# Interpol Swiss made watch



## Gillb (Mar 11, 2021)

I have a watch that is Swiss made and has Interpol on the face. The fastener had siglo =xx

I know nothing about this watch. Can any one tell me anything about it?


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## Always"watching" (Sep 21, 2013)

I can tell you that your watch is possibly a product of the Oberon Watch Company; Interpol may be one of the many brand names used by Oberon Watch SA.

You might like to read my article on "The Oberon Watch Company", posted on the Forum on 11 October 2016 and now residing in my "Honour's Topics" section, which is the subforum to the Watch Discussion section of the Forum.


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## Balaton1109 (Jul 5, 2015)

Always said:


> I can tell you that your watch is almost certainly a product of the Oberon Watch Company; Interpol seems to be one of the many brand names used by Oberon Watch SA.
> 
> You might like to read my article on "The Oberon Watch Company", posted on the Forum on 11 October 2016 and now residing in my "Honour's Topics" section, which is the subforum to the Watch Discussion section of the Forum.


 Interesting, dear Honour, that you would tend to attribute the *Interpol *brand to Oberon.

Interpol is not an unknown brand, yet rather strangely seems to meet with silence in Mikrolisk, either as a principal name, or under Oberon or, indeed, anywhere else I can find.

Perhaps this dreadful '70s specimen from my "still to do" box (embarrassment having hitherto prevented it from having been shown in polite company), may throw some light on the subject. It's powered by a 1j Baumgartner 866 signed Ilona Ltd, which name may or may not be connected to the eponymous Ermano SA brand, both of which were discussed in your excellent Topic of June 17 2019.

Regards.


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## Always"watching" (Sep 21, 2013)

Dear @Balaton1109, many thanks for your post. My reasoning behind the attribution to Oberon Watch company is the existence of a watch branded "Interpol" on the dial and also marked for Oberon Watch Co - on the movement or caseback. I came across this watch online only yesterday when trying to attribute Giilb's watch, but I cannot find it again, which is a nuisance for our purposes. It would be nice to have a firm attribution for the Interpol brand, and we must add your information to the mix. It just shows that attribution of watches can be a tricky subject, and every snippet of information hopefully adds up to a complete picture.


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## Balaton1109 (Jul 5, 2015)

Always said:


> Dear @Balaton1109, many thanks for your post. My reasoning behind the attribution to Oberon Watch company is the existence of a watch branded "Interpol" on the dial and also marked for Oberon Watch Co - I believe on the movement. I came across this watch online only yesterday when trying to attribute Giilb's watch, but I cannot find it again, which is a nuisance for our purposes. It would be nice to have a firm attribution for the Interpol brand, and we must add your information to the mix. It just shows that attribution of watches can be a tricky subject, and every snippet of information hopefully adds up to a complete picture.


 Perhaps you were thinking of something like this: https://thewatchforum.co.uk/index.php?/topic/31231-tell-me-more-about-this-watch/

The images are long gone, but If the OP's description was correct, then the Oberon movement may have been this one - which is housed inside one of my Josmars!

Regards.


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## Always"watching" (Sep 21, 2013)

I don't recall that the movement of the watch I came across was illustrated; just the text of the Oberon mark on the watch, which I believe said "OBERON Watch Co."

This question does bring up the whole issue of the interchange of components between watch companies and the complexities of branding in the watch industry over the years. Then there is always the possibility of a movement being replaced later by one branded for a different watch company, and of course the name stamped on the movement was frequently not the maker of the movement.

I think I'll leave the question of "Interpol" there, before it drives me mad. Of course, dear @Balaton1109, there is always @spinynorman who might come up with the goods. :biggrin:


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## spinynorman (Apr 2, 2014)

@Always"watching" and @Balaton1109

I didn't attempt this one because the OP provided next to no information, other than the brand, and that seemed to have been explored before. I have located an Interpol watch with "Oberon Watch Co" on the movement, which is on Ebay.










I have also found one with a movement from our old friends "Constructa SA", according to the description on Worthpoint. I'm taking their word for it as the picture isn't clear.










There's another one on Ebay where the photo again is unclear and the seller doesn't enlighten us. It doesn't look like Constructa or Oberon, however, the word is shorter.









And this one, which I can't decipher either, from Catawiki.










I can't find "Interpol" anywhere in Swiss trademark registrations, or anywhere else for that matter. So it looks like we're left with an unknown company that used Swiss pin lever movements from a variety of sources. Which is a familiar story it seems.


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## Balaton1109 (Jul 5, 2015)

spinynorman said:


> @Always"watching" and @Balaton1109
> 
> I didn't attempt this one because the OP provided next to no information, other than the brand, and that seemed to have been explored before. I have located an Interpol watch with "Oberon Watch Co" on the movement, which is on Ebay.
> 
> ...


 The only common factor with the watches featured seems to be their all being driven by a BFG 866, a movement which, as well as in my Interpol, also appears in such other horological titans as my Hudson (signed Itraco), Ackro (signed Constructa), Original (signed Constructa). Perversely, my Constructa watch is driven by a 21j Ebosa 65.

I'm sure there must have been some good reasons for all this pick 'n' mix but other than simple commercial expedience, I'm boogered if I know what it was. I'm out.


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## spinynorman (Apr 2, 2014)

Balaton1109 said:


> The only common factor with the watches featured seems to be their all being driven by a BFG 866, a movement which, as well as in my Interpol, also appears in such other horological titans as my Hudson (signed Itraco), Ackro (signed Constructa), Original (signed Constructa). Perversely, my Constructa watch is driven by a 21j Ebosa 65.
> 
> I'm sure there must have been some good reasons for all this pick 'n' mix but other than simple commercial expedience, I'm boogered if I know what it was. I'm out.


 I'm sure you're right about commercial expedience. I think Mondaine/Remonta/Constructa survived because Erwin Bernheim was primarily a very good businessman. I found Contructa Baumgartner or Ronda based movements in watches labeled Lectro, Spendid (both Contructa brands), Relation (Mondaine/Remonta), Grand Prix (owned by Baumgartner themselves at around the right time), Criterion (Criterion Watch Co, New York?), Rover, Lonstar, Ackas, Ackma, Aerona, Aseikon, Vonita, Citron (Chung Nam Watch of Hong Kong), Lucerne, Hanowa and Pilatus (both Hanowa/Hans Noll), Seatom and several branded (21) Original. I found one of those with a guarantee from "Original Watch Services" of 38 Lankaster Gdns, which is a street of terraced houses in East Finchley.

At least I can now add Interpol to the list.

Oh, and there's this delightful novelty signed Jonmark with a Contructa movement, made for Champion Spark Plugs. Picture from https://www.cmamodels.com/vat-aw3.php


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## Always"watching" (Sep 21, 2013)

Many thanks to both of you, friends and colleagues @Balaton1109 and @spinynorman, for joining me on this "roundabout" of a query, or perhaps it feels more like I've been on the "dodgems". Very interesting all the same... :biggrin:


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