Cimier celebrates a century of Swiss watchmaking
With roots going back to 1924, Cimier watches have always been about sharing and democratising the passion for fine mechanical watches. As the brand prepares to celebrate its 100th anniversary in 2024, we take a look at the brand’s rich contribution to Swiss watchmaking expertise
The origins of Cimier date back to 1924, when Swiss Watchmaker Joseph Lapanouse founded his company in Hölstein, Switzerland. At the time, the company specialised in manufacturing pin-pallet escapement watches, similar to the “Prolétaire” watch. This was a robust, accurate and affordable timepiece invented by Georges-Frédéric Roskopf, a famous German watchmaker.
In 1929, Armand Lapanouse, who worked with his brother Joseph, submitted his patent for a movement frame for the Roskopf watch. This ingenuity allowed Lapanouse to continue manufacturing robust movements and by 1970, the company produced 1.5 million pieces every year. By that time, the company employed more than 500 people in its manufacture located in Bubendorf.
In the 1960s, Cimier sent shockwaves through the watchmaking industry by industrialising the production of pin-pallet escapement chronographs. This simplified take on the chronograph-only allowed users to measure short time intervals by starting and stopping the independent central second hand. The demand for chronograph-style watches at an affordable price made this model a commercial success: 21 million of these legendary calibres were sold.
In the 1970s, the watch industry went through the Quartz crisis. The sales of mechanical watches fell considerably and Cimier made considerable investments to develop and manufacture its own quartz movement. In 1985, the Lapanouse family decided to pull Cimier out of the race. The Cimier brand was revived in 2003 after it was bought by a former director. Starting from 2006, the brand entered a period of vibrant activity and developed an automatic module for the ETA 6497 movement, the Big Matic 16 ½.
Watch Academy by Cimier
In 2010, the Watch Academy by Cimier was the first Swiss watch brand to offer to the public the experience of customising and assembling their own watch. Cimier has since shared its knowledge and expertise to hundreds of students – with all of them proudly wearing their own masterpiece – in its workshops in Biel, Switzerland.
Celebrating 100 Years
2024 marks the year Cimier celebrates its 100th anniversary. To mark this milestone, the brand has been working on a new watch that will pay homage to its rich history in the Swiss watchmaking industry. The brand is launching its anniversary watch next year to celebrate 100 years of history. The watch will be limited to 100 pieces and will be a unique mix between the brand’s heritage and modern elements, according to Cimier Chief Executive Officer, Alexandra Lanz.
