Pocket Watch Makers Marks — Illustrated Guide
The marks stamped on a pocket watch movement plate are the primary tool for identifying who made it. Swiss, German, American, and Russian manufacturers all used distinctive marks — sometimes a full company name, sometimes initials, sometimes a logo or symbol. Understanding these marks allows a collector to attribute a movement to its maker, date it, and assess its likely quality level.
This page illustrates over 100 marks from the principal pocket watch and ébauche movement manufacturers, with notes on each maker's history and significance. Many Swiss makers are represented by multiple mark variants, as firms changed their stamps with ownership changes, new grades, or updated registration requirements.
Ébauche makers vs watch brands. Many marks on this page belong to ébauche manufacturers — firms that made raw movements sold to other companies for finishing and casing under a different brand name. A movement stamped "FHF" or "ETA" or "AS" was not sold to the public under that name; it was bought by a watch company, finished, cased, and sold under the watch brand's name. Identifying the ébauche maker often helps date a movement and understand its quality tier even when the brand name is unknown.
Unidentified “A”
Switzerland
An unidentified Swiss ébauche maker using a plain letter A in an oval cartouche. Many small Jura workshops used initials rather than full names on their movement plates.
AHO
Switzerland
Swiss ébauche maker mark — initials of an unidentified Jura-region workshop or small manufacturer.
AHS
Switzerland
Swiss movement maker initials from the Jura region.
AM
Switzerland
Swiss maker mark using initials AM — a common form among small-batch ébauche producers.
Amida Watch Co.
Grenchen, Switzerland
Amida Watch Co., Grenchen, founded in the early 20th century. Produced reliable mid-range Swiss movements; later part of the ETA consolidation.
Arogno
Ticino, Switzerland
A small Swiss movement maker based in the Ticino canton — one of the more southerly watchmaking regions.
Asco
Switzerland
Swiss movement manufacturer. The Asco mark appears in two variants, reflecting use across different grades or production periods.
Asco (variant)
Switzerland
Second variant of the Asco movement mark — the same manufacturer using a different stamp.
Audemars Piguet
Le Brassus, Vallée de Joux
Founded 1875 in Le Brassus. One of the three great independent Swiss luxury houses, renowned for pocket watch complications — repeaters, chronographs, and perpetual calendars of extraordinary quality.
Baumgartner Frères
Grenchen, Switzerland
An important Swiss ébauche manufacturer absorbed into the Ebauches SA cartel in the 1930s and subsequently into what became ETA SA.
Baumgartner Frères (variant)
Grenchen, Switzerland
Variant stamp of the Baumgartner Frères movement — used on different grades or from a different period of production.
Bifora
Stuttgart, Germany
German movement manufacturer, Stuttgart. Produced quality ébauches for the German domestic and export markets from the 1920s onward.
Bigalu
Switzerland
Swiss ébauche movement maker mark.
Breitling
Saint-Imier / Grenchen, Switzerland
Founded 1884 by Léon Breitling in Saint-Imier. Became synonymous with precision aviation chronographs. The Breitling pocket chronograph was among the finest of its era.
Bulla
Switzerland
Swiss movement manufacturer mark.
Büren Watch Co.
Büren an der Aare, Switzerland
Founded 1898. Produced notably slim mechanical movements; acquired by Hamilton Watch Co. in 1966, contributing to the ultra-thin Hamilton Thin-o-matic wristwatch development.
Buser Frères
Switzerland
Swiss movement manufacturer from the Jura region.
CHP
Switzerland
Swiss movement initials mark — an unidentified small manufacturer or workshop.
Certina
Grenchen, Switzerland
Founded 1888 as Adolf Schild & Co. in Grenchen. The Certina brand name was adopted in 1939. Produced quality mid-range Swiss movements for domestic and export use.
Certina (variant)
Grenchen, Switzerland
Variant Certina movement mark — the company used different stamps across its production history and across movement grades.
Chézard Watch Co.
Chézard-Saint-Martin, Switzerland
Based in Chézard-Saint-Martin, Neuchâtel canton. Produced reliable mid-range Swiss ébauches.
Conebert
Switzerland
Swiss ébauche maker mark.
Cortébert Watch Co.
