Passions Watch Exchange

About This Watch

Vintage. No box/papers. Long before there was "Long Island" or "Muchmore", there was this very beautiul rectangular wristwatch with a desirable case design which was also produced by Patek Philippe, VC, Cartier etc in the 1920s. It is very difficult to find nice surviving examples like this. This example was purchased in Basel 2002 & is now offered for sale. The case is made of very high content silver 935 instead of the later 925 which means this watch is of very early 1920s production. This is about the size of a large JLC Reverso. This watch is not waterproof, shockproof and accurate due to it's age, design & its technology then but it is extremely charming and conversational for so little money!

We have new information on it's manufacture. This watch was made by Haas & Cie which is founded in 1848. They made many high quality watches in the pre-WW2 years & it is very common to find anonymous watches which were made by a few small manufacturers who supplies them to retailers or independant companies that will then sign & market watches under their own proprietory. 

Haas & Cie.

In 1848 the brothers Leopold (1827-1915) and Benjamin (1828-1925) Haas, both knights of the Légion d'honneur, founded the ANCIENNE MANUFACTURE DES MONTRES HAAS & CIE in Geneva. The company excelled in unique and exceptional pieces and achieved its reputation with exquisite watches that pass for modern even today. Rare treasures such as the split second chronograph and beautifully wrought pocket and wrist watches were created in accordance with the manufacturer's fundamental motto of simplicity, technique and elegance.

Benjamin Haas invented a form of winding where the mainspring was wound by opening the front cover of a hunting case watch. Patents, 1873, p. 48 illustrated and outlined British patent No. 3945, issued Dec. 2, 1873 to B. Haas. This patent was licensed to other makers.

1884 Haas changed their name to Haas Neveux & Cie, to communicate that new family members had taken positions in the company. At the same time the original logo of B.H. & Co. (for Benjamin Haas & Co) was changed to a small running hare and the letters HNC in an oval shape - representing the dynamic attitude of the company. In 1896 Haas Neveux & Cie establishes a record with an ultraflat 2mm movement for a ladies' watch and wins a first price for precision in the 1902 competition of the famous "Observatoire de Geneve".