spans two calendar years from the start of October to the end of September the following year. | |||
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. | |||
110 |  Seen in the 18 carat gold case of a lady's watch with Swiss head of Helvetia hallmark. The watch was bought in the early 80's at a gold consignation in communist Romania. Unfortunately dial, case and movement are otherwise unmarked. | |||
111 | Seen in a lady's wristwatch with Tavannes movement and Edinburgh Assay Office import hallmarks for 9 carat gold 1925 to 1926 sponsor's mark SFC for Schwob Freres. | |||
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 to 1934 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 | A. et M. Favre et Perret; the first of the only two numbers in the 1934 list for this mark. The company had the same registration number for a hammer without handle in the 1934 list. | La Chaux-de-Fonds | 11.07.1934 | |
| Favre & Perret | La Chaux-de-Fonds | 02.12.1960 | 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. Also seen in the 18 carat gold case of a Blancpain “Rolls” wristwatch. The Rolls is an automatically wound watch, the movement slides up and down inside the case and a mechanism driven by this action winds the mainspring. | |||
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. | |||
123 |
Harwood Watch Case: Click image to enlarge. PdM 2 No. 123 has been seen in the 9 carat gold case of a Harwood self winding watch. The watch case has London Assay Office import hallmarks for 9 carat (·375) gold and the Black Letter font date letter “n” of 1928 to 1929. Note that the hallmark has been struck upside down to the sponsor's mark and serial number. The number that looks like a 6 as part of the fineness mark is actually a 9 and the symbol of Leo is the right way up, which is not how it was struck by the London Assay Office at the time; see Leo Upside Down for more about this. The sponsor's mark "GS" in cameo within a rectangular surround with a tab at the top was entered by the carriers Stockwell & Company who acted as assay agents for many Swiss watch case manufacturers. Note that Stockwell & Co. were carriers, they did not make watch cases and they were not the importer. Thanks to Emre for the image. | |||
124 |
First seen in a Rotary watch with Glasgow Assay Office import hallmarks for 1929/1930, sponsor's mark SD (Sylvain Dreyfuss) (not shown). 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. Also seen in a lady's watch case with Swiss hallmarks for nine carat gold introduced by a 1914 Decree, as shown in the image here. Although there are no hallmarks in the image, the initials D&R incuse within an incuse oval surround were entered as a sponsor's mark at the Glasgow Assay Office by F Ducommun. Unfortunately the date of the entry is unknown, but the presence of the Poinçon de Maître shows that this case must have been made after 1925. | |||
125 |
Seen in a gold watch case of a lady's watch by Doxa. The case has the serial number 551 779. The case has Swiss hallmarks for export quality 0.585 14 carat gold, which is why there are two squirrels. | |||
126 | Seen in a lady's watch case with Swiss hallmarks for 14 carat gold and the German sun and imperial crown mark. | |||
129 |
Seen in an 18 carat gold case of a lady's watch. | |||
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. Also seen in a 9 carat gold case of a Rolex watch with the hallmarks mandated for Nine and 12 carat gold and Rolex 20 Worlds Records, dating the case to between circa 1927 and 1933. Also seen in the 9 carat gold case of a Vulcain Catanach's pocket watch with Swiss 1924 hallmarks shown in the image here. The circular mark above the Swiss federal cross is not part of the hallmark, it is a witness mark from the case touching a rotating part of the movement. This is common in gold cases because they were often made very thin, 0·3mm or less. | |||
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. | |||
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135 |
Seen in the gold case of a trench watch with Sylvain Dreyfuss' sponsor mark SD and London Assay Office import hallmarks for 9 carat (·375) gold with the date letter "k" for 1925/26. |
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136 |
C.R. Spillmann SA
Spillmann's PdM 2 No. 136 
Spillmann's PdM 1 No. 136 The hammer with handle mark with number 136 has been seen in the case of a Rolex Oyster with Glasgow Assay Office import hallmarks for nine carat gold and the date letter "d" of 1926 to 1927. It has also been seen in the case of a lady's ROLCO wristwatch with the R.W.C.LTD sponsor's mark and Glasgow Assay Office import hallmarks for nine carat gold, the date letter again being the "d" of 1926 to 1927. It has also been seen in a nine carat gold case with Glasgow Assay Office import hallmarks for 1930 to 1931, the sponsor's mark A9M entered by J Véron Grauer & Co of Geneva. This is interesting because all other early Rolex Oyster cases that I have seen have PdM No.1, the hammer head, with the registration number 136 which is recorded in the 1934 lists as being C.R. Spillmann SA. One of these hammer head marks is also