History of Cyma Watches: Cyma was set up by Frédéric Henri Sandoz usually known as Henri Sandoz,
born in 1851. He founded his company in 1871 Henri Sandoz & Cie which he left in 1891and moved Tavannes and set up the new venture which was to produce simple and complicated watches such as
chronographs. Cyma had 40 staff and 55 modern machines that produced 40 watches a day, though at first only some of these had the Cyma name on them.
About 1892 Cyma went into a cooperative agreement with Schwob Frères and Co. of La Chaux-de -Fonds (Tavannes Watch Co. of which Henri was a
director) By 1905 the 750 employees produced 450,000 watches and that became 750,000 by 950 employees in 1909 although some parts were brought in.
During the 1st decade of the 20th century Sandoz continued to be awarded numerous patents. Sandoz, the founder of the company died in 1913. The company continued to grow and by 1938 they were producing 4000 items a day. Some time before the 1930’s the company name changed to
Tavannes-Cyma. This happened when the cooperative agreement was signed. This name continued until 1966 when they ceased production and the rights to the
Cyma name went to the company 'Chronos Holding' Other names the company used
include: Bijou Watch Co - Tacy Watch Co - SA - Lisca SA. Bases around the globe, other that the town of Tavannes
include: La Chaux de Fonds, Le Locle, Geneve and Neuchatel as well as an agency in New York.
Vintage Cyma watches are still most sort after timepiece to this day
The Bear: a silver fineness not accepted in Switzerland but intended for export. Prior to the federal Swiss hallmarking system of the 1880's, hallmarking was conducted under cantonal authority and the several cantons established their own hallmarks. Elsewhere, the more ancient hallmarks of the important watchmaking regions of Geneva, Neuchatel, Schaffhausen and, Zurich are covered.