Cortébert, Switzerland
Founded c.1790 in Cortébert — making it one of the oldest Swiss watchmaking enterprises. Produced high-quality movements and was known for railway-standard calibres for the Swiss Federal Railways.
Court
Switzerland
Swiss movement maker.
Culmina
Switzerland
Swiss movement brand mark.
Cyma Watch Co.
Biel/Bienne, Switzerland
Founded 1862. Supplied high-quality movements to the British military during both World Wars and produced fine civilian timepieces throughout the 20th century.
Damas
Switzerland
Swiss movement manufacturer.
Derby Watch Co.
Switzerland
Swiss ébauche manufacturer.
Desa
Switzerland
Swiss movement maker mark.
Diehl
Germany
German movement manufacturer.
Durawe
Switzerland
Swiss ébauche manufacturer.
EB / Eterna-Biel
Grenchen, Switzerland
EB is the movement mark of Eterna-Biel, the ébauche manufacturing division of Eterna Watch Co. (founded 1856). EB movements were supplied to numerous Swiss watch brands throughout the 20th century.
ESA / Ebauches SA
Switzerland
Ebauches SA — the Swiss ébauche cartel formed in 1932, consolidating production at multiple factories. ESA movements were supplied to hundreds of Swiss watch brands. ESA later became ETA SA.
Eberhard & Co.
La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland
Founded 1887 by Georges Eberhard. Known for high-quality chronographs including the Contograf series.
Eboss
Switzerland
Swiss movement maker mark.
Election
Switzerland
Swiss movement brand.
Elgin National Watch Co.
Elgin, Illinois, USA
Founded 1864. The largest American watch manufacturer by total output — approximately 60 million movements. Top grades: Veritas (23-jewel) and Father Time (21-jewel railroad grade). Closed 1968.
Enicar
Lengnau, Switzerland
Enicar Watch Co., Lengnau, founded 1913. Produced quality Swiss movements; known for robust sport and dive watches including the Sherpa series.
Enz
Switzerland
Swiss movement maker.
Eppler
Germany
German movement manufacturer.
ETA SA
Grenchen, Switzerland
The dominant Swiss ébauche manufacturer, formed through successive mergers of the major Jura ébauche factories. The ETA 6497/6498 pocket watch calibres are still in production today. Now part of the Swatch Group.
FE
Switzerland
Swiss ébauche manufacturer initials.
FEF / Fleurier
Fleurier, Switzerland
Fabriques d’Ebauches de Fleurier — a quality Neuchâtel canton movement manufacturer. Fleurier is home to several prestigious watchmakers.
FEF (variant)
Fleurier, Switzerland
Variant mark of the Fleurier ébauche factory.
FHF / Fontainemelon
Fontainemelon, Switzerland
Fabriques d’Horlogerie de Fontainemelon — founded 1793, one of the oldest and largest Swiss ébauche manufacturers. FHF movements were among the most widely distributed in the Swiss industry.
Felsa SA
Bévilard, Switzerland
Felsa SA, Bévilard, Bernese Jura, active from the 1920s. Best known for the Felsa 4000 bidynator self-winding movement. Absorbed into ETA.
Femga
Switzerland
Swiss movement manufacturer.
Forster
Switzerland
Swiss ébauche maker.
Geneva Sport
Geneva, Switzerland
A Swiss movement brand from the Geneva region.
Geneva Sport (variant)
Geneva, Switzerland
Variant Geneva Sport mark.
Girard-Perregaux
La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland
Founded 1791 — one of the oldest Swiss watchmaking firms. Renowned for the Tourbillon with Three Gold Bridges, first created in the 1860s — one of the most celebrated watch designs ever made.
GUB / Glashütter Uhrenbetrieb
Glashütte, Germany
The East German state watchmaking enterprise, established 1951, consolidating the surviving Glashütte firms under communist management. After German reunification, the enterprise was privatised, with A. Lange & Söhne and Glashütte Original emerging from the restructuring.
Guba
Switzerland / Germany
Movement maker mark.
HB
Switzerland
Swiss movement maker initials.
H.F. Bauer
Germany
German movement manufacturer H.F. Bauer.
