Swiss Poinçons de Maître
Copyright © David Boettcher 2005 - 2026 all rights reserved.In Switzerland in 1926, a system of marking was introduced to identify manufacturers of precious metal watch cases. This was in addition to the trademarks that some case manufacturers had already registered.
The marks were in the form of outline shapes containing a number identifying the case maker. The reason for this type of mark was because manufacturers of expensive watches with precious metal cases didn't want the name or trademark of a case maker appearing in the back of their watches. Many case makers were separate companies who supplied many different watch manufacturers with cases, but watch manufacturers wanted to give customers the impression that they made all the parts of a watch and they didn't want another company's name or trademark in the case back.
A mark identifying a maker is called in French a poinçon de maître, literally a ‘punch of the master’. In this context, the Swiss authorities identified poinçons de maître as different from trademarks. The two marks could be the same, but the term poinçon de maître was used for marks on precious metal items whereas a trademark could be used on anything. When the same basic mark was used by many different watch case makers, each identified by a number, these are called poinçons de maître collective or collective responsibility marks.
The system of outline marks and registration code numbers for watch case makers in the Neuchatel and Jura regions was devised in 1926 by the Swiss chamber of horology, based in La Chaux-de-Fonds. No legislation or federal council decree requiring the registration of these marks has been found. There are no known official records or lists of the first registrations of watch case manufacturers under this scheme. The system was later expanded to cover different case making regions of Switzerland, principally Geneva.
In 1934, an overhaul of Swiss hallmarking legislation resulted in the records of case makers registered to use a poinçon de maître collective being held by the Central Office of Precious Metal Control. All the registration data currently known is from 1934 or later.
Poinçons de maître collective are usually seen only in gold, platinum and palladium cases. Although marks for silver cases were registered in 1934 by the Swiss watch case makers association, these are only seen occasionally. This may be because by 1934, stainless steel was becoming the predominant material for watch cases that previously would have been made in silver.
The table below shows the six poinçons de maître collective and the dates when each mark was first registered. When one of these is stamped in a watch case, the XXX shown in the marks are replaced with a number that indicates the maker of the case. If you 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 registrant of the mark. However, be aware that article 9 of the 1934 law stated that ‘Manufacturers who do not themselves make the articles they use may have their trademark affixed to them as a poinçon de maître’, so in some cases the mark does not identify the actual case maker.
When stamped the XXX shown in the marks are replaced by a number that indicates the maker. | |||
| Number | Date | Name | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| No. 1 | 11 June 1926 | Hammer Head, or Hammer without Handle | For gold, platinum and palladium watch cases made in Switzerland outside Geneva. |
| No. 2 | 27 March 1926 | Hammer with Handle | Usage not recorded: see The Hammer with Handle Mystery. |
| No. 3 | 25 June 1934 | Marquee of Fédération des Fabricants de Boîtes Argent (FFBA) | For silver watch cases made in the cantons of Neuchâtel and Jura. |
| No. 4 | 25 June 1934 | Arbalète or Crossbow | For silver watch cases made in the cantons of Neuchâtel and Jura. |
| No. 5 | 23 May 1930 | Key of Geneva | For gold, platinum and palladium watch cases of thickness 30 centiémes (0.3 mm) made in Geneva. |
| No. 6 | 3 June 1958 | Shield | For gold, platinum and palladium watch cases of thickness 15 centiémes (0.15 mm) made in Geneva. |
The system and numbering pre-dates 1934, but the 1934 list is the basis of the lists available today, and it has gaps in it, because the original registrant either stopped using the mark or no longer existed when the 1934 list was compiled. So, it is possible to find these marks in watch cases that are earlier than 1934.
Lists of the marks and registration numbers, together with the names of the watch case makers who the marks were registered to and the dates when the ownership of the mark changed, 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.
Data supplied by the Swiss Central Office of Precious Metal Control was valid for 2007, but between 1934 and 2007 many changes took place: companies changed names, changed ownership, and sometimes the registration numbers were reused. Bernd Riemann has researched all of these changes and the tables here show all of this history. All watch collectors owe a big thanks to Bernd!
