Tavannes Pocket Watch Serial Numbers
Schwob Bros: Tavannes, Cyma etcSchwob Bros had many brand names / sister businesses the two main ones being Tavannes which with four factories became the fourth largest watch company in the world and Cyma which had the biggest single workshop in Europe.In N. America movements are often branded as by The Tacy Watch Company being the first two letters of TAvannes & CYma.' Admiral' is extensively used as a brand either by itself or with the Tacy name, others names used by Cyma include Stayte and Semloh. Some other names, often appearing only on the winding gear, are probably brands used by a single retailer. Bigger retailers such as Russell of Liverpool frequently had there own name engraved on Cyma movement and resold a lot of Tavannes movements from about 1932 onward, these are listed on the page.Click on image for another picture and on 'More pictures' for more on Zenfolio. Please remember that hi-res photos are several times life size and will make some tiny flaws, marks, etc.
Star Watch Case Serial Numbers
Look huge!Unless otherwise stated all watches have 7 jewels are working, keep at least reasonable time for their age and wind and set correctly. Lids and bezels are secure, stay closed and where appropriate open when the button or crown is pressed. Any inscriptions, dedications or monograms (other than jewellers and makers marks) and any gold plate worn through to the core will either be shown in the photographs, described in the text or both. Tavannes 15J, 1908.A slim split plate 15 jewel movement by Tavannes.
It has a Swiss Lever escapement with an Breguet sprung screwed balance with double roller.Ultrasonically cleaned and serviced with a new mainspring and keeping excellent time, 12.The Swiss made double backed, triple hinged, case has London import hallmarks for Sterling Silver, 1908 and the sponsors mark of George Stockwell a watch importer. It has been ultrasonically cleaned and has a new crystal.Note: the watch now has a silver crown, the other came off during testing having been (badly) soldered on to a broken staff by someone else, so I had to find a replacement crown and staff. New picture in due course.SOLD. Thos Russell (Cyma), 15J, 1925/6A split plate 15 jewel movement by Cyma for Thos Russell of Liverpool and signed by the later on the movement and dial. It has a Swiss Lever escapement with an over-sprung sprung screwed balance with double roller. Dated from the serial number to 1926 or possibly 1926.Ultrasonically cleaned and serviced with a new mainspring and keeping good time, 12.The English made screw back case is a 'Star' grade in Rolled Gold by Dennison. It has been ultrasonically cleaned and has a new crystal.SOLD.
Cyma 999, 15J, 1929.A split plate 15 jewel movement by Cyma. It has a Swiss Lever escapement with an over-sprung sprung screwed balance with double roller. Signed Cyma on the winding gear and marked as having 3 adjustments.Ultrasonically cleaned and serviced with a new mainspring and keeping excellent time, 12.The English snap back case has Birmingham hall marks for Sterling Silver, 1929 and the makers mark the English Watch Case Company.
Buren Watch Serial Numbers
It has been ultrasonically cleaned and has a new crystal.SOLD. S854 Cyma 15J half hunter, 1930A split plate 15 jewel movement by Cyma. It has a Swiss Lever escapement with an over-sprung sprung screwed balance with double roller.
Marked as having 3 adjustments also as 'non magnetic', the last should be take with a small pinch of salt, it is more more resistant to magnesium than watches with a steel hairspring but not completely so. Dated from the serial number to 1930.Ultrasonically cleaned and serviced with a new mainspring and keeping excellent time, 12.The English double backed case is a 'Star' grade by Dennison in 9 carat rolled gold. It has been ultrasonically cleaned and has two excellent mineral glass crystals.SOLD.
Eight Pocket Watches, including examples by Tavannes, Sekonda, Dueber Hampden, Montauk, Medora Premo, Iroquois and a keywind by Huguenin with gold outer covers, (two lacking crystals, and hands, one More. Tavannes 40mm (10S) 17J pocket watch #29683, 3-finger nickel bridge movement with bar-style damascene pattern and bold red ruby jewels, 2-tone gold and silver metal dial with matte gold inner section under the Arabic-style numbers, silver outer ring with black markers and a subsidiary seconds register, Jaguar automobile emblem under Tavannes, dial has a few small specks of discoloration but no. Dating Movements by Cyma & Tavannes I recently had a query on dating these movements so have posted the answer here so I'll not have to do it again. The serial number on these movements are under the dial as show to the right.
S822 Tavannes Cal 919, 15J, 1937/38.An adjusted 15 jewel Lepine bar bridged movement by Tavannes. It has a Swiss Lever escapement with a Breguet sprung cut compensating balance with double roller. The serial number dates it to 1937 or possibly 1938.Ultrasonically cleaned and serviced with a new mainspring and keeping excellent time, 12.The English double backed, triple hinged, case is a 'Moon' grade in 10 carat Filled gold by Dennison, it has been ultrasonically cleaned and has a new crystal.SOLD. Cyma 999, 17J, 1936/7A 17 jewel calibre 999 movement by Cyma. It has a Swiss Lever escapement with an Breguet sprung cut compensating balance with double roller with micro adjusted regulator. Dated from the serial number to 1936 or 1937.Ultrasonically cleaned and serviced with a new mainspring it is keeping good time, 12.The English double backed case has Birmingham hallmarks for Sterling Silver, 1936/7 and the makers mark of A.L. It has been ultrasonically cleaned and has a new crystal.SOLD.
Tavannes 15J, c1913A split plate 15 jewel movement by Tavannes. It has a Swiss Lever escapement with an Breguet sprung screwed balance with double roller. Marked with a US patent 24 May 1904 so the batch probably mainly for the American market, dated from the serial number to 1913 give or take a year.Ultrasonically cleaned and serviced with a new mainspring and keeping excellent time.The English double backed case is a 'Star' grade in rolled gold by Dennison, it has been ultrasonically cleaned and has a new mineral glass crystal from old stock.SOLD.
Tavannes 918, 17J Hunter, 1925/6.An 17 jewel Lepine (Bar Bridge) movement by Tavannes. It has a Swiss Lever escapement with a Breguet sprung cut compensating balance with double roller. Dated from the serial number to 1925 or 1926.Ultrasonically cleaned and serviced with a new mainspring it is keeping excellent time.The exceptionally good English made double backed, triple hinged case is a 'Moon' grade in 10 carat Filled Gold by A.L.
It has been ultrasonically cleaned and has a new mineral glass crystal from old stock.SOLD. Cyma 998, 15J Half Hunter, 1929.A split plate 15 jewel calibre 998 movement by Cyma. It has a Swiss Lever escapement with an over-sprung sprung screwed balance with double roller. Marked as having 3 adjustments. Dated from the serial number to 1929.Ultrasonically cleaned and serviced with a new mainspring and keeping excellent time.The English double backed case is a 'Star' grade by Dennison in 9 carat rolled gold. It has been ultrasonically cleaned and has an excellent mineral glass secondary crystal and a new primary.SOLD.