H.F. Bauer (variant)
Germany
Variant mark of H.F. Bauer.
HPP
Switzerland
Swiss movement initials mark.
HPP (variant 2)
Switzerland
Second variant HPP mark.
HPP (variant 3)
Switzerland
Third variant HPP mark — illustrating how a manufacturer’s stamp evolved over time.
Hamilton Watch Co.
Lancaster, Pennsylvania, USA
Founded 1892. The premier American railroad watch manufacturer. Grade 992 (21J) and Grade 950B (23J, adj. 6 pos.) are among the finest American movements produced. Supplied the US Navy with the Model 22 deck watch in the Second World War.
Hanhart
Schwenningen, Germany
Founded 1882. Specialised in precision stopwatches and chronographs — their flyback chronograph movements were standard equipment for Luftwaffe pilots in the Second World War.
Helvetia Watch Co.
Switzerland
Helvetia is the Latin name for Switzerland — a patriotic naming convention popular among Swiss watch brands of the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
IWC / International Watch Co.
Schaffhausen, Switzerland
Founded 1868 by American Florentine Jones, who brought American machine tools to Schaffhausen. Unique among Swiss firms for its American-influenced production methods. Known for engineering precision and robust movements.
Imaco
Switzerland
Swiss movement manufacturer.
Int (International)
Switzerland
Swiss movement abbreviation mark.
Jeanneret-Brun
Le Locle, Switzerland
A Le Locle movement maker from the Neuchâtel canton — the heart of the Swiss ébauche industry.
Jeanneret-Brun (variant)
Le Locle, Switzerland
Variant mark of Jeanneret-Brun.
Gebrüder Junghans
Schramberg, Germany
Founded 1861 by Erhard Junghans in Schramberg, Black Forest. By the early 20th century Junghans was one of the largest clock and watch manufacturers in the world, employing over 3,000 workers.
Kalser
Switzerland
Swiss movement maker.
Kalser (variant)
Switzerland
Variant Kalser movement mark.
Kasper
Switzerland
Swiss movement manufacturer.
Landeron Watch Co.
Landeron, Switzerland
A significant Swiss manufacturer particularly known for its column-wheel chronograph calibres — the Landeron 48 and related calibres were used by many Swiss watch brands.
Langendorf Watch Co.
Langendorf, Switzerland
A major Swiss ébauche manufacturer from the 1870s, producing movements across a wide quality range. Langendorf is represented by four variant marks on this page.
Langendorf (variant 2)
Langendorf, Switzerland
Second Langendorf variant mark.
Langendorf (variant 3)
Langendorf, Switzerland
Third Langendorf variant mark.
Langendorf (variant 4)
Langendorf, Switzerland
Fourth Langendorf variant mark — four variants from one manufacturer illustrating how stamps changed over decades of production.
Lavina
Switzerland
Swiss movement brand.
Lemania Watch Co.
L’Orient, Vallée de Joux
Vallée de Joux specialist movement manufacturer. Lemania produced some of the finest chronograph calibres ever made, including movements used in British Ministry of Defence timing instruments.
Liengme
Switzerland
Swiss movement maker.
Longines
Saint-Imier, Switzerland
Founded 1832 in Saint-Imier — one of the oldest continuous watch brands. Known for precision chronometers, thin movements, and elegantly styled pocket watches; multiple-time holder of precision records at the Neuchâtel Observatory.
Lorea
Switzerland
Swiss movement mark.
Lorsa
Spain / Switzerland
Lorsa (Relojería Lorsa) was a Spanish watch brand using Swiss ébauche movements — a common arrangement whereby southern European retailers branded Swiss-made movements under local names.
Lorsa (variant)
Spain / Switzerland
Variant Lorsa movement mark.
Luch / Луч
Minsk, Belarus
Luch Watch Factory, Minsk, established 1953. The Luch 1801 calibre at 1.0mm thick remains one of the thinnest mechanical movements ever manufactured.
MSR
Switzerland
Swiss movement initials mark.
MST
Solothurn, Switzerland
Swiss ébauche manufacturer initials — possibly Manufacture de Soleure or similar Solothurn-region maker.
Mader
Switzerland
Swiss movement maker.
Marvin Watch Co.
