Sinn

For the last 44 years everything at Sinn has revolved around high-quality mechanical watches. This brand’s history began in 1961 when pilot and flight instructor Helmut Sinn began to manufacture pilot’s watches under his own name in Frankfurt-Rödelheim.

These were exceptionally instrumentlike wristwatches and board clocks of high functionality, fulfilling the professional demands of pilots perfectly. He sold them directly from the factory without using any type of middleman, and he didn’t advertise either. High functionality,top-grade indestructible quality,and extreme cost-effectiveness quickly got around the pilot scene. And today these unique qualities remain typical of Frankfurt’s Sinn brand.

Sinn has long been an insider tip among fans of mechanical watches, for together with the renaissance of the mechanical wristwatch,interest in these special watches originating in Frankfurt also rose. Specialties of the house such as instrument-like chronographs and sports and diver’s watches were able to assert themselves in trade press comparison tests against often much more expensive competition bearing “bigger”names.

Despite all of the brand’success, this also turned out to be a phase of new beginnings: At the age of 78 the brand’s founder and name-giver sold  both the company and the rights to the brand to Dipl.-Ing.Lothar Schmidt in 1994. A native of the German state of Saarland, Schmidt had been proxy holder,production manager, and one of the developmental engineers of the noble Swiss brand IWC until that point. He provided his new company with competence and knowledge as well as experience in development, production,and the introduction of new technologies – decisive impulses for continuing development. A myriad of technical innovations that made the trade and a growing number of customers perk up their ears followed: An anti-reflective diver’s watch absolutely condensation-free, made of stainless steel that could reach any possible diving depth thanks to the HYDRO® technology; a valuable chronometer-chronograph encased in a newly developed 22-karat gold alloy making it hard as stainless steel; a chronometer containing magnetic field protection twenty times higher than the norm and a movement suspension system that is exceptionally shockproof; models with ideal protection against movement corrosion filled with inert gases and outfitted with an integrated dehumidifying capsule; the development of timepieces for the professional use of police and border patrols (EZM models); lubrication and tolerance technology that allows a mechanical watch to function at temperatures from –45 °C to +80 °C. Our model 303 KRISTALL withstood a fire and ice test in 1998 during the dog-sled race Yukon Quest taking place in the icy expanses of Canada and Alaska where temperatures of –40 °C are not rare.The model 203 ARKTIS followed suit in 1999. This diver’s chronograph passed its test in the Arctic Ocean with flying colors. One of the newest developments by Sinn is the DIAPAL technology, containing expressly chosen materials for the watch’s most important governing components so that they no longer need lubrication. This technology premiered in our anniversary model, the Frankfurt Finance Watch made of a white gold and palladium alloy, on the occasion of our company’s fortieth anniversary in the year 2001. Further models featuring DIAPAL technology are the new 756 DIAPAL and the Frankfurt Finance Alarm Watch, model 6066. 

Watch Community opinion (by www.watchfinder.com):

Sinn was one of the best-kept secrets among watch fanatics for years until about 2002, when the brand caught fire on the Internet. Widely perceived to be a new brand, Sinn has been making watches for professional use in Germany for almost 20 years. Stories abound about people flying to the Sinn factory in Germany and buying 20 or more watches, and then selling them to their collector friends and/or on eBay. Now Sinn is more widely available, and to their credit, prices are still low compared to the high quality. Popular models include the Sinn 356 pilot's chronograph, Sinn 956 Rallye chronograph, Sinn EZM models, Sinn 103, Sinn 144, and the Sinn 903 which is inspired by the famous Breitling Navitimer.

Revue Thommen. Since 1853

Contemporary witnesses of watchmaking skill.

Since 1853.

After over 150 years, it is still the watchmaker’s inventive talent that sets the balance wheel in motion. Every day countless contemporary witnesses of watchmaking skill see the light of day at

Revue Thommen. Revue Thommen’s founding fathers would be pleased. The watch manufacturer in the Swiss region of Jura near Basel is alive and ticking. Its watchmaking masters produce manufacture movements by hand, each one in itself a unique article.

Revue Thommen is one of the oldest Swiss watch brands, and has always been worthy of the latin-derived term “manufacture”. Over 100 different GT movements have been produced manufactum–by hand. The little town of Waldenburg founded the “Société d’Horlogerie à Waldenburg” in 1853 because of the high level of unemployment. Gédéon Thommen took over the factory in 1859. From that moment on the factory flourished and annual production increased from 4000 in 1870 to 13000 watches in 1890. Again and again Thommen was the talk of the town with its astounding inventions. The son Alphonse carried on his father’s tradition. He placed enormous value on excellent quality and unfailingly wanted to play a leading role in development.

Several American presidents relied on the “Cricket” alarm wristwatch. With the arrival of the “Revue Sport”, wristwatches satisfied the most rigorous requirements for the very first time. Without qualified watchmakers Revue Thommen wouldn’t be able to develop and produce mechanical watch movements. For this reason the training of apprentices is of utmost importance. In this way Revue Thommen conserves and fosters its know-how in the construction of its timepieces and a large element of its independence.