Back to the top of the page.
PdM 2: Hammer with Handle
Figure 1. Registration of hammer with handle mark in March 1926: Click image to enlarge
The first Poinçon de Maître to be registered as a collective responsibility mark was a ‘marteau avec manche’ or hammer with handle shown in Figure 1. This was registered on 27 March 1926 by the Chambre suisse de l’Horlogerie based in La Chaux-de-Fonds. The registration says that the mark is for watch cases in gold or platinum.
Although it was the first such mark to be registered, in later documentation this mark is described as Poinçon de Maître collective No. 2.
The image of the registration of the hammer has three crosses on the hammer head. When the mark was struck on a case by a watch case manufacturer, these crosses were replaced by their registration number, enabling the identity of the case manufacturer to be traced without it being too obvious to watch purchasers.
Hammer with Handle Mystery
Hammer with Handle No. 321, thanks to Glenn.
The database of the Swiss Central Office of Precious Metal Control lists the hammer with handle as ‘Poinçon de maître collectif No. 2’. There are only two numbers listed under this mark in the records starting in 1934, No. 115 Favre & Perret SA, and No 160 Joseph Erard SA.
The hammer with handle mark was registered in 1926, so the presence of only two entries in the 1934 list, numbers 115 and 160, suggested that there must have been many other companies registered from 1926 onwards which do not appear in the 1934 list. I have a Stauffer & Co wristwatch with a 9 carat gold case that has Glasgow import hallmarks for 1926 / 1927. The case has a hammer with handle mark with the registration number 180.
I asked USH-APIC and the Swiss Central Office for Precious Metal Control about this, but they have no records prior to 1934. A description of the meaning and use of each of the marks supplied in 2011 by USH-APIC contains no reference to mark No. 2, the hammer with handle. Unfortunately this description is not dated, but must be later than 1958.
In an attempt to understand what had happened, in 2011 I asked for details of any cases seen with the hammer with handle mark. Over the years since, a lot of sightings have come in, including one with the registration number 321. It seems likely that, if this exercise was continued, all the registration numbers up to 312, and perhaps higher, missing from the 1934 list would be found.
This data shows that there were a large number of companies using this mark between 1926 and 1934, but that all but two had stopped using the mark before 1934. It is unlikely that more than 300 separate watch case manufacturers went out of business in the years between 1926 and 1934. It is clear that that a decision was taken some time in the 1920s or early 1930s to stop using the hammer with handle mark.
The reason for this is almost certainly explained by the second collective responsibility mark that was registered in 1926, which is described next.
PdM 1: Hammer Head
Figure 2. Registration of second collective responsibility mark, a hammer head, in June 1926: Click image to enlarge
Less than three months after the registration of the first mark, the hammer with handle, a second mark of a ‘marteau sans manche" or hammer without handle, that is a hammer head, was registered on 11 June 1926, as shown in Figure 2. The registration says that this mark is for watch cases in gold or platinum, the same as the hammer with handle.
The reason for this is not documented, but it seems likely that this was to provide a discreet alternative to the hammer with handle. The hammer with handle is easy to recognise. After a few months of its use, it may have been found that customers could see it in the cases of watches made by different manufacturers and thereby realise that the cases were all made by the same company, so a less easily recognisable mark was introduced.
The hammer head is referred to in official Swiss records as poinçon de maître collective number one, PdM No 1, and the hammer with handle as PdM No 2, but the dates of registration show that the order of registration was the other way round.
On 20 April 1934, ownership of the hammer with handle and the hammer head marks was transferred from the Chambre suisse de l’Horlogerie, La Chaux-de-Fonds, to the Fédération Suisse des Associations de Fabricants de Boites de Montres en Or (F. B.), rue de la Concorde 11a, Le Locle.
The data supplied in 2007 by the Swiss Central Office for Precious Metal Control states that the mark is to be used only on watch cases made of gold, platinum or palladium with a minimum thickness of 0.15 mm.