reproduced here, from a Rolex Oyster case with Glasgow Assay Office import hallmarks for 1927 to 1928. Charles Rodolphe Spillmann was born on 5 April 1861 in Eglisau, Zurich. In 1884 he is recorded as a partner in Spillmann & Rothen in la Chaux-de-Fonds. On 12 June 1888 this partnership was dissolved and the company C R Spillmann was formed, also in la Chaux-de-Fonds. The head of the company was recorded as Charles-Rodolphe Spillmann, its purpose in business was the manufacture of watch cases. In 1903, C R Spillmann was converted from sole ownership into a partnership C R Spillmann & Cie. Charles Rodolphe Spillmann died on 7 September 1938. Direction of the company passed to his son Jules and, after him, his nephew Rodolphe. The early Rolex Oyster cases were made by C.R. Spillmann SA, and it seems likely that Spillman also made the gold ROLCO case, so it appears that Spillman's registration number was the same 136 for both PdM 1, the hammer head, and PdM 2, the hammer with handle. This evidence seems to show a gradual changeover from the hammer with handle mark, used by Spillman until 1930/31, to the hammer head mark beginning 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, and this must be a clue to what happened. It appears that the use of the hammer with handle was discontinued in favour of the hammer head, a smaller and more discreet mark that watch manufacturers would have preferred. C. R. Spillmann SA registered the name Fixora as a trademark on 16 December 1913. In the cases of some Zenith watches, the initials SP show that the case was made by C.R. Spillmann SA. In some Rolex cases, the initials CRS show that the case was made by C.R. Spillmann SA. A trademark of the initials CRS in a shield with three daggers was registered by C.R. Spillmann SA on 28 December 1914. A trademark of the initials R.S. was registered by C.R. Spillmann SA in 1934. Read AcrossThe discovery that the registration number 136 was registered to C.R. Spillmann SA for both PdM1, the hammer head, and PdM2, the hammer with handle, suggests 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. 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? Almost for certain: yes. 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 2007 hammer with handle list with registration number 160 is an error. The same name is listed in the hammer head list with registration number 161, so it was long thought that there might not be a direct read across. However, number 160 is missing from the hammer head list, and as latest research brought to light, the PdM2 number 160 was in fact registered to Marc Erard, not to his relative called Joseph, so that there now is no point against a read across. PdM1 No. 161 = Joseph Erard, PdM2 No. 160 = Marc Erard. Other CompaniesThe hammer with handle mark with number 136 has also been seen in a watch case with Glasgow Assay Office import marks for nine carat gold and the date letter "d" for 1926 to 1927 and a sponsor's mark entered by Samuel Norman Burgess of London. The case was clearly made by C.R. 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. |
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138 |  Seen in a lady's 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. | |||
139 |
PdM 2 No 139: Click image to enlarge Seen in the gold case of a pocket watch inherited by a Swedish correspondent from his grandfather, engraved on the inner cuvette “På 70-årsdagen” – Swedish for “On your 70th Birthday” - a nice birthday present! The case is 14 carat gold and is hallmarked with two squirrels and a 0.585 fineness mark that were required for an item that might be exported to Germany. In fact, these two squirrels and the German fineness marks appear on the cases of Swiss watches that were exported to Scandinavia and other northern European countries, as well as on those exported to Germany. | |||
142 | Seen in a gold pocket watch with London import hallmarks. | |||
143 |
Seen in a chronograph wristwatch with an 18 carat gold case marked with the Swiss head of helvetia hallmark. | |||
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144 |
.jpg)
The smaller image shows the hammer with handle No. 144 mark seen in a ladies' gold wristwatch with Glasgow Assay Office import hallmarks for 9 carat gold, the date letter “f” for 1928 to 1929. The sponsors mark in the case is R&S for Rotherham & Sons, and the movement is marked “RANDS” [R AND S], a trademark of Rotherham & Sons. The larger image shows the hammer with handle No. 144 mark in the 14 carat gold case of a watch Le Phare savonnette watch with chronograph and repetition. The fineness mark “14K / 56 / 0·585” has Swiss hallmarks for 14 carat gold for export either side of the mark; two squirrels, one large one small. The case also has the sun and imperial crown (sonne und reichskrone) mark that was struck by Swiss case makers onto gold cases that might be exported to Germany. |
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145 |   Seen in a lady's watch with Edinburgh import marks for 9 carat gold with date letter for 1927 to 1928. The sponsor's mark is AGR for Robert Pringle & Sons. The trademark is the initials RV run together | |||
