Depollier, FHF and Helvetia (was Movement ID Help)

Just thought I'd add a couple more bits of info:

Two watches with serial numbers either side of the Depollier and hallmarks for 1926 and 1928 respectively. Both with identifying Helvetia features, barrel text etc. Same possible 'Depollier/Brun' style shock protection showing they were using this on watches other than, and earlier than, the Depollier. Also note the Helvetia advert at the end.

Hallmarked 1926:







And hallmarked 1928:







1934 Advert:



If anyone has any thoughts please let me know. Thanks. Carl.

If anyone has been following this I just thought I'd mention that I've just finished a major update to my site including all the above:

https://www.helvetiahistory.co.uk/1930s-sports-watches

Thanks. Carl.

Back again.

Another example, this time in a Borgel case. The movement is the same size as the Depollier in this one so it looks almost exactly the same bar the setting lever screw as the Borgel is pin set. Again same shock protection and Helvetia signature "3 Adjustments dot star dot" text on the movement.

Helvetia serial number and hallmarks date it to 1928.







Thanks. Carl.

I keep finding more on this.

Here is a registered design from as far back as 1913 registering this particular bridge configuration, and specifically the centre plate, as a 'trademark' of the General Watch Co. Another piece of evidence that this Depollier and the other watches I've posted were made by them.





The reason the design is very slightly different is the drawing is of the movement in Lepine configuration, winding at 12, whereas the wristwatches are Savonette, winding at 3. This means the cutouts in the bridge are opposite ways around.

Also here is a Borgel cased General Watch Co/Helvetia watch of mine from 1930. Look at the lugs and other design similarities.



Thanks. Carl.

Great stuff, Carl!

More information.

General Watch Co ad from 1927. Helvetia movements on the left match the adapted FHF movements at the start of the thread and the 12 Ligne Helvetia movement on the right is the one used in the Depollier waterproof watch.



Thanks. Carl.

Hello all, another bit of information on this. Other way around this time, rather than showing the Depollier was made by Helvetia, which I think I've done, this time more proof the shock protection used on the Helvetias is an adaptation of the Depollier/Brun one.



Got this coming from Australia. Helvetia Cal 32 movement, The Fenchurch Lever was a trade name used in Australia and they seem to be all Helvetia made watches. Notice rather than just 'patent shock absorber' as they usually say this one has 'Shock Absorber Patent USA' which is definitely a pointer to Depollier as they were a US company and I have not found a patent for their shock protection anywhere else. Unfortunately no serial number so I can't date it exactly but I'd say 1924 or so when Helvetia first started using this shock protection.



Here is an earlier ad, 1910, showing a 19 ligne Helvetia movement and note the left wind wristwatch like the Omega ones. General Watch Co/Helvetia was still run by the Brandt's at this time.



Thanks. Carl.

Hi,

All Depollier watches were not made by Helvetia : as it is evidenced in this old thread here and here, high grade Depollier watches were made by Paul Ditisheim (also know as Solvil).

Hello,

Yes, I was aware of these Ditisheim and also Jurasica movements using Depollier shock protection early in the 1920s. These are almost always marked Depollier somewhere.

At the begining of the thread I had some unidentified movements that I thought were by Helvetia that I was trying to pin down. Bob mentioned the shock protection looked like Depollier and so I have been adding evidence to tie these movements to Depollier and Helvetia.

There is lots of evidence now that those unmarked movements were adapted by Helvetia though based originally on FHF movements including adverts and patents.

There is not so much evidence that Depollier was involved apart from the obvious cross shaped look of the shock protection which is similar though not the same as that in the Ditisheim movements. The movements are not marked Depollier apart from the one in the Depollier waterproof watch earlier in the thread that uses the same shock protection. I've shown from adverts for the movement design and the patent for the crown that this watch was made by Helvetia for Depollier in about 1927.

My latest post helps to back up the shock protection being by Depollier in that it is a Helvetia movement and is marked patent USA.

Thanks. Carl.

On a slight tangent here is Ditis using Helvetia movements in their watches in the 1930s.

And just to go off at even more of a tangent so did Vacheron & Constantin.