Hasler & Co Davosa Biel find out age
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Who were Hasler & Co.?
- Founded: ca. 1885–1890 in Biel/Bienne, Switzerland
- Full name: Hasler & Co., Bienne
- Manufacturers of pocket watches, later wristwatches and also chronometer movements .
- Partly manufacturing our own raw materials (Ébauches), partly collaborating with other Biel companies (Rebberg/Aegler, A. Schild).
- Exported many works to Germany and England — therefore their trademark can also be found on German dealer watches.
Older works usually state:
“HASLER & Co. – Bienne” , “H & Co.” or just “Hasler Bienne” .
Typical factory types and years of construction
| Period | Description |
|---|---|
| 1890 – 1905 | Classic pocket watch movements (¾ plate), 15 jewels, screw balance, verge or lever escapement, enamel dials |
| 1905 – 1915 | “Rebberg” types with bridge mechanism, fine regulation, 15–17 jewels – often in silver cases |
| 1915 – 1930 | Early wristwatches with small seconds, A. Schild / FHF designs – often signed “Hasler & Co – Swiss Made” |
| 1930 – 1950 | Continued use of the company name for commercial watches – hand-wound, possibly AS 970 or AS 1130 (“Wehrmacht factory”) |
Serial numbers & dating
Hasler numbered his works consecutively; based on known examples (including those from collectors' registers and auction catalogs), this rough classification emerges:
| Serial number (approx.) | Estimated timeframe | remark |
|---|---|---|
| 1,000 – 10,000 | ca. 1890 – 1895 | Early pocket watches, some hand-engraved "Hasler & Co Bienne" |
| 10,001 – 40,000 | ca. 1895 – 1905 | Major exports to Germany, enamel dials |
| 40,001 – 80,000 | ca. 1905 – 1915 | Bridge structures, “Swiss Made” engraving became common for the first time |
| 80,001 – 130,000 | ca. 1915 – 1925 | Early wristwatches, 15–17 rubies, often silver cases (0.800) |
| 130,001 – 200,000 | ca. 1925 – 1935 | Further use as a trademark, AS/FHF caliber |
| > 200,000 | after 1935 | Hand-wound movements, possibly AS 1130 etc., transition to newer brands |
Further dating via work characteristics
| feature | Chronological context |
|---|---|
| ¾‑Plate, screwed chatons | < 1905 |
| Bridge assembly with separate balance bridge | 1905 – 1920 |
| Fine adjustment (gooseneck) | from 1910 |
| Signature “Swiss Made” | after 1907 |
| Central second or shock protection (Incabloc) | From 1950 onwards – no longer original Hasler production |
Swiss watch brand
Davosa is a small Swiss watch brand manufactured by Fabrique d'horlogerie Hasler & Co SA in Tramelan. The company was founded in 1881 by Abel Frédéric Hasler, a farmer and producer of small series of handcrafted silver watch cases of the highest precision. He also inspired six of his sons to pursue watchmaking.
For one of them, Paul Hasler (1883-1977), his profession was also a passion. He founded the sole proprietorship Paul Hasler "Terminages d'Horlogerie," which handled the assembly for renowned brands. In 1946, his brother David Hasler (1897-1951), who had already been working for his brother Paul for years as technical manager, acquired shares in the company. "Hasler Frères" was founded. The company flourished, and therefore, in 1961, after several years of apprenticeship, the third generation, Wilfred and Eric Hasler, joined the business as partners.
In the 1970s, Switzerland faced strong competition from the Far East; the technical revolution of the quartz watch displaced the traditional mechanical watch. Quartz watches have almost completely disappeared from the market. Following these market demands, Hasler & Co SA, a company since 1974, also included quartz watches in its production.
In 2000, Corinna Bohle took over responsibility for the strategic development of the brand.
Source: Wikipedia, AI
