Era Watch Company

Era Watch Company is the corporate entity associated with Montres Edox et Vista SA and the Edox watch brand, a Swiss manufacturer of luxury and technical wristwatches. The company traces its origin to 1884, when Christian Ruefli-Flury, a watchmaker from Grenchen, established the business in Biel/Bienne. He selected the ancient Greek word “Edox” as a trademark and created an hourglass motif, dated 1900, that became a visual symbol of the brand. The company has remained in continuous production since its foundation, although its ownership, location, and industrial structure changed during the twentieth century. After Ruefli-Flury’s death in 1921, Robert Kaufman-Hug assumed control. Under his leadership, the company moved away from its original pocket-watch orientation and became one of the early Swiss manufacturers focused exclusively on wristwatches. By 1955, the business employed approximately 500 people and had moved into a new factory, reflecting the expansion of Swiss watch production in the postwar period. Edox built much of its identity around water resistance, shock protection, compact construction, and specialist timing applications. The Delfin collection, introduced in 1961, used a double-caseback construction intended to improve shock resistance and water protection. The Hydrosub line followed in 1963 and incorporated a crown system with a tension ring, which the company associated with water resistance to 500 metres. In 1970, the Geoscope was presented as a world-time watch designed to cover all time zones. A third-generation Delfin appeared in 1973 and incorporated design elements associated with Gerald Genta’s work on the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak. Victor Flury-Liechti took over the company from his uncle in 1965 and invested in manufacturing technology. The firm nevertheless faced the severe competitive pressure created by Japanese quartz watches and the broader Swiss Quartz Crisis of the 1970s. It became an affiliate of General Watch Company, a sub-holding of ASUAG. During that period, the Biel/Bienne Edox site was also used in connection with the production or transfer of other Swiss watch brands, including Technos and Certina. Following the restructuring of the Swiss watch industry, the company regained independence in 1983 when it was sold to Victor Strambini Montres Vista SA. Operations subsequently moved to Les Genevez in the Jura Mountains, where the company has remained family-owned according to the cited reference material. The Edox Les Bémonts Ultra Slim, released in 1998, became associated with an exceptionally thin calendar-watch movement measuring 1.4 millimetres. The brand continued to draw on its historical collections in the twenty-first century. The Delfin line was relaunched in 2013 with a model based on the 1973 version, and the company marked its 130th anniversary in 2014 with updated limited editions of the Geoscope, Les Bémonts, and Hydrosub lines. Beyond conventional retail watches, the company has promoted the brand through motorsport, sailing, and diving-related timing activities. It has sponsored the Extreme Sailing Series and the Dakar Rally, served as sponsor and official timekeeper of the World Rally Championship, and produced diving watches for UIM Class 1. The cited material also identifies athletes and actors who have worn Edox watches, including swimmer Mireia Belmonte, racing drivers Benito Guerra, Scott McLaughlin, and Petter Solberg, and actors Andrew Garfield and Bruce Willis. Production was described in the reference material as approximately 70,000 to 90,000 watches annually, with average retail prices of about US$1,600 to US$2,200; no date context was supplied for those figures.

Era Watch Company originated in Biel/Bienne in 1884, founded by Christian Ruefli-Flury, a watchmaker from Grenchen. The founder adopted “Edox,” an ancient Greek word, as a trademark and developed an hourglass emblem marked “1900” as a brand symbol. The business initially participated in the Swiss pocket-watch trade, but after Ruefli-Flury died in 1921, Robert Kaufman-Hug took control and directed the company toward wristwatches. The transition made the company an early specialist in wristwatch production rather than a maker primarily centered on pocket watches. The company expanded during the postwar growth of the Swiss watch industry. By 1955 it reportedly employed 500 people and had moved to a new factory. Its later product development emphasized technical durability and specialist functions. The Delfin line debuted in 1961 with a double-caseback construction intended to improve resistance to shock and water. Hydrosub followed in 1963 with a tension-ring crown system associated with water resistance to 500 metres. Victor Flury-Liechti assumed control from his uncle in 1965 and invested in new manufacturing technologies. The 1970 Geoscope represented another technical and functional milestone: it was designed as a world-time watch covering all time zones. In 1973, a third-generation Delfin incorporated design elements linked to Gerald Genta’s work on the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak. The company was affected by the rise of Japanese watches and the quartz technology crisis that disrupted Swiss mechanical-watch manufacturing in the 1970s. It became an affiliate of General Watch Company, a sub-holding of ASUAG. During this period, the Biel/Bienne Edox premises were connected with the transfer of Technos and Certina activities. When the Swiss watch-industry downturn ended, the business regained independence in 1983 after being sold to Victor Strambini Montres Vista SA. It moved from Biel/Bienne to Les Genevez in the Jura Mountains and, according to the cited account, subsequently remained family-owned. Product development continued around slimness and established collections. The Edox Les Bémonts Ultra Slim appeared in 1998 with a movement thickness of 1.4 millimetres and was described as retaining the record for the thinnest calendar watch. The Delfin collection was revived in 2013 with a model based on the 1973 edition. In 2014, the company celebrated its 130th anniversary through updated limited editions of the Geoscope, Les Bémonts, and Hydrosub. Brand promotion has included sponsorship and official timing roles in sailing, rallying, and motorsport, as well as the production of diving watches for UIM Class 1. The cited reference names Mireia Belmonte, Benito Guerra, Scott McLaughlin, Petter Solberg, Andrew Garfield, and Bruce Willis among wearers of Edox watches.

