- Posts
- 1,789
- Likes
- 9,100
bubba48
路
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.