158 |
Genex Case: Click image to enlarge. Seen in the gold case of a lady's Genex wristwatch with the Swiss 9 carat hallmarks mandated by the Swiss 1924 Act. The case has Glasgow Assay Office (two opposed and prone letters "F") import hallmarks for 9 carat gold, the date letter is the "f" of the hallmarking year from July 1928 to June 1929, remember that date letter punches were used over two calendar years. The sponsor's mark is the RWCLtd. of the Rolex Watch Company. Genex is a name registered in 1920 by Hans Wilsdorf as one of many other brands that he created to sell at various price points below the top Rolex brand. The movement is engraved “Genex Prima”. This movement was made by Fontainemelon and was used in many of Rolex's cheaper brand watches, see Fontainemelon FHF30. | |||
160 | Marc Erard; the second of the only two numbers in the database for this mark. Read AcrossThe discovery that the registration number 136 was registered to C.R. Spillmann SA for both PdM1, the hammer head, and PdM2, the hammer with handle, suggests 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. 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? Almost for certain: yes. 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 2007 hammer with handle list with registration number 160 is an error. The same name is listed in the hammer head list with registration number 161, so it was long thought that there might not be a direct read across. However, number 160 is missing from the hammer head list, and as latest research brought to light, the PdM2 number 160 was in fact registered to Marc Erard, not to his relative called Joseph, so that there now is no point against a read across. PdM1 No. 161 = Joseph Erard, PdM2 No. 160 = Marc Erard. |
Noirmont | 11.07.1934 | 29.06.1940 |
161 |  Seen in a lady's 9 carat gold watch case with Swiss Export Hallmark for gold of fineness lower than 14 carats introduced in 1924. From 1 May 1924 an official fineness warranty character, the mark of the Swiss Federal Cross or “Eidgenössisches Kreuz”, just visible towards the top of the image, was allowed to be stamped on gold cases below 14 carat. | |||
180 |
Seen in a Swiss wristwatch imported by Stauffer & Co., the nine carat gold case has Glasgow Assay Office import hallmarks for 1926 to 1927. | |||
182 |
Seen in a 9 carat gold watch case with Glasgow Assay Office import hallmarks for 1928 to 1929. The movement is marked Buren and the case has the sponsor's mark W.H.S of H Williamson Ltd. The date of 1928 or 1929 makes this one of the last Buren watches imported by Williamsons before their collapse and the takeover of the Buren agency by Rotherham & Sons. Also seen in the 18 carat gold case of a Rolls wristwatch made by Blancpain, as shown in the second image. The case has a Swiss “Head of Helvetia" hallmark for 18 carat gold, and a French owl import mark. This shows that the case was separately tested when it was imported into France. Unfortunately neither the Swiss hallmark or the French import hallmark carry any date information. The trademark below the serial number looks like “SWC”, but I have not been able to identify who registered this mark. The Blancpain Rolls was a self winding (automatic) watch designed by Blancpain and the French watchmaker Léon Hatot. The movement was placed inside a carriage which could slide from end to end inside the rectangular case. A system of levers and gears used this movement to wind the mainspring. By using the whole mass of the movement, the mechanism could be used in watches that were too small to work with a pivoting mass that was separate from the movement such as the Harwood. | |||
201 |  Seen in a lady's 18 carat gold watch case with Swiss head of Helvetia. | |||
202 |  Seen in a lady's 18 carat art gold art-deco watch case with Swiss head of Helvetia. | |||
203 |  Seen twice in ladies' 18 carat 0·750 gold watch cases with Swiss head of Helvetia hallmark. Thanks to Vanessa for the image here. | |||
205 |  Seen in a lady's watch case with Swiss head of Helvetia hallmark and 18 carat mark, containing a movement by Tavannes. Thanks to Jay for the image. | |||
311 |  Seen in a Borgel screw watch case with Glasgow Assay Office 18 carat hallmarks for 1931 to 1932, containing a movement by Tavannes. This case was made after the Borgel company had been taken over in 1924 by the Taubert family, which makes the registration number 311 interesting compared to the registration numbers of Manufacture Taubert for PdM 1 and PdM 5, both of which were No. 11. | |||
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. This is a remarkably high number, a long way from the main sequence. Since I started this exercise numbers between 100 and the low 200s have been reported so that there is now a reasonable sequence of these with no obvious bunching or very large gaps, but then this one jumps nearly 120 places. I don't know why. The movement is marked "Dueber Hampden Watch Co, Swiss", with two adjustments and 15 jewels. 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. The watch here 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. | |||