Hammer with Handle Mystery Solved
Hallmark dates of cases with PdM No. 2, the hammer with handle: Click image to enlarge
In the lists supplied by the Swiss Central Office for Precious Metal Control in 2007, there are a large number of registrations for PdM No. 1, the hammer head, dated 21 July 1934. The list of registrations for the hammer with handle contained only two, numbers 115 and 160, also both date 21 July 1934. This is the date of publication of the lists, the registrations actually took place on 11 July 1934, but that doesn't alter the point.
Because the two collective marks were registered in 1926, and there could not have been dozens of new companies all registering to use them on the same day in 1934, it seems clear that all the entries dated 21 July 1934 were transferred from an earlier list. The question is why were there so many on the hammer head list, but only two on the list for the hammer with handle?
When it is considered that the hammer with handle mark is the earlier of the two marks, it perhaps all companies that initially registered to use the hammer with handle mark also registered a few months later to use the hammer head mark. If the hammer head mark became the preferred mark, because of its more discreet appearance, then perhaps use of the hammer with handle declined to the point when in 1934, only two companies wished to continue using it.
The details of cases with the hammer with handle mark supplied to me by correspondents add 44 marks to the two known from the 2007 list and my own watch. These marks are all shown in the table for poinçon de maître No. 2. There are twenty cases with British import hallmarks, which enables their date of manufacture to be established. The data from these cases is shown in the figure and, although it's only a small sample, it supports the hypothesis that use of the hammer with handle mark declined between 1926 and 1934. Note that British hallmark dates spanned two calendar years. The two cases seen with hallmarks for 1925 to 1926 were hallmarked before the date letter was changed in 1926.
Could it be that companies who were initially registered with a number for the hammer with handle mark were given the same registration number for the hammer head mark? If the theory that the hammer with handle mark was quickly found to be too easy to recognise and the hammer head was registered as an alternative, then this seemed quite likely, and it turns out that this was exactly what happened.
Marc Erard registration PdM No. 2/160 in 1934
Click image to enlarge
In the 2007 lists of PdM No. 1 and PdM No. 2, registration number 115 is listed as Manufacture Favre & Perret SA.
In the 2007 list of PdM No. 1, there is no record of registration number 160. Number 161 is listed as Joseph Erard SA, Le Noirmont. In the list of PdM No. 2, there is no record of number 161. Number 160 is listed as Joseph Erard SA, Le Noirmont. So it appears that Joseph Erard SA had registration number 161 in the list of PdM No. 1 and 160 in the list of PdM No. 2, which was long thought to be an argument against companies having the same registration number on both lists. However, research by Bernd Riemann brought to light that the PdM2 number 160 was in fact registered in 1934 to Marc Erard, not to Joseph Erard. This removes the conflict.
Another clue was provided by some early Rolex Oyster cases with the hammer with handle mark and registration number 136. In the list from 1934 of the registrants for the hammer head, number 136 is assigned to C. R. Spillmann. It is known that for the fist ten years, C. R. Spillmann was the exclusive manufacturer of Oyster cases for Rolex. Rolex Oyster cases are seen with both the hammer with handle and hammer head marks, each carrying number 136. This shows that C. R. Spillmann was registered to use both marks 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 1934 hammer head list? Yes. In fact, the same thing happened in 1958 when PdM No. 6, the ‘ecusson’ or shield was registered, as discussed under the section about that mark.
PdM 5: Key of Geneva
Figure 3. Registration of collective responsibility mark, a Geneva key, in May 1930: Click image to enlarge
The next mark to be registered was a ‘clef’ or key of Geneva, mark number 72880 shown in Figure 3. This was entered by the Association Genevoise des Fabricants de Bijouterie-Joaillerie et de Boites de Montres on 23 May 1930. Although there are no crosses shown in the drawing of the key, it is described as a ‘marque collective’ or collective mark. Later images show three crosses on the lever of the key, which is where the registrant's number is stamped.
The fact that the mark was registered by an association of jewellery makers as well as watch case makers for use on ‘Articles de bijouterie, de joaillerie et d’horlogerie’ (costume jewellery, fine jewellery and watches) suggests that the mark might also have been used on jewellery, but this has not been seen.
