RSS-Feed | West End Watch Co.

19 50s

Wed, 16 Oct 2019 00:00:00 +0200

The Oil Era

Hundreds of thousands of West End watches are produced each year in the Jura factory / Switzerland and distributed from the Red Sea to China.

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Wed, 16 Oct 2019 00:00:00 +0200

Kandahar

The West End Watch Co. acquires the legendary brand name «Kandahar» with the aim of launching luxury sport watches and various sports equipment and clothes.

20 06

Wed, 16 Oct 2019 00:00:00 +0200

Silk Road

West End Watch Co. celebrates 120 years of uninterrupted presence in Asia with the introduction of the «Silk Road» concept.

20 01

Wed, 16 Oct 2019 00:00:00 +0200

Relocation

The West End Watch Co. is taken over by the Monnat family and relocated in the Canton of Valais, in the very heart of the Swiss Alps.

20 14

Wed, 16 Oct 2019 00:00:00 +0200

Factory Extension

The Monnat factory in Leytron, specialised in the assembly of automatic movements and watches, doubles its size to increase the production capacities.

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Wed, 16 Oct 2019 00:00:00 +0200

Everest

On May 25, the Chinese Wang Fu-Zhou is the first man to reach the top of Mount Everest from the North Face. He is wearing a West End watch.

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Wed, 16 Oct 2019 00:00:00 +0200

Ella Maillart

The famous Swiss lady explorer realises a daring crossing of China together with the journalist Peter Fleming, the eldest brother James Bond’ author Ian Fleming. She mentions the presence of West End watches in her successful book «Forbidden Journey».

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Wed, 16 Oct 2019 00:00:00 +0200

Innovations

West End is the first brand to introduce in series the revolutionary Incabloc® anti-shock system invented by Mr. Braunschweig. It is also among the first brands to introduce the Taubert-Borgel decagonal steel cases, still in use today!

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Wed, 16 Oct 2019 00:00:00 +0200

Sowar

Société des Montres West End SA (the Ltd. company) is founded in Geneva. The sub-brand «Sowar» (= the cavalryman) is officially registered.

19 14

Wed, 16 Oct 2019 00:00:00 +0200

World War 1

West End Watch Co. produces 50,000 wristwatches for the soldiers of the British Indian Army who are fighting in Iraq. The brand becomes legendary in the Middle-East.

19 00s

Wed, 16 Oct 2019 00:00:00 +0200

Railways

Most of the Indian railways companies are equipped with West End watches and clocks to help synchronizing what is, till today, the world’s longest rail network.

18 80s

Wed, 16 Oct 2019 00:00:00 +0200

The roots

The company Alcide Droz & Sons established in St-Imier / Switzerland since 1864 develops the first attested waterproof watch called «L’Imperméable» – visible nowadays at the International Watch Museum of La Chaux-de- Fonds / Switzerland.

18 86

Tue, 08 Oct 2019 00:00:00 +0200

The foundation of the brand

The first West End Watches are produced by Alcide Droz & Sons and distributed in the Indian market.

20 16

Tue, 08 Oct 2019 00:00:00 +0200

The New Impermeable

«The Impermeable», a modern diver watch, is launched and enables the West End Watch Co. to foray into new Western markets.

20 13

Tue, 08 Oct 2019 00:00:00 +0200

75 years in Kuwait

A big event with hundreds of guests is held in Kuwait City to celebrate 75 years of partnership with the Behbehani family.

20 09

Tue, 08 Oct 2019 00:00:00 +0200

Golden times

West End Watch Co. launches an 18ct. solid gold collection, the «Queen Anne», as a tribute to the soldiers of the British Army.

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Tue, 08 Oct 2019 00:00:00 +0200

New Millenary

West End introduces the «Sowar 2000», a modernised, ultra-solid automatic watch with domed crystal, screwed crown and double-security clasp.

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Tue, 08 Oct 2019 00:00:00 +0200

100 Years

West End Watch Co. celebrates 100 years of uninterrupted activity with a succession of events around the globe.

19 70s

Tue, 08 Oct 2019 00:00:00 +0200

Climax

The yearly production overcomes 1 million mechanical watches a year.

19 20s

Tue, 08 Oct 2019 00:00:00 +0200

No. 1 Watch Brand in India

With main offices in Bombay and Calcutta and a commercial network covering the entire subcontinent, West End establishes itself as the largest Swiss watch brand in India.