This is a follow up to a previous post of mine regarding the attached SFL (Societe Fabrique Longines) watch. This is less about art deco than it is about dating the watch.
As noted in my previous post, SFL was Longines's agent in France beginning in the early 1930s. Longines watches marketed by SFL were identified on their dial by "Longines". SFL also marketed watches of its own design, which were marked "SFL" on their dial. My watch is an "SFL". The top of the movement is marked "SFL" and "Fab. Suisse". There is no indication on the top of the movement as its manufacturer or date of manufacture. I guessed it was likely produced in the mid- to late-1930s.
My watchmaker recently removed the dial, which revealed two markings on the bottom of the movement. The first is, "AS976", which identifies the movement as an Adolph Schild calibre 976. The second marking is a triangular shield with a logo inside (see attached images), indicating the watch was produced between 1936 and 1939. While many OF members are likely already aware of the significance of the triangular shield logo, I thought I would share its significance for those who aren't.
In 1926, a number of Swiss ebauche manufacturers banded together as the Ebauches SA (a.k.a. Ebauches Trust) to restore pricing stability to the market in response to significant market disruptions brought about by WWI. In 1933 the Ebauche Trust began marking their movements with the triangular shield logo found on my watch. In 1939, the Ebauche Trust began marking their movements with a "cloud" shaped shield logo into which individual ebauche manufacturers would inscribe their initials (e.g., AS for Adolph Schild) or other identifying mark. The Ebauches Trust/Ebauches SA would ultimately evolve into ETA.