Switzerland has been famous for its watches for over four centuries. The industry began in earnest when French theologian Jean Calvin introduced a series of sweeping reforms aimed at Swiss jewelers and goldsmiths. Precious metals and stones were suddenly off-limits, since unnecessary ornamentation was deemed immodest.
The ban on jewelry put many Swiss artisans out of work. These were men who had spent most of their lives acquiring a trade, only to have it restricted by an expatriate pastor. There was only one thing they could do. No, they didn't go after Calvin. But they did refocus their skills and abilities on a new craft.
Watches and clocks first appeared in the city of Geneva at about the time Calvin arrived. Because they had a purpose or function, i.e., they told time, watches were not considered jewelry. Therefore, the influential pastor didn't seem to have a problem with them. Former goldsmiths and jewelers flocked to this new profession and before long, Geneva was the unofficial world capital of watch-making
Home to the very first watchmakers' guild, the city was so overrun with horologists by the start of the 18th century that many of them choose to relocate to cities in the Swiss Jura Mountains. One of them was a young watchmaker's assistant by the name of Achille Ditesheim.
The boy moved with his family to a small village in the mountains in 1876. Though he was only 14 at the time, Dietsheim knew exactly what he wanted. Just five years later, the young man ran a small watch shop with six full-time employees. As the demand for Swiss timepieces grew, so did his workshop. By 1897, Achille Ditesheim was one of the richest and most respected watchmakers in all of Switzerland.
What was his secret? Like most successful businessmen, Achille Ditesheim was a visionary. He wasn't afraid to take chances and to experiment. His firm was one of the first to use electricity and new machinery in place of simple hand tools. It did, however, take him a long time to give his company a proper name. A quarter of a century after it opened for business, Ditesheim choose the name Movado, an Esperanto word that means "always in motion. "
The company continued to grow until the Quartz Watch Revolution in the 1970s. Like many traditional watchmakers, Movado suffered mightily when the affordable new technology was introduced. Because they still made most of their timepieces by hand, they could not compete with digital watches that were made by machines. The company continued for another decade before it was acquired by one of the world's biggest watchmakers, North American.
Like many new technologies, digital watches lost their luster and appeal after everyone and his brother owned one. Watch lovers began to long for the old days, when timepieces were stylish and they were made to last. A new niche market was established and Movado was one of the key players once again.
That niche market has since grown as luxury and professional watches have come back into fashion. Movado is now bigger than they have ever been. The company recently reported revenues of over half a billion dollars. Their most popular and enduring models have helped define the new market. Let us take a moment to review two of their bestsellers.
The Museum Watch
It is not at all uncommon for a single product to define a company. Michelin, and Select Comfort could speak to this. Although they offer dozens of distinct models, the Museum Watch is Movado's signature timepiece. The company has produced several watches that are clearly inspired by it. Designed by Nathan George Horwitt in 1947, the watch is a model of elegant simplicity. With a single gold dot that symbolizes the sun and watch hands that mimic the movement of the earth, the timepiece attained instant fame. It was the first watch to be displayed at the Museum of Modern Art. After more than seventy years of production, the Museum Watch remains one of Movado's top sellers.
Sapphire Synergy
Because they are no longer a niche player, Movado has made a few changes from its original incarnation. They now offer a full line of watches for more casual users. The Sapphire Synergy is one of their most popular sport watches. Like many of their models, the watch dial of the Sapphire was influenced by the Museum Watch. The only difference is that there is a silver-toned dial marker at the twelve o'clock hour position instead of a gold one. Since it is a casual model, the Sapphire has a black rubber strap and round PVD case. The timepiece is water-resistant up to 100 meters.
Movado makes high quality timepieces that are models of elegant simplicity and sophistication. Consider these standouts the next time you're in the market for a stunning new wristwatch.
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