Some of you may recognize the name Straumann for their work in making various parts for Swiss watch movements over the years. The company also has a history with medical devices, and now makes dental implants. This company has some historical significance to me personally because of their medical device work in the 1960s, but I won’t get into that.

I discovered that the company made complete watches for one year, thought to be 1960 or 1961. I managed to find an international seller on eBay that had a handful of these watches, all “new” and unworn. I purchased one and it arrived in perfect shape, with the sticker on the case back (although it was deteriorating). No box or papers arrived with the watch.

I haven’t had the case open, but my research tells me that the watch is likely equipped with an ETA 2879 movement. It keeps good time and functions well for a 60 year old watch. I’m planning to have it serviced soon.

Does anyone here know anything more about Straumann watches, the brand, or the history?

 

Was the ETA 2879 movement available in the 1960s? If not, then maybe the watch was produced later than I thought, or maybe it doesn’t contain the movement that I thought. There simply isn’t much information available on this brand.

 

The watch's styling features would seem to indicate late '60s or early '70s rather than '60 or '61.

 

I think you're correct on that. Snazzy looking thing ain't it?

 

I agree. I looked up the ETA 2879 and it’s a 1970s movement. Perhaps we’ll learn more when the case is opened and I can have a look at the movement, any case markings, etc.

I’m a sucker for square or close to square watches. This watch is also relatively large for a vintage watch.

 

Not to go too deep down the rabbit hole… I’ve found a little bit of information online about Straumann:

“Reinhard Straumann was born in Beniwill near Waldenburg in Northwest Switzerland. He studied watchmaking in Le Locle from 1908 to 1912 and mechanical engineering in Lausanne until 1916.

In 1916, Straumann joined Thommens Uhrenfabrik, Waldenburg's prominent watch factory. Straumann rose to become technical director of the factory, which was managed by his cousin, Doctor Hermann Straumann from 1932.

Straumann studied materials science in his spare time, working in a laboratory in Waldenburg. In 1931, he collaborated with the German materials firm Heraeus to create a new hairspring material that would not change in elasticity due to changes in ambient temperature. The resulting material, an alloy of nickel, iron, and other metals, was particularly valuable in the production of hairsprings and balance wheels. Named Nivarox, it was resistant to fracture, corrosion, and magnetism and was perfected in 1933 and patented in 1935.

Straumann left Thommen in 1934 and founded Nivarox SA in Saint-Imier that year. The company would merge with Fabriques d'Assortiments Réunis (FAR) of Le Locle in 1984 and remains one of the most valuable components of the Swatch Group.

After the death of his father in law, Fritz Heid, Straumann became director of Tschudin + Heid AG, a watch component producer in Waldenburg. He continued working to create new materials in a laboratory there, and patented a new mainspring material, Nivaflex, in 1948. He founded another company in Saint-Imier to develop this material, Nivaflex SA, in 1948.

Straumann's Waldenburg research laboratory became Institute Dr. Ing. Reinhard Straumann in 1954, with research continuing on new materials. The institute focused on areas of interest to Straumann, chiefly ski flying, watch materials, and test equipment. The company would be renamed Straumann AG in1990 and would focus on development of dental implants.”

I also found this from the current Straumann Company:

“Thank you for your enquiry. Unfortunately, there is not much we can tell you about Straumann watches, since our company has never been active in this field - only in the beginning, when Dr. Straumann invented mechanical parts for Swiss watches, which today are still used, e.g. in Moser watches. May we suggest you contact the Moser group which might be linked to the Straumann watch manufacturing legacy.”

I found a reference to Straumann on another watch forum that indicates that Straumann branded watches were actually produced by Rubin-Stein AG of Waldenbourg, but I can’t verify this or find any additional information online.

The mystery remains…

 

I’ll report back once the case is opened up for servicing.

 

I just dropped the Straumann off for service with a local watchmaker. We opened it up to have a look. Everything looks really good and clean, it just needs a full service and a new case gasket.

The movement is the ETA 2789, as suspected. It’s a 25 jewel, 21,600 Ah, self-winding automatic with quick set day/date (double language). It’s a ubiquitous movement that was produced from 1969 - 1976, so the initial comments above about the age of the watch are right on track.

We’ll see how she’s running in 3 - 4 weeks!