La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland
Swiss manufacturer of the early-to-mid 20th century, producing reliable movements for the Swiss and export markets.
Marvin (variant)
La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland
Variant Marvin mark.
Mido
Biel/Bienne, Switzerland
Founded 1918 in Biel/Bienne. Notable for early work on anti-magnetic and waterproof watch construction. The name Mido derives from the Spanish mi do (“I give”).
Mido (variant)
Biel/Bienne, Switzerland
Variant Mido movement mark.
Moerla
Switzerland
Swiss movement manufacturer.
Moeris Watch Co.
Saint-Imier, Switzerland
Moeris Watch Co., Saint-Imier, canton of Bern. Produced reliable mid-range movements from the early 20th century.
Movado
La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland
Founded 1881 by Achilles Ditesheim. The name Movado (Esperanto for “always in motion”) was adopted 1905. Produced fine pocket watches and became known for the Museum Watch — a minimalist wristwatch design.
Müller & Schlenker
Schwenningen, Germany
A German clockwork and precision movement manufacturer from Schwenningen in the Black Forest — a region with a long clockmaking tradition parallel to the Swiss Jura.
Müller & Schlenker (variant)
Schwenningen, Germany
Variant mark of the Müller & Schlenker manufactory.
Nouvelle Fabrique
Switzerland
A generic Swiss mark meaning “new factory” — used by smaller producers or when a firm changed name or ownership and wished to distinguish new production from earlier work.
Oris
Hölstein, Switzerland
Founded 1904 in Hölstein. One of the few Swiss companies to remain fully independent through the quartz crisis of the 1970s by maintaining a commitment to mechanical movements throughout.
Oris (variant)
Hölstein, Switzerland
Variant Oris mark.
Osco
Switzerland
Swiss movement maker.
Otero
Switzerland
Swiss movement brand.
Parrenin
France / Switzerland
A French or Franco-Swiss movement maker from the Franche-Comté region bordering Switzerland, which had its own watchmaking tradition closely linked to the Swiss Jura.
Peseux Watch Co.
Peseux, Switzerland
A significant Swiss ébauche manufacturer in the Neuchâtel canton. The Peseux 7001 hand-wind calibre became one of the benchmark quality movements of the 20th century, used in prestige watches from numerous brands.
Poljot / Полёт
Moscow, Russia
Poljot Watch Factory (First Moscow Watch Factory), established 1930. “Poljot” means “flight” — a Poljot chronograph was worn by cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin on the Vostok missions.
Recta Watch Co.
Solothurn, Switzerland
Swiss movement manufacturer, mid-range ébauches.
Revue Thommen
Waldenburg, Switzerland
Waldenburg, canton Basel-Land. A Swiss precision manufacturer known for altimeter instruments, aviation barometric equipment, and quality watch movements. Their precision heritage made them a natural supplier to the aerospace industry.
Slava / Слава
Moscow, Russia
Slava Watch Factory (Second Moscow Watch Factory), founded 1924 as the Ducat factory. Slava (“glory” in Russian) produced quality movements for the Soviet civilian market, including calendar watches and commemorative pieces.
Blancpain / Villeret
Villeret, Switzerland
Villeret in the canton of Bern — home of Blancpain, reputedly the oldest watch brand still in production (founded 1735 by Jehan-Jacques Blancpain). The workshop continued through the 20th century and was revived by the Swatch Group as the Blancpain luxury brand.
Vostok / Восток
Chistopol, Russia
Vostok Watch Factory, Chistopol, Republic of Tatarstan. Founded 1942 — evacuated from Moscow during the German advance — Vostok produced military-specification watches for the Soviet armed forces, including the Komandirskie (Commander) series issued to Soviet Army officers, and the Amphibia dive watch.
Using This Guide
When you find an unfamiliar mark on a pocket watch movement, look for any text near it — initials, a place name, or a brand name. Cross-reference against this page alphabetically. If the mark is not here, it may be from a maker not covered in this collection, or it may be a private-label mark — a retailer's name applied over a standard ébauche movement.
For further research, G.H. Baillie's Watchmakers and Clockmakers of the World is the standard printed reference for European makers. For American movement identification, use the serial number tables: Serial Number Hub.