• 2014

  130th anniversary editions

  [1]Era Watch Companyen.wikipedia.org

  The company issued updated limited editions of Geoscope, Les Bémonts, and Hydrosub watches.

• 2013

  Delfin line revived

  [1]Era Watch Companyen.wikipedia.org

  A new Delfin model drew on the 1973 edition and renewed the historic collection.

• 1998

  Les Bémonts Ultra Slim released

  [1]Era Watch Companyen.wikipedia.org

  The model used a 1.4-millimetre-thick movement and was described as the thinnest calendar watch.

• 1983

  Independence restored

  [1]Era Watch Companyen.wikipedia.org

  The company was sold to Victor Strambini Montres Vista SA, regained independence, and moved to Les Genevez in the Jura Mountains.

• 1970

  Geoscope world-time watch released

  [1]Era Watch Companyen.wikipedia.org

  The Geoscope was presented as a watch capable of covering all time zones.

• 1963

  Hydrosub introduced

  [1]Era Watch Companyen.wikipedia.org

  The Hydrosub line debuted with a tension-ring crown system associated with water resistance to 500 metres.

• 1961

  Delfin line introduced

  [1]Era Watch Companyen.wikipedia.org

  The Delfin line launched with a double-caseback design intended to improve shock protection and water resistance.

• 1955

  Expansion to a larger factory

  [1]Era Watch Companyen.wikipedia.org

  The company was reported to employ 500 people and moved to a new factory.

• 1921

  Robert Kaufman-Hug takes control

  [1]Era Watch Companyen.wikipedia.org

  Following the founder’s death, Robert Kaufman-Hug assumed control and led the shift from pocket watches toward wristwatch-only production.

• 1884

  Company founded in Biel/Bienne

  [1]Era Watch Companyen.wikipedia.org

  Christian Ruefli-Flury established the watchmaking business that later operated under the Era Watch Company and Edox names.

Swiss-made luxury and technical watchmaking emphasizing water resistance, shock protection, thin construction, heritage designs, and partnerships in sailing, diving, and motorsport.

• Professional and diving-oriented wristwatch line · 1961

  Delfin

  Introduced in 1961, Delfin is one of Edox’s best-known technical collections. Its original identity centered on a double-caseback construction intended to improve shock protection and water resistance. A third-generation model appeared in 1973, and the line was revived in 2013 with a design based on that historical version. The collection represents the brand’s effort to combine durable construction with a recognizable heritage aesthetic.

• Diving watch · 1963

  Hydrosub

  Hydrosub was launched in 1963 as a water-resistant watch line. Its defining technical feature was a crown system using a tension ring, which the company associated with waterproofness to 500 metres. Hydrosub later became one of the historical collections revisited in limited-edition form for the company’s 130th anniversary.

• World-time wristwatch · 1970

  Geoscope

  Released in 1970, the Geoscope was designed as a world-time watch covering all time zones. It is a notable example of the company’s focus on practical global-time functions and was later included among the heritage lines updated for the 130th-anniversary program.

• Ultra-thin calendar watch · 1998

  Les Bémonts Ultra Slim

  The Les Bémonts Ultra Slim was released in 1998 and used a movement reported to be 1.4 millimetres thick. The model became associated with the brand’s pursuit of compact mechanical construction and was described in the reference material as retaining the record for the thinnest calendar watch.

• Extreme Sailing Series sponsorship

  The company has sponsored the Extreme Sailing Series, aligning the watch brand with high-performance sailing and maritime technical expertise.

  Source
• Dakar Rally sponsorship

  Edox has sponsored the Dakar Rally, using one of the world’s most demanding motorsport events to reinforce its association with durability, navigation, and endurance.

  Source
• World Rally Championship timing partnership

  The brand has served as sponsor and official timekeeper of the World Rally Championship.

  Source

• 2014

  130th-anniversary limited editionsProduct launch

  Background

  The company marked 130 years of watchmaking and drew on its historic collections.

  Action taken

  It released updated limited editions of Geoscope, Les Bémonts, and Hydrosub watches.

  Aftermath

  These limited editions reinforced the brand's historical heritage.

  Source

• 2013

  Delfin heritage revivalGeneration change

  Background

  The company sought to renew a historically important technical collection.

  Action taken

  It relaunched Delfin with a new model based on the 1973 edition.

  Aftermath

  Delfin continued as a visible part of the Edox product portfolio.

  Source

• 1983

  Return to independence and relocationStrategy

  Background

  The company had become affiliated with General Watch Company during the Swiss watch industry’s quartz-era downturn.

  Action taken

  It was sold to Victor Strambini Montres Vista SA, regained independence, and moved to Les Genevez.

  Aftermath

  The business continued as a family-owned watch company according to the cited historical account.

  Source

• 1970

  Launch of the GeoscopeProduct launch

  Background

  The company was developing watches with practical specialist functions and global-time capability.

  Action taken

  It introduced the Geoscope, described as the first watch to cover all time zones.

  Aftermath

  The Geoscope became one of the brand’s heritage collections and was later revisited in anniversary editions.

  Source

1. 1Era Watch Companyen.wikipedia.org