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: FFBA Marquee
Bernd has now separated PdM3 and PdM4 to make the lists clearer and easier to understand
Where the date of Enregistrement is 1934, which a lot of them are, this refers to the date when the cantonal records were centralised at the Central Bureau for the Control of Precious Metals in Bern. It is not the date at which the mark was first used. The system of Poinçons de Maître was introduced in the mid 1920s and a mark recorded as “Enregistrement xx.xx.1934” was almost certainly not first used on that date. A mark with this date was most likely used earlier, and could have been used from the very start of the system in the 1920s.
Where a number is missing from the table, the registrant of that number must have gone out of business some time after the system was first used at cantonal level and before the data was centralised in 1934.
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. 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 | Berthoud & Cie S.A. | Bienne | 26.07.1934 | |
| S. Graber S.A. | Renan BE | 31.08.1953 | 26.06.1980 | |
| 2 | Bielna S.A. | Biel/Bienne | 26.07.1934 | 09.09.1992 |
| 3 | Les fils de J. Breguet-Bréting | Biel/Bienne | 26.07.1934 | 19.12.1945 |
| 4 | La Centrale | Biel/Bienne | 26.07.1934 | 15.02.1978 |
| 5 | Heng & Bühlmann | Biel/Bienne | 26.07.1934 | 09.12.1935 |
| 6 | Walter & Sury | Biel/Bienne | 26.06.1934 | |
| Nobs & Walter | Biel/Bienne | 28.12.1940 | ||
| Hermann Nobs | Biel/Bienne | 28.06.1946 | 04.05.1973 | |
| 7 | A. Maeder-Leschot, S.A. | Biel/Bienne | 26.07.1934 | 10.03.1948 |
| 8 | Meyer & Co | Biel/Bienne | 26.07.1934 | |
| Meyer & Wetzel | Biel/Bienne | 02.07.1945 | 21.07.1962 | |
| 10 | Schmitz & Cie | Nidau | 26.07.1934 | 06.10.1972 |
| 12 | Les fils de Ls. Ed. Châtelain & Co S.A. | Tramelan | 26.07.1934 | 27.06.1941 |
| Averos S.A. | Boécourt | 22.03.1962 | 13.11.2001 | |
| 13 | E. Gindrat | Tramelan | 26.07.1934 | |
| Fabrique de boîtes argent, métal et acier Tramelan S.A. | Tramelan | 25.11.1938 | ||
| Fabrique de boîtes Tramelan SA | Tramelan | 05.07.1943 | 06.10.1972 | |
| 14 | Jean Finger | Lengnau BE/Longeau | 26.07.1934 | |
| H. Finger AG | Lengnau BE/Longeau | 05.05.1961 | 27.09.2012 | |
| 15 | Girard Frères | Grenchen | 26.07.1934 | 05.05.1961 |
| 16 | Heuri Frères | Welschenrohr/Rosières | 26.07.1934 | 09.12.1935 |
| 18 | Schmitz frères & Co. S.A. | Grenchen | 26.07.1934 | |
| 19 | Ducommun & Cie | La Chaux-de-Fonds | 26.07.1934 | 06.03.1936 |
| 20 | Fils de Georges Ducommun | La Chaux-de-Fonds | 26.07.1934 | |
| Paul Ducommun SA | La Chaux-de-Fonds | 20.12.1972 | ||
| Cristalor SA | La Chaux-de-Fonds | 21.04.1989 | 30.04.1993 | |
| 22 | Les fils de Robert Gygax | St-Imier | 26.07.1934 | |
| Nobilia S.A. | Porrentruy | 02.02.1962 | 02.04.1969 | |
| 23 | Pauli Frères | Villeret | 26.07.1934 | 19.10.1968 |
| 24 | Charles Reinbold | La Chaux-de-Fonds | 26.07.1934 | |
| Charles Reinbold S.A. | La Chaux-de-Fonds | 09.12.1947 | ||
| Manufacture de boîtes de montres Germaine Sanglard S.A. | Cornol | 02.02.1962 | ||
| Etablissements Miserez-Sanglard SA | Saignelégier | 15.10.1970 | ||
| Alphonse Miserez SA | Saignelégier | 17.01.1977 | ||
| BGM Miserez SA | Saignelégier | 08.01.1991 | 30.11.2011 | |
| 25 | Gerber Frères S.A. | Delémont | 26.07.1934 | 09.12.1935 |
| 26 | Louis Lang S.A. | Porrentruy | 26.07.1934 | |
| 27 | Lüthy Frères | Delémont | 26.07.1934 | 02.12.1960 |
| 28 | Joseph Varrin | Fontenais | 26.07.1934 | 27.08.1959 |
| 30 | H. & L. Hamel Frères | Noiraigue | 26.07.1934 | |
| G. Hamel & Cie, successeurs | Noiraigue | 21.07.1962 | ||
| 31 | Bouille Frères | Les Bois | 26.07.1934 | |
| Achille Bouille | Les Bois | 22.01.1942 | ||
| Les Fils de A. Bouille | Les Bois | 04.05.1959 | ||
| Fabrique de boîtes P. Etienne SA | Les Bois | 02.06.1992 | ||
| 33 | Crevoisier & Cie | Fornet-Dessus | 26.07.1934 | 21.12.1935 |
| 34 | Alfred Donzé-Baume | Les Breuleux | 26.07.1934 | |
| Les Fils de A. Donzé-Baume | Les Breuleux | 21.07.1962 | ||
| Donzé-Baume SA | Les Breuleux | 31.08.1976 | ||
| Donzé-Baume, Branch of Richemont International SA | Les Breuleux | 06.03.2009 | 27.09.2012 | |
| 36 | Erard & Cie | Le Noirmont | 26.07.1934 | 03.12.1936 |
| 37 | Frossard Frères | Les Pommerats | 26.07.1934 | |
| Léon Frossard | Les Pommerats | 13.08.1936 | 02.07.1945 | |
| 38 | Auguste Gigon | Vautenaivre | 26.07.1934 | |
| Antoine Bouille | Neuchâtel | 24.12.1946 | ||
| G. & E. Bouille, successeurs d'Antoine Bouille | Neuchâtel | 21.07.1962 | ||
| G. & E. Bouille SA | Neuchâtel | 22.06.1968 | 27.06.1975 | |
| 39 | Jeangros Frères & Cie (Vernier S.A., Undervelier) | Montfaucon | 26.07.1934 | |
| Blanches-Fontaines S.A. | Undervelier J.B. | 04.05.1959 | 02.04.1969 | |
| 40 | Albin Jobin | Saignelégier | 26.07.1934 | 28.12.1940 |
| 41 | A.-C. Miserez | Saignelégier | 26.07.1934 | |
| A.-C. Miserez SA | Saignelégier | 16.12.1944 | 15.10.1970 | |
| 42 | Arthur Miserez | Saignelégier | 26.07.1934 | |
| Manufacture Mirval S.A. | Saignelégier | 18.04.1947 | 15.10.1970 | |
| 43 | Pic Frères | Le Noirmont | 26.07.1934 | |
| Fernand Pic | Le Noirmont | 15.01.1957 | ||