On 20 April 1934, ownership of mark number 72880 was transferred from the Association Genevoise des Fabricants de Bijouterie-Joaillerie et de Boites de Montres to the Fédération Suisse des Associations de Fabricants de Boites de Montres en Or (F. B.), 11a rue de la Concorde, Le Locle.
The database of the Swiss Central Office of Precious Metal Control lists the Geneva key as ‘Poinçon de maitre collective No. 5’.
The 1934 Precious Metals Act
Figure 4. Registration of collective responsibility marks FFBA and Crossbow in June 1934: Click image to enlarge
FFBA mark in sterling silver (0.925) case: Click image to enlarge
Initially, from 1926, poinçons de maître collective were registered at the bureau de contrôle (assay office) of the canton or arrondissement where the watch case manufacturer was located. Details of these first registrations either do not exist or have not yet been located.
On 1 July 1934, a Federal Law on the Control of Trade in Precious Metals and Precious Metal Works dated 20 June 1933 came into force. This required that all Poinçons de Maître Collective were registered with the Central Bureau for the Control of Precious Metals in Bern, pursuant to Article 59 of the Act.
PdM 3 and 4: Marquee and Crossbow
Also in June 1934, as a result of the new law, two new collective marks were registered, as shown in Figure 4. On 25 June 1934, the mark of a marquee containing the initials FFBA of the Fédération des fabricants de boites argent, based in Bienne. On 30 June, the mark of an arbalète or crossbow. Both of these marks were for only silver watch cases made in the regions of Neuchatel and the Jura. These marks are not common but a sterling silver case has been seen with the FFBA mark, the registration number 20, for Manufacture Cartier, La Chaux-de-Fonds, being struck in the bottom of the mark. No case with a cross bow mark has been seen. If you have a case with either the FFBA marquee or crossbow, please send a photo of the marks.
Information was obtained from the central database in 2007. However, between 1934 and 2007 many changes took place: companies changed names, changed ownership, and sometimes the registration numbers were reused. Bernd Riemann researched all of these changes and the tables here now show all of this history. All watch collectors owe big thanks to Bernd!
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.
PdM 6: Ecusson or Shield
Figure 5. Registration of the Ecusson or Shield June on 3 June 1958: Click image to enlarge
On 3 June 1958, a mark of an ‘ecusson’ or shield was registered by the Fédération Suisse des Associations de Fabricants de Boîtes de Montres or (F.B.), the Swiss Association of Gold Watch Case Makers, in La Chaux-de-Fonds. This mark is identified as collective mark number 6, and the database of the Swiss Central Office of Precious Metal Control lists the shield as ‘Poinçon de maitre collective No. 6’.
The nine watch case makers registered at the same time to use this mark are listed alongside the representation of the mark. The registration numbers are not consecutive because the same makers were registered to use collective mark number 5, the key of Geneva, and the same registration numbers were used.
If you have a case with this mark, please send a photo.
Registering Bodies
Transfer of PdM1, PdM2 and PdM5 to F.B.: Click image to enlarge
Collective responsibility marks No. 1, ‘Marteau sans manche’ (hammer without handle or hammer head) and No. 2, ‘Marteau avec manche’ (hammer with handle), were registered in 1926 by the Chambre suisse de l’Horlogerie. In 1934, ownership of these marks was transferred to the Fédération Suisse des Associations de Fabricants de Boîtes de Montres or (F.B.).
Collective responsibility mark No. 5, ‘Clef’ (key of Geneva), was registered in 1930 by the Association Genevoise des Fabricants de Bijouterie-Joaillerie et de Boites de Montres. In 1934, ownership of this mark was transferred to the Fédération Suisse des Associations de Fabricants de Boites de Montres en Or (F. B.).
Collective responsibility marks No. 3 ‘FFBA’ and No. 4 ‘Arbalète’ (crossbow) were registered in 1934 by the Fédération des Fabricants de Boîtes Argent, Bienne.
Collective responsibility mark No. 6 ‘Ecusson’ (shield) was registered by the Fédération Suisse des Associations de Fabricants de Boîtes de Montres or (F.B.), La Chaux-de-Fonds.