Revue Thommen watches were a natural product extension for the company that started as a premier supplier of airline dashboard gauges. Revue Thommen watches are authentic tool watches since they are designed for pilots. Revue Thommen's experience is obviously present in their watches -- in the legibility of the dials and especially in their anti-reflective crystals. Revue Thommen Airspeed watches look like they do not have a crystal. The good news is that the watches are still very reasonably priced. Revue Thommen also makes the Cricket alarm watch. The company gave this watch to American presidents for many years. I have owned a number of Revue Thommen watches, and I have found them to be of excellent quality and intereting designs. (C) www.watchfinder.com

A watch legend Valjoux

Valjoux is one of the most venerated names in Swiss watch making history.  For nearly 100 years, Valjoux was a manufacturer of watch ebauches and complete movements. From the 1920s to the 1960s, Valjoux movements were the choice of some of the most prestigious watch manufacturers in Switzerland.. During the Quartz Revolution of the late 1970sand 1980s, the existence of mechanical movement manufacturers and smaller watch companies in Switzerland came under threat from this new, inexpensive and accurate timekeeping technology from Japan. 

In the midst of this watch market upheaval in Switzerland, Valjoux released a new automatic chronograph movement for which it is so well known to this day - the 7750.  The self-winding 7750 was designed for precision timekeeping while being both rugged and economical to manufacture. The Valjoux 7750 was also adaptable and became the basis for numerous variants of this movement; this made it extremely popular with many Swiss watch companies. And, the 7750 ebauche, if you will, serves as the heart of many of the in-house calibres of Switzerland's top-tier watch manufacturers.

Within ETA, Valjoux in Neuchatel continued to manufacture movements and the name Valjoux was always associated with the calibre, i.e. Valjoux 7750.  The 7750 became one of ETA's strongest sellers, year in and year out. In the 1980s the automatic mechanical movement proved most popular and ETA chose to phase out manual wind movements from the Valjoux line. Another change took place within ETA and the Swatch Group which owns ETA.  The name Valjoux disappeared from its literature and did not appear in its webpages.  (The same happened with Unitas and most recently Lemania). The ETA catalog today lists the calibre as the ETA 7750. 

Chronograph watch enthusiasts, however, have always referred to this calibre as the Valjoux 7750 and probably always will.  Valjoux manufactured many remarkable watch movements during the 20th century, but little information exists on the history of Valjoux and the movements it manufactured.  The Valjoux Reference Site was conceived to fill this information void.  It will grow over the months and years as a resource for all those watch enthusiasts who have admired the magnificent mechanical movements made by Valjoux.

Valjoux History

Valjoux had it's basis in the small town of Les Bioux, near the shore of Lac de Joux, within the canton of Vaud in the northwest part of Switzerland.  In his travels through Switzerland in 1779, Goethe wrote of this region:

"The great mountain range, which, running from Basel to Geneva , divides Switzerland from France , as you are aware, named the Jura.  Its principal heights run by Lausanne and reach as far as Rolle and Nyon.  In the midst of this summit ridge, Nature has cut out—I might almost say washed out—a remarkable valley; for the tops of all these limestone rocks the operation of the primal waters is manifest.  It is called La Vallee de Joux, which means the Valley of the Rock, since Joux, in the local dialect, signifies a rock."

This region of Switzerland was among the richest in terms of watchmaking and the cottage-industry resources watchmakers and watch companies relied on. In August 1897, the local council passed a resolution to promote the establishment of watch and clock making in Les Bioux.  It backed up the resolution with 60,000 Swiss francs for construction of a building, necessary machinery and other needs. In April 1898 the cornerstone was laid, and the building was completed and outfitted before the onset of winter. The business name was the Val de Joux Watch Co.  This company began manufacturing pocket watches and clocks, but the name of the director or owner is unknown today.

n 1901, brothers John and Charles Reymond opened their watchmaking business, Reymond Freres, in Les Bioux, not far from the Val de Joux Watch Co. They had individually honed their watchmaking skills before starting their own business.  Their reputation as fine watchmakers grew, spread by word of mouth, and their business prospered.  However, the Val de Joux Watch Co. suffered from mismanagement, and ownership of the company changed hands several times during the early 1900s. In 1910, legend has it, the last owner made off with all the machine tools, benches and other equipment, leaving the building a shell.

This proved to be window of opportunity for John and Charles Reymond, as the Reymond Freres shops were too small to meet growing demand for their watches. They inspected the empty Val de Joux Watch Co. building and deemed it ideal for their expanding business.  The Les Bioux councilmen met with the Reymond brothers and came to acceptable terms. The Reymond brothers and their employees welcomed the larger watch manufacturing facilities.

