Huguenin - 1850-1900

HUGUENIN POCKET WATCH IN 18K GOLD WITH FINE DIAMONDS OF THE LATE 19th CENTURY

Beautiful pocket watch composed of three cases. On the back of the first case is the karat mark K 18. On the back of the second case the following inscription appears: No. 91230 Cylindre 8 rubies - G.A. Huguenin et fils - PONTS - MARTEL -
Opened, the second case reveals the mechanism. The third case opens onto the magnificent dial, finely engraved with Roman numerals. The front of the third case is decorated with delicate engravings and black enamel with a gold wreath in the center containing small diamonds. Weight about 42 g - Diameter about 3.2 cm. Switzerland, between 1850 and 1900.

In 1868, the young engraver Fritz Huguenin and his brother Guillocheur Albert opened a small workshop for designing watch cases. It wasn’t long before they realized the value that engraving relief (guilloché) could add to their work. They then bought a mandrel press, which they used to stamp their first medal in 1888.
Over time, the Huguenin brothers specialized in the Niel method, which is used to give silver watches a black finish. This method made them famous worldwide and, thanks to their growing success, they moved from hand production to industrial production in 1899, building the Le Locle plant that is still in use today.
At the same time, their three sons took over the company, expanding the range with new products, such as decorations for pullers (decorations of the pullers). The company was hard hit by World War I and the financial crisis of the 1930s, which saw silver pocket watches replaced by stainless steel wristwatches. Consequently, it became a limited liability company (Sàrl) in 1934 and, in the years that followed, Huguenin Frères et Cie SA saw substantial growth in the field of watch cases and medals.