In 1966, the responsibilities and marks of these associations were transferred to the Union Suisse des Fabricants de Boites de Montre (USFB) (Swiss Union of Watch Cases Manufacturers). At this time, use of PdM No. 2, the hammer with handles, was discontinued. The name of this association was subsequently changed to the Union Suisse pour l'Habillage de la Montre (USH) (Swiss Union for Watch Casing).
In 2006, responsibility was transferred to 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), now known as "apiah" (Association patronale des industries de l'Arc-horloger).
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 and gold filled or rolled gold watch cases, 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, as opposed to the BB mark which is identified as a trademark (Marque de fabrique). 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.
Back to the top of the page.
Poinçon de Maître No.1 : Hammer Head
The hammer head mark was first registered on 11 June 1926.
While many hammer head marks show an Enregistrement date of 11.07.1934, this date only indicates when existing records were transferred to the Central Bureau for the Control of Precious Metals in Bern. The mark was first used in 1926, so the 1934 Enregistrement date does not represent its introduction. A mark showing this registration date could have been in use any time from 1926 onwards, when the mark was first introduced.
Where a registration number is missing from the table, the registrant of that number must have ceased using the mark before the data was centralised in 1934. At the moment there is 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 was first registered on 27 March 1926.
Only two hammer with handle marks are listed in the 1934 list, 115 and 160.
While the two hammer with handle marks on the 1934 list show an Enregistrement date of 11.07.1934, this date only indicates when existing records were transferred to the Central Bureau for the Control of Precious Metals in Bern. The mark was first used in 1926, so the 1934 Enregistrement date does not represent its introduction. A mark showing this registration date could have been in use any time from 1926 onwards, when the mark was first introduced.
There is a high degree of confidence that the hammer head mark was introduced as an alternative to the hammer with handle mark and that the list of registrants of the two marks was originally the same. This means that the list of registrants of the hammer head can be used to discover the registrant of a hammer with handle mark. This is discussed in greater detail in the section The Hammer With Handle Mystery at the head of this page.
Marteau Avec Manche Radiation 1966: Click image to enlarge
Poinçon de Maître No. 2, the hammer with handle, was struck off the official register in June 1966.
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 1926 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 |
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 surround. |
|||
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 PdM 1 (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 knight's shield with the initials 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 27 March 1926. |
|||
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 |
A. Schild Calibre 554. Click image to enlarge 
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 554 which carries the trademark "Sunbeam" 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 Swiss hallmarks mandated in 1924 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 probably a witness mark from a rotating part of the movement touching the case. 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. |
|||
|
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. |
|||
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 Spillmann 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 surround 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. In the list of PdM from the Swiss Central Office of Precious Metal Control, the entry for PdM1 No. 136 shows an address of Chêne-Bourg. A new company “C.R. Spillmann SA” was founded in Chêne-Bourg in 1977, but there was no application for a renewal or transfer of the PdM from the “C.R. Spillmann & Co SA.” to this company. The Poinçon de Maître registered to C.R. Spillmann & Co SA, PdM No. 1/136, was cancelled on 5 April 1988, presumably as a result of the takeover of the company by Rolex. The address given in the notice of cancellation is La Chaux-de-Fonds. 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. |
|||
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. |
|||
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. |
|||
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, 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. Genex was also the name of a company formed in 1940 to take over the workshop and assets of the watch case maker Robert Meylan. |
|||
160 |
Marc Erard registration PdM No. 2/160 in 1934: Click image to enlarge Marc Erard; the second of the only two numbers registered to use this mark in 1934. NB: attribution of this mark to Joseph Erard is incorrect. |
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. 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.
Poinçon de Maître No. 3: FFBA Marquee
The FFBA Marquee was first registered on 25 June 1934. The first registration of case makers under this mark was on 25 July 1934. The same list of case makers was registered for Poinçons de Maître No. 3 and No. 4.
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 | 26.07.1934 | |
| 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 |
Back to the top of the page.
Poinçon de Maître No. 4: Arbalète or Crossbow
The Arbalète or Crossbow was first registered on 25 June 1934. The first registration of case makers under this mark was on 25 July 1934. The same list of case makers was registered for Poinçons de Maître No. 3 and No. 4.
