Milestones in the Brand’s History
Milestones in the Brand’s History
18 80s
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
The foundation of the brand
The first West End Watches are produced by Alcide Droz & Sons and distributed in the Indian market.
19 00s
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.
19 14
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 17
Sowar
Société des Montres West End SA (the Ltd. company) is founded in Geneva. The sub-brand «Sowar» (= the cavalryman) is officially registered.
19 20s
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.
19 34
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!
19 35
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».
19 50s
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.
19 60
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.
19 70s
Climax
The yearly production overcomes 1 million mechanical watches a year.
19 86
100 Years
West End Watch Co. celebrates 100 years of uninterrupted activity with a succession of events around the globe.
19 96
New Millenary
West End introduces the «Sowar 2000», a modernised, ultra-solid automatic watch with domed crystal, screwed crown and double-security clasp.
20 01
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 06
Silk Road
West End Watch Co. celebrates 120 years of uninterrupted presence in Asia with the introduction of the «Silk Road» concept.
20 09
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.
20 13
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 14
Factory Extension
The Monnat factory in Leytron, specialised in the assembly of automatic movements and watches, doubles its size to increase the production capacities.
20 16
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 19
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.