| Pic SA | Le Noirmont | 07.04.1987 | ||
| Jean Paratte SARL | Saignelégier | 22.03.2005 | 30.11.2011 | |
| 44 | A. Prétat | Montfaucon | 26.07.1934 | |
| Arthur Prétat & fils S.à.r.L. | Porrentruy | 28.06.1946 | ||
| Henri Prétat SA | Porrentruy | 24.07.1985 | ||
| Prétat SA | Cornol | 13.11.2001 | ||
| 45 | Les fils de Célestin Voisard | Les Pommerats | 26.07.1934 | |
| Gustave Voisard | Les Pommerats | 19.12.1945 | ||
| Les Fils de Gustave Voisard | Les Pommerats | 21.07.1962 | ||
| Voisard SA | Les Pommerats | 31.08.1976 | 28.03.1983 | |
| 46 | Huguenin Frères & Cie | Le Locle | 26.07.1934 | |
| Huguenin Frères & Cie S.A., Fabrique "Niel" | Le Locle | 05.06.1939 | ||
| Boîtes de montres Huguenin S.A. | Le Locle | 15.01.1957 | 14.10.1977 | |
| 47 | Monnier & Cie | La Chaux-de-Fonds | 23.04.1970 | |
| Eric Monnier & Cie SA | La Chaux-de-Fonds | 22.03.1990 | 10.03.1992 | |
| 48 | Oréade, Girardin & Cie | La Chaux-de-Fonds | 23.04.1970 | |
| Oréade, Manufacture de Boîtes S.A. | La Chaux-de-Fonds | 30.07.1997 | ||
| 49 | Helbein Frères & Co. | Genève | 26.07.1934 | 21.12.1935 |
| Pfenniger & Cie SA | La Chaux-de-Fonds | 24.06.1971 | 26.06.1980 | |
| 50 | Société anonyme pour la fabrication de la boîte argent | Le Noirmont | 17.08.1937 | |
| Société anonyme pour la fabrication de la boîte argent et métal | Le Noirmont | 09.03.1949 | 29.04.1966 | |
| Les Fils de Jos. Erard S.à.r.l. | Le Noirmont | 05.03.1969 | ||
| Joseph Erard SA | Le Noirmont | 18.02.2002 | ||
| 51 | Artisanor SA | Carouge GE | 06.10.1972 | 28.03.1983 |
| 52 | Jean Humbert & Cie SA | La Chaux-de-Fonds | 31.10.1973 | |
| Bräuchi & Humbert SA | La Chaux-de-Fonds | 13.02.1979 | ||
| Orac SA, André Bräuchi | Le Locle | 07.01.1981 | 19.07.2011 | |
| 53 | Cédex, Charles Dubois SA | Le Locle | 14.02.1974 | 16.06.1982 |
| 54 | Revor, Walter Brusa | La Chaux-de-Fonds | 14.02.1974 | 30.03.2016 |
| 55 | Pierre-Antoine Nardin & Cie | Le Locle | 14.02.1974 | |
| Classicor SA | Le Locle | 17.08.1978 | ||
| Classicor SA | La Chaux-de-Fonds | 28.03.1983 | 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 des fabricants de boîtes de montres (USFB) | Biel / Bienne | 21.03.1970 | |
| 61 | Jean Paolini | La Chaux-de-Fonds | 14.02.1974 | |
| CEC SA, Maufacture Cristaloe | La Chaux-de-Fonds | 10.01.1994 | 28.02.2000 | |
| 62 | Max Fuchs | Genève | 05.05.1975 | |
| 62 | Max Fuchs SA | Genève | 18.06.1981 | 24.08.1994 |
| 63 | Henri Viatte | Delémont | 25.11.1977 | 30.10.1981 |
| 64 | Bernard Paratte | La Chaux-de-Fonds | 28.12.1978 | 03.03.1997 |
| 65 | Froidevaux frères | Müntschemier | 08.03.1991 | 30.11.2011 |
| 66 | Habra SA | Biel / Bienne | 14.05.1991 | 15.10.1993 |
| 67 | CEC SA, Manufacture Cristalor | La Chaux-de-Fonds | 22.07.1991 | 28.02.2000 |
| 68 | Paul Wyss SA | Courtételle | 26.05.1999 | 10.09.2004 |
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Poinçon de Maître No. 4: Arbalète or Crossbow
Bernd has now separated PdM3 and PdM4 to make the lists clearer and easier to understand
Where the date of Enregistrement is 1934, which a lot of them are, this refers to the date when the cantonal records were centralised at the Central Bureau for the Control of Precious Metals in Bern. It is not the date at which the mark was first used. The system of Poinçons de Maître was introduced in the mid 1920s and a mark recorded as “Enregistrement xx.xx.1934” was almost certainly not first used on that date. A mark with this date was most likely used earlier, and could have been used from the very start of the system in the 1920s.
Where a number is missing from the table, the registrant of that number must have gone out of business some time after the system was first used at cantonal level and before the data was centralised in 1934.
Where the date of "Radiation" or striking off is blank, the company was still in existence when this data was compiled in September 2007.
Arbalète or Crossbow. Only for silver watch cases made in the Swiss cantons of Neuchâtel and Jura. | ||||
| No. | Nom de l'utilisateur | Lieu | Enregistrement | Radiation |
| 1 | Berthoud & Cie S.A. | Bienne | 26.07.1934 | |
| S. Graber S.A. | Renan BE | 31.08.1953 | 26.06.1980 | |
| 2 | Bielna S.A. | Biel/Bienne | 26.07.1934 | 09.09.1992 |
| 3 | Les fils de J. Breguet-Bréting | Biel/Bienne | 26.07.1934 | 19.12.1945 |
| 4 | La Centrale | Biel/Bienne | 26.07.1934 | 15.02.1978 |
| 5 | Heng & Bühlmann | Biel/Bienne | 26.07.1934 | 09.12.1935 |
| 6 | Walter & Sury | Biel/Bienne | 26.06.1934 | |
| Nobs & Walter | Biel/Bienne | 28.12.1940 | ||
| Hermann Nobs | Biel/Bienne | 28.06.1946 | 04.05.1973 | |
| 7 | A. Maeder-Leschot, S.A. | Biel/Bienne | 26.07.1934 | 05.05.1948 |
| 8 | Meyer & Co | Biel/Bienne | 26.07.1934 | |
| Meyer & Wetzel | Biel/Bienne | 02.07.1945 | 21.07.1962 | |
| 10 | Schmitz & Cie | Nidau | 26.07.1934 | 06.10.1972 |
| 12 | Les fils de Ls. Ed. Châtelain & Co S.A. | Tramelan | 26.07.1934 | 27.06.1941 |
| Averos S.A. | Boécourt | 22.03.1962 | 13.11.2001 | |
| 13 | E. Gindrat | Tramelan | 26.07.1934 | |
| Fabrique de boîtes argent, métal et acier Tramelan S.A. | Tramelan | 25.11.1938 | ||
| Fabrique de boîtes Tramelan SA | Tramelan | 05.07.1943 | 06.10.1972 | |
