![]() ![]() The system embraced the highly recognized rich Swiss-making traditions and innovations by enabling the production of quality watches. Individual merchants, workshops, families sold finished parts to companies instead of in-house production. The Etablissage system was the dominant Swiss technique for making watches in the late 19th century. They worked well and produced high-quality watches despite passing through complicated exchanges and processes. On the other hand, Skilled Watchmakers focused on producing just one or a specific type of watch component.ĭue to the environment and region’s geography, the workshops were in far remote areas throughout the mountains, so they worked individually from home or in small workshops.Īfter gathering enough parts from merchants, the Comptoirs sent them to assembly (Etablissage) and finishing specialists. The Comptoirs operated as the central channel for watch production, which was in charge of getting parts, trading, and marketing wristwatches. They, however, switched to in-house production under Francillon’s status quo-defying leadership.īefore we proceed, let’s discuss the foreign terms to better understand the Longines Watch Company’s evolution. Initially, the partners set up their business as “ Comptoirs” according to the “ Etablissage” system. ![]() This area was very famous for making watches in the Bernese Jura Mountains. The Longines Watch company began as a partnership between businessman banker Auguste Agassiz and lawyers Henri Raiguel and Florian Morel under the name “Raiguel Jeune and Cie” before becoming Longines in 1832 St. How to Identify a Vintage Longines Wristwatch.The Conquest Watch Collection (1960 – 1969).but they should only be called side-winders if in an open-face case.įor more information, please see our article on side-winder and side-seconds watches. We sometimes hear people calling their hunter-cased watches side-winders because the winding stem is at 3:00. ![]() Note that it's only called a side-winder if it is a hunter-case movement in an open-face case. While this doesn't present any real operational difficulties, a side-winder is generally not considered to be a "correct" matching of movement and case. When a hunter-case movement and dial are mounted in an open-face case, it is called a "side-winder" because the winding stem will now be at the 3:00 position instead of the "normal" 12:00 position. The primary difference between a hunter-case movement and an open-face movement is the relative positioning of the winding arbor and the seconds bit, and the positions of the dial-feet. Movements were made either for a hunter-case or for an open-face case. Note that in the photos above, the winding stem is at the 3:00 position on the hunter-cased and demi-hunter-cased watches, and in the 12:00 position on the open-face watch. Cases could be made of a wide variety of metals: gold, sterling silver, coin silver (made from melted US coinage), nickel, and plated brass. American pocket watches used a system of (relatively) standard watch sizes, so it was possible for a customer to select the watch movement they wished to purchase, and then select a case to hold it. There were watch manufacturers and there were case manufacturers. What's important to know about antique American watches is that cases and movements were usually made by different companies. The case also includes (or accommodates) the winding stem and crown. The watch case is the outer protective cover, including the crystal that covers the dial. ![]() the actual time-keeping mechanism of the watch. There are two distinct major "components" to most pocket watches: The watch case and the watch movement. We've tried to provide answers to some of the more common questions about the proper care and handling of a vintage watch, in order to help you learn more about this fascinating area of American history. While we can't make you into an antique watch expert with just a few web pages, we hope we can share a little of our knowledge in order to help you learn more about your vintage or antique watch. Pocketwatch 101 ℠ – Learn about Vintage and Antique Pocket Watches Identifying Pocket Watches and Pocket Watch Case Types ![]()
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