Swiss watch brand
Schwarz Etienne: history, models and value
Schwarz Etienne is an old La Chaux-de-Fonds name that became a small independent manufacture with its own movements. It also makes parts and movements for other brands.
- Founded
- 1902
- Founder(s)
- Paul Arthur Schwarz, Olga Etienne
- Headquarters
- La Chaux-de-Fonds
- Owner / group
- Independent (privately held)
Schwarz Etienne: origins and founding
Schwarz Etienne dates back to 1902 in La Chaux-de-Fonds, one of the centers of Swiss watchmaking. That year Paul Arthur Schwarz and Olga Etienne married and set up a watch fabrique together. The company name combines their two surnames.
Founders and family
The business was a family company. The founders' descendants also owned other watch brands, including Alpha and Venus. Over time the firm also made movement parts and tooling for other brands, among them Chanel and Dunhill.
Schwarz Etienne history and milestones
- 1902: founding in La Chaux-de-Fonds.
- 2003: Raffaello Radicchi takes over the brand and starts a plan to develop and make movements in-house.
- 2017: a tourbillon with retrograde seconds is shown at Baselworld.
- Recent years: the 1902 collection becomes the core of the brand, and Synergy collaborations with other watchmakers follow.
Famous Schwarz Etienne models
- 1902 collection – dress watches: 1902 Petite Seconde, 1902 Power Reserve and 1902 GMT.
- Synergy pieces – collaborations, such as the Roma Synergy with Kari Voutilainen and the 1902 Synergy by Peter Speake, limited to 88 pieces.
- Tourbillon – the tourbillon with retrograde seconds from 2017.
- Geometry Black – designed by Eric Giroud.
Movements and technique
Schwarz Etienne is unusually integrated for a small independent. It develops and makes its own movements, including hairsprings. Current calibres include the ASE 320.00 micro-rotor automatic with an 86-hour power reserve in the 1902 GMT and the MSE 311.00 hand-wound movement with 120 hours in the 1902 Power Reserve. Sister companies make components for other brands, and the manufacture produces watches as a private-label maker for brands such as RGM, GoS and Ming.
Schwarz Etienne today
The company is based in a villa from 1910 in La Chaux-de-Fonds, with about 13 people, and makes roughly 200 to 250 watches a year. Florian Brossard, formerly of Minerva and Greubel Forsey, leads the company. It sits in the independent high-end segment; the 1902 models are listed at around CHF 18,500 to 19,850.
Schwarz Etienne prices on the pre-owned market
Schwarz Etienne watches appear only occasionally on the pre-owned market, so prices vary from sale to sale. Limited Synergy collaborations and watches with in-house movements tend to draw the most interest from collectors of independent brands. Box and papers, original condition and service history help. Older pieces from the family era are usually simple watches valued mainly for their condition and movement.
How to recognise a genuine Schwarz Etienne
Fakes are not a common problem with this small brand. Check that the movement seen through the case back matches the model and calibre, that the finishing is clean and that numbers match the papers. The brand can help confirm a watch's history. See our guide on how to spot a fake watch for general checks.
What is your Schwarz Etienne worth?
Photograph the dial, case back and papers and request a free watch value estimate. For estate or insurance purposes you can also get a written watch appraisal.
Frequently asked questions
Does Schwarz Etienne make its own movements?
Yes. Since a strategy started after 2003, Schwarz Etienne develops and produces in-house movements, such as the ASE 320.00 micro-rotor and the MSE 311.00 hand-wound calibre, and also makes components for other brands.
Where is Schwarz Etienne based?
In La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland, where the company was founded in 1902. Today it works from a villa built in 1910.
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