The company had manufactured various numbered calibres since its early years and its watch makers assembled wrist watches as well as pocket watches and even a limited number of stop watches. In 1914, they introduced chronograph wrist watches with the Calibre 22 movement (pictured, left). Two years later the Calibre 23 was introduced.  However, the first World War raging in Europe had an impact on the sales of watches, despite Switzerland being isolated from the conflict, which ended in 1918. After the war, the Reymond manufacture continued to prosper and demand for its watches and ebauches continued to grow.  The Reymond ebauches were distinguished by the letter R with a shield outline (pictured above, left).  Sometime during the 1920s, John Reymond's sons, Marius and Arnold, joined the company and applied themselves to the watchmaking craft.

In 1929, Marius and Arnold Reymond assume control of the company, and chose to incorporate it and register the name of the company Valjoux S.A. The crash of the American stock market in 1929 had a disastrous economic impact on the U.S. economy that rippled around the world. This drastically effected demand for all Swiss watches, and thus ebauches, during the 1930s.  Ebauches S.A., created decades earlier, worked to acquire ebauche manufacturing firms to ensure their survival, but Valjoux S.A. choose to remain independent.

The company continued to innovate and introduce new calibres in the 1930s and 1940s.  As early as 1939, Valjoux introduced the Calibre 69 having 10.5 ligne, which was small enough to be worn by women.  Production of more than 60,000 ebauches and movements was achieved in 1942.  Nevertheless, by 1944, Valjoux S.A. was also acquired by Ebauches S.A.  Valjoux movements were selected by Rolex, Audemars Piquet, Patek Philippe, Vacheron Constantin and other fine watch companies.  The company became known for its fine chronograph movements, and continued this tradition with the introduction of the '7' series--the Valjoux 70, 71, 72, 72C (for calendar), 75, 76 and 77. The 72C, for example, displayed date, weekday, and Moon phase.  Valjoux S.A. eventually passed from Reymond family control, and was managed by directors selected by Ebauches S.A. 

These Valjoux chronograph calibres were so consistently good, they remained in production for years and served as the basis for production during the 1950s and 1960s.  These movements were supplemented by the introduction of the Calbre 84, a 14 ligne movement with 30 minute register and two pushers, the Calibre 88 of 13 ligne with calendar, Moon phase, hour recorder and 30 minute register, and the Calibre 92 having 13 ligne with two functions and two pushers. All Valjoux's chronographs were manual wind, and several Swiss watch industry giants introduced automatic chronographs in the late 1960s that would motivate Valjoux to join that elite fraternity, and thus make Swiss watch movement history.

(C) Anthony Young Valjoux History pages

Epos Watch Company

The modern Epos Watch Company was formed by Peter Hofer in the early nineteen eighties. Peter Hofer is a forty year veteran of the Swiss watchmaking industry. His passion for mechanical and complicated lead him to start manufacturing in the city of Biel. All Epos movements are assembled and adjusted in the company workshop.

How it all started

The origins of the EPOS Company date back to 1925. In that year, James Aubert formed his watch company in the Vallée de Joux, known as the centre of the mechanical watch world. James Aubert was an enthusiastic mechanical watch engineer, who dedicated his life to developing new watch mechanisms.

James Aubert was a master of his art and spent most of his efforts focusing on technical developments of chrono-graphs and minute repeaters. He had first acquired his skills working as an engineer for the former watch movement manufacturers “Valjoux” and “Landeron“.

In the true watchmakers’ tradition, he handed down his knowledge to his nephew Jean Aubert and his son-in-law, Jean Fillon, who is still today the EPOS’ watch engineer in chief. In his workshop many of EPOS’ own developments for complicated watches were created in close cooperation with EPOS watchmakers. A few that could be named are the jumping hour, the power reserve indication, the big date, the regulator and the regulator with the phases of the moon.

Company Formation

In the early 80s, the success story of the traditional Swiss watch came to a standstill. The new quartz technology radically changed the face of the watch industry. Nobody wanted to produce mechanical watches any longer, with the notable exception of a few luxury brands.

Peter Hofer, a long-established expert in Swiss watchmaking, was one of the few who still believed in the future of the mechanical watch. With this vision, he and his wife Erna decided to form their own company in 1983: Montres EPOS SA. Their main assets were a passion for mechanical watches and a technical know-how in this field. 

 

Personal contacts with key people in watch workshops both in the Jura Mountains and the Vallée de Joux, as well as a vast knowledge of the global watch market, enabled Peter Hofer to quickly develop his own brand. From the very beginning, EPOS has been a mechanical brand with interesting innovations. For 20 years he remained faithful to his vision, developing stunning collections incorporating fascinating mechanisms, always in close cooperation with Jean Fillon.

 

In 2002 Peter Hofer looked for a successor who shared his passion for mechanical watches and was willing to take over and develop the EPOS business. Ursula Forster, who came from a watchmakers’ family, and her husband Tamdi, who also had great experience in the Swiss watchmaking industry, seemed to be the ideal solution.

Official site: Epos