The West End Watch Company was founded in India in the mid-1800s by a certain Mr. Charpie. The company, based in Bombay and Calcutta, imported Swiss-made "no name" watches and was an instant success. In 1886, the company was bought by Messrs. Droz and Amstutz who, in 1917, founded a new headquarters in Geneva. The firm was at the time the first distributor of Swiss watches to British troops in the Middle and Far East.

An important date for WEWCo was 1934 when, first, it adopted on its famous model Sowar Prima, the "Incabloc" protection system.



Over 13 million watches were sold by WEWCo in the Middle and Far East. In Persia alone, 1,000 watches were sold a day. The business in India was stopped in 1975, when the import of watches from abroad was banned.

That the WEWCo has focused heavily on military supplies is also evident from its advertising.





Here are some examples

A Secundus issued to the British Army stationed in India





A Matchless issued to the Civil Service





A Sowar Prima C.S.(I)





But also a Longines C.S. (I), a watch mentioned by Konrad Knirim in his book on military watches







WEWCo was the largest importer of Swiss watches which were however distributed under its own brand, such as this Mido



Or the Longines...


... which were sometimes recased in more weather-resistant cases



In the wide range proposed by WEWCo, we can find the Sillidar...



..and also this uncommon Secundus;the seconds' hand is missed, but before going into service he deserved a presentation.

 

Very cool. Thx Bubba!

 

Nice collection

 

Thanks DaveK and Spruce

 

Interesting post, Thx.

Here is the Flora Fountain today(-ish)

 

Very interesting post, thank you for sharing. I love my WEW Sowar.

 

Very informative, thank you!

 

I love threads like this!

 

Pssssssssst Bubba.
Just bidding, love them all!

 

Great post!!

 

Another post that makes this place so interesting.

 

You should link this thread to your previous one, makes it easier to research these wonderful watches and keeps the history easier to find.

https://omegaforums.net/threads/west-end-watch-co-three-interesting-stories.58436/

 

Thanks.
Done

 

Thanks for this, love those adverts!
Have just bought this Sowar, looks to predate the 1934 advert as it is not a Taubert case. 1920s perhaps? Interesting to see how the Sowar evolved...

 

Thank you, Luigi! A nice reference for an under-the-radar brand.

 

Use to have one of these! Lovely on wrist. Thanks for the information man!

 

Seconds' hand fixed

 

Very informative read, thanks !

 

Great thread, - for an under-appreciated brand. I have an early pocket watch which is the same as one in the Swiss National Watch Museum, - because it was the first attempt to make a watch waterproof, - called the Imperméable! But it attracted zero interest on ebay when i tried to sell it.

I also have a Sillidar trench watch with an unusual brown porcelain dial.
-

 

Photos please