Angelus Watch Company History
The dust of Baselworld 2018 has finally settled, and while there was a ton of quick news to hammer through, there are certain topics that require a little more digestion. Case in point: the world of small independent watchmaking had a lot on offer this year, both outlandish and understated.
Gang beasts download pc. Contents.History Foundation Colonel Johann Viktor Kottmann (1822–1881) founded Uhrenfabrik Langendorf SA in 1873. The factory remained in the hands of his family until 1964.The factory was located in the village Langendorf, canton of, district of,.
Johann Viktor Kottmann was from nearby and had been involved in industrial production of chicory and tobacco products since the 1850s. The factory in Langendorf had been producing chicory since 1851, but was rebuilt in 1873 to produce ebauches (parts of movements for watches) for other watch producing companies.At its founding, the company had been employing between 70 and 80 workers, but the number of workers was drastically reduced when the company almost suffered an economic collapse in 1880 – allegedly due to severe problems with alcoholism and absenteeism among employees. Perhaps for those reasons, the factory began organizing housing and training of their workers, and it gained a reputation for being socially responsible. It built schools, a hydrant system and financed the installation of electric lights in Langendorf. The Kottmann family also founded a society for community work that is still active.Growth of the company In the middle of 1880 – just before the company otherwise would have been liquidated – Johann's son Karl Kottmann (1844–1890) took over.
Karl was able to attract specialists from western Switzerland who helped turn the company around. Orders began flowing in, and production was expanded strongly.
Angelus Datoluxe
In 1881, some 200 workers were employed at the factory. Production continued to soar under the leadership of Karl Kottmann, who was admired for implementing a rational and mechanized production line. He was also the architect behind the socially responsible initiatives taken by the company.From 1887 and onwards, production was deepened, and the company became largely independent of suppliers. Karl Kottmann died in 1890, and the technical director, Lucien Tieche, took over the company and changed its name to Langendorf Watch Company.All major watch producing companies from the area were ordering parts and ebauches from Langendorf Watch Company whose workforce grew to around 1.000 by 1890. During that era, the factory was probably the largest watch producer in the world.An advertisement from 1916 showing picture of the factory claimed that it employed 1.500 workers and produced 3.000 time-pieces daily.
Angelus Watch Serial Numbers
By 1920 the company was also producing alarm clocks. In 1924, a branch was established at, and the following year also an agency in. A 1959 advert boasted that a large new factory would be completed that year and produce Lanco watches.Final years of the Kottmann family and the end of independency.
Angelus Clock Company
AngelusClick here for timepieces currently for sale.Founded 1891 in Le Locle by Stolz Freres S.A., best known for their chronographs, most using in-house movements, such as caliber 217 used in the famous 'Chronodato' introduced in 1942.