The smaller watch brands: ESKA

Eska is certainly one of the small, lesser-known watch brands. At the end of World War I in 1918, expectations for an economic upswing led to the creation of a number of watchmaking firms. One of them was Sylvan Kocher & Cie. S.A. of Grenchen. Amongst its many brand names, Kocher registered "Eska," the phonetic spelling in French of Kocher's initials "eS Ka." In 1922, the company was established in the neighboring town, Selzach.

As with all quality vintage watch brands, the brand name can be found on several parts of the watch other then the dial, most notably a signed case back as well as the movement—to demonstrate pride in the movement itself.

As a manufacturer, Kocher compiled a wide range of wristwatches under the "Eska" signature that included manual and automatic models, as well as watches with full calendars and digital time displays. S. Kocher & Co. also completed mechanical wristwatches in "Reverso" cases, notably during the years that Jaeger-LeCoultre left its reversible watch languishing in a drawer.

Other than many different case shapes and functions could be found a wide range of Eska watches such as digital pieces (see above), chronographs, even watches with chronometer grade movements. When it comes to movements with automatic movements, Eska also made them with the early bumper-style automatic movements. Most of their great watches come from the 1950's and earlier.