| 14 | Jean Finger | Lengnau BE/Longeau | 26.07.1934 | |
| H. Finger AG | Lengnau BE/Longeau | 05.05.1961 | 03.12.2012 | |
| 15 | Girard Frères | Grenchen | 26.07.1934 | 05.05.1961 |
| 16 | Heuri Frères | Welschenrohr/Rosières | 26.07.1934 | 09.12.1935 |
| 18 | Schmitz frères & Co. S.A. | Grenchen | 26.07.1934 | |
| 19 | Ducommun & Cie | La Chaux-de-Fonds | 26.07.1934 | 06.03.1936 |
| 20 | Fils de Georges Ducommun | La Chaux-de-Fonds | 26.07.1934 | |
| Paul Ducommun SA | La Chaux-de-Fonds | 20.12.1972 | ||
| Cristalor SA | La Chaux-de-Fonds | 21.04.1989 | 30.04.1993 | |
| 22 | Les fils de Robert Gygax | St-Imier | 26.07.1934 | |
| Nobilia S.A. | Porrentruy | 02.02.1962 | 02.04.1969 | |
| 23 | Pauli Frères | Villeret | 26.07.1934 | 19.10.1968 |
| 24 | Charles Reinbold | La Chaux-de-Fonds | 26.07.1934 | |
| Charles Reinbold S.A. | La Chaux-de-Fonds | 09.12.1947 | ||
| Manufacture de boîtes de montres Germaine Sanglard S.A. | Cornol | 02.02.1962 | ||
| Etablissements Miserez-Sanglard SA | Saignelégier | 15.10.1970 | ||
| Alphonse Miserez SA | Saignelégier | 17.01.1977 | ||
| BGM Miserez SA | Saignelégier | 08.01.1991 | 03.12.2012 | |
| 25 | Gerber Frères S.A. | Delémont | 26.07.1934 | 09.12.1935 |
| 26 | Louis Lang S.A. | Porrentruy | 26.07.1934 | |
| 27 | Lüthy Frères | Delémont | 26.07.1934 | 02.12.1960 |
| 28 | Joseph Varrin | Fontenais | 26.07.1934 | 27.08.1959 |
| 30 | H. & L. Hamel Frères | Noiraigue | 26.07.1934 | |
| G. Hamel & Cie. successeurs | Noiraigue | 21.07.1962 | ||
| 31 | Bouille Frères | Les Bois | 26.07.1934 | |
| Achille Bouille | Les Bois | 22.01.1942 | ||
| Les Fils de A. Bouille | Les Bois | 04.05.1959 | ||
| Fabrique de boîtes P. Etienne SA | Les Bois | 02.06.1992 | ||
| 33 | Crevoisier & Cie | Fornet-Dessus | 26.07.1934 | 21.12.1935 |
| 34 | Alfred Donzé-Baume | Les Breuleux | 26.07.1934 | |
| Les Fils de A. Donzé-Baume | Les Breuleux | 21.07.1962 | ||
| Donzé-Baume SA | Les Breuleux | 31.08.1976 | ||
| Donzé-Baume, Branch of Richemont International SA | Les Breuleux | 06.03.2009 | 27.09.2012 | |
| 36 | Erard & Cie | Le Noirmont | 26.07.1934 | 03.12.1936 |
| 37 | Frossard Frères | Les Pommerats | 26.07.1934 | |
| Léon Frossard | Les Pommerats | 13.08.1936 | 02.07.1945 | |
| 38 | Auguste Gigon | Vautenaivre | 26.07.1934 | |
| Antoine Bouille | Neuchâtel | 24.12.1946 | ||
| G. & E. Bouille, successeurs d'Antoine Bouille | Neuchâtel | 21.07.1962 | ||
| G. & E. Bouille SA | Neuchâtel | 22.06.1968 | 27.06.1975 | |
| 39 | Jeangros Frères & Cie (Vernier S.A., Undervelier) | Montfaucon | 26.07.1934 | |
| Blanches-Fontaines S.A. | Undervelier J.B. | 04.05.1959 | 02.04.1969 | |
| 40 | Albin Jobin | Saignelégier | 26.07.1934 | 28.12.1940 |
| 41 | A.-C. Miserez | Saignelégier | 26.07.1934 | |
| A.-C. Miserez SA | Saignelégier | 16.12.1944 | 15.10.1970 | |
| 42 | Arthur Miserez | Saignelégier | 26.07.1934 | |
| Manufacture Mirval S.A. | Saignelégier | 18.04.1947 | 15.10.1970 | |
| 43 | Pic Frères | Le Noirmont | 26.07.1934 | |
| Fernand Pic | Le Noirmont | 15.01.1957 | ||
| Pic SA | Le Noirmont | 07.04.1987 | ||
| Jean Paratte SARL | Saignelégier | 22.03.2005 | 27.09.2012 | |
| 44 | A. Prétat | Montfaucon | 26.07.1934 | |
| Arthur Prétat & fils S.à.r.L. | Porrentruy | 28.06.1946 | ||
| Henri Prétat SA | Porrentruy | 24.07.1985 | ||
| Prétat SA | Cornol | 13.11.2001 | ||
| 45 | Les fils de Célestin Voisard | Les Pommerats | 26.07.1934 | |
| Gustave Voisard | Les Pommerats | 19.12.1945 | ||
| Les Fils de Gustave Voisard | Les Pommerats | 21.07.1962 | ||
| Voisard SA | Les Pommerats | 31.08.1976 | 28.03.1983 | |
| 46 | Huguenin Frères & Cie | Le Locle | 26.07.1934 | |
| Huguenin Frères & Cie S.A., Fabrique "Niel" | Le Locle | 05.06.1939 | ||
| Boîtes de montres Huguenin S.A. | Le Locle | 15.01.1957 | 14.10.1977 | |
| 47 | Monnier & Cie | La Chaux-de-Fonds | 04.05.1971 | |
| Eric Monnier & Cie SA | La Chaux-de-Fonds | 22.03.1990 | 10.03.1992 | |
| 48 | Oréade, Girardin & Cie | La Chaux-de-Fonds | 04.05.1971 | |
| Oréade, Manufacture de Boîtes S.A. | La Chaux-de-Fonds | 30.07.1997 | ||
| 49 | Helbein Frères & Co. | Genève | 26.07.1934 | 21.12.1935 |
| 50 | Société anonyme pour la fabrication de la boîte argent | Le Noirmont | 17.08.1937 | 29.04.1966 |
| Société anonyme pour la fabrication de la boîte argent et métal | Le Noirmont | 09.03.1949 | 29.04.1966 | |
| 67 | CEC SA, Manufacture Cristalor | La Chaux-de-Fonds | 22.07.1991 | |
| Manufacture de Haute Horlogerie Cartier SA | La Chaux-de-Fonds | 14.05.2001 | 14.05.2001 | |
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Poinçon de Maître No. 5: Key of Geneva
Where the date of Enregistrement is in 1934, which a lot of them are, this refers to the date when the cantonal records were centralised at the Central Bureau for the Control of Precious Metals in Bern. It is not the date at which the mark was first used. The system of Poinçons de Maître was introduced in the mid 1920s and a mark recorded as “Enregistrement 08.09.1934” was almost certainly not first used on that date. A mark with this date was most likely used earlier, and could have been used from the very start of the system in the 1920s.
