The smaller watch brands: Cyma

When visiting the official Cyma website, one learns that Cyma was established in 1862 by the Schwob Brothers. We also learn that "CYMA and Tavannes are not related or associated in any way," and that Cyma is now based in Le Locle, Switzerland.

After conducting research, I can only compile facts but not find proof that the name "Cyma" was officially claimed in 1862. It is clear that Théodore Schwob claimed the name "Schwab Frères & Co. S.A." in La Chaux-de-Fonds. It is also clear that in the late 1890's, watches with the Cyma brand combined with the Tavannes name (which is also a Swiss town) show up until some point in the 1940's. Watches with the Tavannes name also show up in that period using the same movements as Cyma watches. In addition, watches were made under the "Ta-Cy" name—which could stand for the combination of Tavannes Watch Co. and Cyma Watch Co. These Ta-Cy watches shared the same movements which are often very special, containing features patented under the Tavannes Watch Co. There is mention of the Schwob Brothers entering in business with Henri Sandoz, who founded the Tavannes Watch Company in the town of Tavannes in 1891. The cooperative agreement would have been made in 1892, consistent with the names on the watches. From the 1940 on, there appear only to be watches produced under the Cyma name.

Some possible facts:
• 1903: Production of an extra-slim pocket watch with lever movement and chronometer certification
• 1910: Cyma produces 2500 watches per day
• 1915: Cyma develops its first waterproof watches
• 1923-1930: Cyma claims to be the largest watch manufacturer in Switzerland
• 1943: Cyma launches its first automatic watch

• 1957: Cyma starts using ETA movements

• 1966: Production ceases and the rights to the Cyma name go to Chronos Holding, which produces watches under the name Sychron, in addtion to the marques that were already part of group: Girard Perregaux, Eberhard & Co., DOXA, and Borel. Production of most of these brands was quietly stopped as a result of the 'quartz crisis' in the 1970's.

In 2005, the Cyma brand was brought back as a privately owned company and is now found in the center of watch manufacture, Le Locle, Switzerland.

For the collector, there are now many high-quality watches under the Cyma or Tavannes brands that use patented-manufacture movements such as the caliber 335, that in the 1930's had already given the watch a three-day (72-hour) power reserve instead of the typical 38-42 hour reserve. There also is the 446 chronometer-grade movement, an example of which is for sale at the moment at www.sometimeago.com, and there is the Caliber 464, a chronometer-grade alarm movement called the Time-O-Vox.