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 | |
Back to the top of the page.
Poinçon de Maître No. 5: Key of Geneva
The key of Geneva poinçon de maître was first registered on 23 May 1930.
While Geneva key marks show an Enregistrement date of 08.09.1934, this date only indicates when existing records were transferred to the Central Bureau for the Control of Precious Metals in Bern. The mark was first used in 1930, so the 1934 Enregistrement date does not represent its introduction. A mark showing this registration date could have been in use any time from 1930 onwards, when the mark was first introduced.
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. |
||||
| 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 The first record of this company is dated 14 May 1926, when it was recorded that the director of the company Marcel Guyot in Plainpalais, Geneva, was Louis-Marcel Guyot. The nature of the business was fabrication of watch cases, address 25, Rue de la Coulouvrenière. The Poinçon de Maître registration was probably assigned to the company around this date, rather than the date in September 1934 shown here, which refers to the centralisation of the records and not their date of origin. The company resigned its registration in 1940 and was struck off the official register in December 1942 due to having ceased operations. | Genève | 08.09.1934 | 29.06.1940 |
| Marcel Pugin S.A. In 1946, Marcel Pugin established a company at 12 Rue Céard, Geneva, to manufacture jewellery. In July 1946, this company was transformed into a limited liability company, Marcel Pugin S.A., under the heading of watches and jewellery, although watches were not mentioned in its constitution. The assignment of the vacant Poinçon de Maître number 5 registration 28 indicates that during 1947 the company began to manufacture watch cases. | Genève | 28.10.1947 | ||
Ateliers Réunis S.A. 
Orflex trademark 1959: Click image to enlarge 
Metalia Geneve trademark 1955: Click image to enlarge On 26 June 1963, the company Marcel Pugin S.A. was renamed as Ateliers Réunis S.A. (“united workshops”) and acquired the assets and liabilities of the companies Orflex and Metalia S.A. (formerly «Metalia Genève» Brunner & Pugin), which as a consequence were dissolved. Ateliers Réunis S.A. is sometimes referred to as “ARSA”. Before they were taken over by Marcel Pugin S.A., Metalia Genève had registered the “MG” trademark shown here in 1955, and Orflex had registered in 1959 the “sun” trademark shown here. Both of these marks are seen on gold pin buckles. The Metalia Genève trademark was transferred to Metalia S.A. in 1956 and struck off the register of trademarks in March 1964. In May 1964 the Orflex trademark was transferred to Ateliers Réunis. In 1965, a company called Boucledor (“gold buckles”) that specialised in gold pin buckles was spun out of Ateliers Réunis as a separate company. |
Genève | 28.05.1964 | ||
| Patek Philippe SA In 1977, Patek Philippe took a shareholding in Ateliers Réunis S.A., effectively bringing the production of watch cases and bracelets “in house”. The building occupied by Ateliers Réunis S.A. became vacant when manufacturing of these items was transferred to a new factory in Plan-les-Ouates in 1996. The building now houses the Patek Philippe museum. Patek Philippe took over the company Ateliers Réunis in August 2012. | 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 |
Back to the top of the page.
Poinçon de Maître No. 6: shield
Poinçon de Maître No. 6 was registered on 3 June 1958 for gold and platinum watch cases of minimum thickness 0.15 mm made in Geneva.
PdM 6 was an addition to PdM 5, which was for gold and platinum watch cases of minimum thickness 0.3mm made in Geneva. Manufacturers who registered for PdM No. 6 used the same registration number as for PdM No. 5.
The list for Poinçon de Maître No. 6 is closed. The listing here is believed to be complete because the last registrant (Weber & Cie) was erased from this list in 2017 and the shield mark was subsequently also erased.
PdM 6, shield. For gold and platinum watch cases of minimum thickness 0.15 mm 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 |
Back to the top of the page.
If you have any comments or questions, please don't hesitate to get in touch via my Contact Me page.
Copyright © David Boettcher 2005 - 2026 all rights reserved. This page updated October 2023.
Back to the top of the page.