Where a number is missing from the table, the registrant of that number must have gone out of business some time after the system was first used at cantonal level and 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 after the last accessible publications dated 2017.
PdM 5, key of Geneva: For gold and platinum watch cases minimum thickness 0.3mm made in Geneva. NB: This table will be updated when new information is discovered, so keep checking back from time to time! |
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| No. | Nom de l'utilisateur | Lieu | Enregistrement | Radiation |
| 1 | Wenger, A. & E. | Genève | 08.09.1934 | |
| Wenger, E. | Genève | 22.01.1942 | ||
| Ed. Wenger SA | Genève | 12.06.1952 | 07.04.1992 | |
| 2 | Baumgartner, Fritz, S. A. | Genève | 08.09.1934 | |
| Fritz Baumgartner | Genève | 16.02.1935 | ||
| F. Baumgartner | Genève | 28.12.1940 | ||
| F. Baumgartner SA | Genève | 31.01.1961 | 04.02.1973 | |
| 3 |  This mark PdM5 No. 3 in an 18 carat gold watch case with the Swiss hallmark of the head of Helvetia is not on the Swiss authorities list, which is supposed to show all marks in use between 1934 and 2007, although the watch dates circa 1950. The watch is a Jaeger le Coultre wristwatch with a Cal. 480 movement. The horizontal rectangular mark with a slash through it and 4/10 numbers below refers 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 | 08.09.1934 | |
| Gerlach, Antoine SA | Genève | 20.12.1972 | 29.08.1977 | |
| 5 | Croisier, Georges, succ. de Lacreuze et Cie. | Genève | 08.09.1934 | |
| Croisier, Georges SA, ancienne maison Lacreuze & Cie | Genève | 02.03.1970 | ||
| J.P.E. SA, Département boîtes | Genève | 07.03.1971 | ||
| Genevor SA | Meyrin | 22.03.1990 | 15.04.1991 | |
| 6 | Tavernier, François | Genève | 04.10.1937 | |
| François Tavernier SA | St. Imier | 02.02.1962 | 21.07.1962 | |
| 7 | Rutschi, Werner | Genève | 08.07.1938 | 05.11.1958 |
| Degoumois, Henri | Genève | 05.09.1957 | ||
| Degoumois, H., J.-Michel Degoumois succ. | Genève | 18.06.1981 | ||
| Fabior, Olivier Judas | Genève | 25.07.1984 | ||
| Fabior, Olivier Judas | Gimel | 20.01.1987 | ||
| 8 | C. Markowski | Genève | 08.09.1934 | 17.06.1963 |
| 9 | Emile Vichet | Genève | 08.09.1934 | |
| Emile Vichet SA | Genève | 14.11.1951 | 02.12.1960 | |
| 10 | Robert Meylan | Genève | 08.09.1934 | 29.06.1940 |
| Union suisse des fabricants de boîtes de montres (USFB) | Bienne | 18.08.1969 | ||
| 11 | Taubert & Fils | Genève | 08.09.1934 | |
| Taubert Frères S.A. | Genève | 05.06.1939 | ||
| Taubert Frères | Genève | 16.04.1951 | 16.05.1974 | |
| 12 | Genex SA | Chêne-Bourg | 29.06.1940 | 19.12.1985 |
| 13 | Humbert-Droz, Edouard | Genève | 08.09.1934 | |
| Humbert-Droz & Fortner | Genève | 24.10.1935 | 17.08.1937 | |
| 14 | Bonard | Genève | 08.09.1934 | |
| J. Bonard & fils | Genève | 22.06.1942 | ||
| J. + E. Bonard & Cie. | Genève | 16.12.1944 | 29.10.1975 | |
| 15 | Eric Wegner | Genève | 08.09.1934 | |
| Robert Staffelbach | Genève | 14.11.1955 | ||
| R. Staffelbach & U. Rotach | Genève | 02.12.1960 | ||
| Uli Rotach | Genève | 14.10.1965 | ||
| Uli Rotach | Carouge GE | 22.05.1967 | 24.09.1968 | |
| 17 | Dethurens & Schneider | Genève | 08.09.1934 | |
| Georges Schneider | Genève | 18.08.1939 | 27.06.1941 | |
| 18 | A. Chappuis | Genève | 08.09.1934 | 12.06.1937 |
| 19 | Kaufmann & Houriet | Genève | 25.11.1938 | |
| Marc Houriet | Genève | 27.12.1939 | 02.03.1970 | |
| 20 | E. & A. Rigacci frères | Genève | 08.09.1934 | 29.10.1937 |
| "Artinasor", Otto Scherrer | Genève | 28.10.1947 | ||
| "Artinasor", Otto Scherrer | Carouge GE | 27.12.1967 | ||
| Artisanor SA | Carouge GE | 18.08.1969 | 28.03.1983 | |
| 21 | Hauck & Maury | Genève | 08.09.1934 | |
| Hauck & Maury SA. | Genève | 28.06.1946 | ||
| Maury & Meyer S.A. | Genève | 06.11.1948 | ||
| Ponti & Meyer SA | Genève | 01.09.1970 | ||
| Ponti & Cie. SA | Genève | 30.08.1972 | 15.03.2017 | |
| 22 | Jean Canova | Genève | 08.09.1934 | |
| H. Maire SA | Genève | 12.06.1952 | 12.07.1954 | |
| 23 | Eggly & Cie | Genève | 08.09.1934 | 22.03.1990 |
| 24 | Rodolphe Sogno | Genève | 08.09.1934 | |
| Jean Sogno | Genève | 05.06.1939 | ||
| Sogno SA | Genève | 11.11.1963 | 25.07.1986 | |
| 26 | Ponti, Gennari & Cie | Genève | 08.09.1934 | 18.12.1969 |
| 27 | Ignace Klauber | Genève | 08.09.1934 | |
| Bergerioux, succ. D'Ignace Klauber | Genève | 22.01.1942 | ||
| Bergerioux & Brera | Genève | 11.11.1963 | ||
| Gustave Brera, succ. de Bergerioux & Brera | Genève | 04.11.1965 | ||
| Adea Fontan Sàrl | Les Acacias | 15.09.2000 | 17.12.2013 | |
| 28 | Marcel Guyot | Genève | 08.09.1934 | 29.06.1940 |
| Marcel Pugin S.A. | Genève | 28.10.1947 | ||
| Ateliers Réunis S.A. | Genève | 28.05.1964 | ||
| Patek Philippe SA | Grand-Lancy | 12.01.1998 | ||
| Patek Philippe SA Geneve | Genève 2 | 21.12.2016 | ||
| 29 | Weber & Cie. | Genève | 08.09.1934 | |
| Weber & Cie. SA | Genève | 25.11.1938 | ||
| Weber & Cie Société Anonyme, Genève, c/o Fiduciaire Jacques Morand & Cie | Genève | 25.06.2014 | ||
| 30 | Pellarin & Cie. | Genève | 08.09.1934 | 16.05.1974 |
| 31 | Albert Lassieur | Genève | 08.09.1934 | 28.12.1940 |
| 32 | Gay Frères | Genève | 08.09.1934 | |
| Gay Frères SA | Genève | 02.07.1944 | 04.05.2000 | |
| 33 | Jules Mégevand | Genève | 08.09.1934 | 03.12.1936 |
| 34 | Guido Meuwly | Genève | 08.09.1934 | 29.12.1937 |
| Guido Meuwly | Genève | 28.02.1938 | ||
| G. Meuwly & fils | Genève | 10.05.1977 | ||
| G. Meuwly & Fils, P. Meuwly succ. | Genève | 10.09.2004 | 22.03.2005 | |
| 35 | Hertig Frères | Genève | 29.08.1963 | |
| Hertig frères SA | Genève | 07.06.1971 | ||
| Claude et Francis Hertig | Carouge GE | 07.12.1974 | 27.03.1996 | |
| 36 | F. Kuhn S.A. | Genève | 11.11.1963 | 27.06.1975 |
| 37 | R. Staffelbach | Genève | 29.04.1966 | 29.08.1977 |
| 38 | Max Fuchs | Genève | 31.10.1973 | |
| Max Fuchs SA | Genève | 18.06.1981 | 24.08.1994 | |
| 39 | Hertig frères SA | Genève | 21.03.1974 | |
| Stylor SA | Genève | 18.01.1975 | 25.07.1986 | |
| 40 | Centre-Boîtes SA | Biel/Bienne | 13.06.1969 | 15.05.1975 |
| 41 | René Chambaz | Genève | 12.12.1974 | 29.10.1975 |
| 42 | F. de G. SA | Chêne-Bourg | 31.05.1983 | 30.11.2011 |
| 43 | Florian Favre SA | Les Acacias | 28.02.1989 | 30.11.2011 |
| 44 | Tournor, Charles Brandt & Fils | Genève | 25.02.1991 | 24.08.1994 |
| 45 | Ecodor SA | Plan-les-Ouates | 27.11.1991 | |
| 45 | Franck Muller Watch Land SA | Genthod | 23.01.2006 | 19.07.2011 |
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Poinçon de Maître No. 6: shield
The numbers for PdM6 which had been registered in October 1957 are matching the numbers of PdM6. Not all manufacturers who went for a registration of PdM5 also went for a registration of Poinçon de Maître No. 6 because they did not consider to manufacture lower standard cases
The list for Poinçon de Maître No. 6 is closed and believed to be complete because the last registrant (Weber & Cie) was erased from this list in 2017 and the shield mark was in consequence erased as well.
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 | 03.06.1958 | 22.03.1990 |
| 2 | F. Baumgartner | Genève | 03.06.1958 | |
| F. Baumgartner S.A. | Genève | 31.01.1961 | 04.05.1973 | |
| 5 | Georges Croisier | MGenève | 03.06.1958 | |
| Georges Croisier SA, ancienne maison Lacreuze & Cie | Genève | 02.03.1970 | ||
| J.P.E. SA, Département boîtes | Genève | 07.06.1971 | ||
| Genèvor SA | Genève | 22.03.1990 | 15.04.1991 | |
| 6 | François Tavernier | Genève | 03.06.1958 | |
| François Tavernier S.A. | St. Imier | 02.02.1962 | 21.07.1962 | |
| 9 | Emile Vichet S.A. | Genève | 03.06.1958 | 02.12.1960 |
| 12 | Genex S.A. | Chène-Bourg GE | 03.06.1958 | 19.12.1985 |
| 20 | Oscar Scherrer, "Artisanor" | Genève | 24.12.1958 | |
| Oscar Scherrer, "Artisanor" | Carouge GE | 27.12.1967 | ||
| Artisanor SA | Carouge GE | 18.08.1969 | 28.03.1983 | |
| 23 | Eggly & Cie | Genève | 17.07.1959 | 22.03.1990 |
| 24 | Sogno S.A. | Genève | 03.06.1958 | 25.07.1986 |
| 26 | Ponti, Gennari & Cie | Genève | 03.06.1958 | 18.12.1969 |
| 29 | Weber & Cie S.A. | Genève | 03.06.1958 | |
| Weber & Cie Socété Anonyme, C/o Fiduciaire Jacques Morand & Cie | Genève | 25.06.2014 | 04.10.2017 | |
| 36 | F. Kuhn S.A. | Genève | 11.11.1963 | 27.06.1975 |
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Copyright © David Boettcher 2005 - 2023 all rights reserved. This page updated May 2021. W3CMVS. Back to the top of the page.