# Kundert chronograph pocket watch (???????)



## Cohocarl (Mar 28, 2020)

If anyone has any information regarding the story behind this pocket watch brand "Kundert" "Best Swiss", it would be appreciated.

It is a working watch with a stop watch function. I measured the movement and it appears to be a size 21 or 22 if I am measuring correctly.

Have spent hours on Google trying to find information the watch/company with little or no success.

I can't attach picture files or a way to host them so I made a slideshow and put it on youtube at the link below.

Thank You.

Watch Slideshow


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## spinynorman (Apr 2, 2014)

Cohocarl said:


> If anyone has any information regarding the story behind this pocket watch brand "Kundert" "Best Swiss", it would be appreciated.


 Journal of Federation Horlogere Suisse, Oct 1900, has this advert



> Achat au comptant de montres! argent et métal, genres anglais.
> Fritz Kundert, 95 Colmore Row, B i r m i n g h a m


 Translates as "Cash purchase of watches! silver and metal, English genres."

F Kundert of Handsworth also appears in "The Watchmaker & jeweller, silversmith & optician" in the early 1890s as a creditor of jewellers that went bust.

Someone like @Karrusel might be able to throw more light.


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## Karrusel (Aug 13, 2016)

The case was made by the Crescent Watch Case Co, Brooklyn, USA (1882 - 1904)

My records show a Fritz KUNDERT, Watch Importer, 46 Frederick St, Birmingham, registered 15th April, 1907.

Unfortunately I'm unable to identify the movement.

Hope this helps.

:thumbsup:


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## Cohocarl (Mar 28, 2020)

Thank you for the replies & info.


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## spinynorman (Apr 2, 2014)

Cohocarl said:


> Thank you for the replies & info.


 A bit more. From Swiss journal of commerce.



> 1884. July 2. Numa Jaques, of Ste-Croix, and Fritz Kundert son, of Rutti, Glaris, the first domiciled in La Chaux-de-Fonds and the second in Birmingham, England, set up in La Chaux-de-Fonds, under the name Jaques & Kundert, a general partnership, started on 15 May 1884. Kind of commerce: Export of watchmaking. Offices: Rue de la Balance, no 10.
> 
> 1891 December 7. The general partnership Jaques and Kundert, at La Chaux-de-Fonds is dissolved. Partner Numa Jaques liquidated it.


 Numa Jaques had been trading under his own name as a watchmaker at the same address in La Chaux-de-Fonds since January 1883. Possibly he was assembling the watches and Kundert was selling them in Birmingham. Numa Jaques ceased trading in April 1915.

There's a pocket watch at the following link "A Hefik Speedwell pocket watch, circa 1920s. Speedwell is a brand trade name that was registered by Fritz Kundert of Hefik Watch Company. The Hefik factory was in La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland, and they also had an office in Birmingham."

https://www.sellingantiques.co.uk/378320/a-hefik-speedwell-pocket-watch-circa-1920s/

Earlier one below - "Ornate Open Faced Solid 935 Silver Kundert - Swiss Pocket watch. The Hallmarks on the front cover indicate that the case was Assayed at St-Imier, Switzerland between 1882 and 1913 - the year of its closure. The Movement was made by Watch/Case Maker Fritz Kundert of La Chaux-de-Fonds in Switzerland."

https://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/swiss-kundert-gold-enamel-935-silver-274684955

London Gazette of June 1936 reported Fritz Kundert of 42 Radnor Road Handsworth and 26, Federick Street, Birmingham died 10th March 1936.

There seems to be a lot of writing on the movement which I can't read from the Youtube.


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## Cohocarl (Mar 28, 2020)

spinynorman said:


> A bit more. From Swiss journal of commerce...There seems to be a lot of writing on the movement which I can't read from the Youtube.


 Thank You! I will try to get some better close-up shots of the movement and see if I can find a way to post them.


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## spinynorman (Apr 2, 2014)

Cohocarl said:


> Thank You! I will try to get some better close-up shots of the movement and see if I can find a way to post them.


 Upload it to a site like https://imgur.com/. Select the picture you want to post here, right click and "View Image". Then copy/paste the URL into your post.


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## Cohocarl (Mar 28, 2020)

spinynorman said:


> Upload it to a site like https://imgur.com/...


 Thanks for the tip. After Photobucket got greedy, I haven't really checked into options for hosting pics.


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## spinynorman (Apr 2, 2014)

Cohocarl said:


> Thanks for the tip. After Photobucket got greedy, I haven't really checked into options for hosting pics.


 I use Flickr, if you want something more organised that is free up to 1000 images.

And your watch - the patents suggest this is a movement that turns up in Waltham pocket watches from the US.

For example, in the British Museum, no less. And in the American Pocket Watch database.










These are being dated from 1885 to 1888 which fits the timeline of the Jaques & Kundert partnership.

This thread introduces Alfred Lugrin into the mix, at which point I retire, thoroughly out of my depth. :biggrin:

@Karrusel @Always"watching" @tick-tock-tittle-tattle

Any thoughts on this?


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## Cohocarl (Mar 28, 2020)

spinynorman said:


> at which point I retire, thoroughly out of my depth. :biggrin:
> 
> @Karrusel @Always"watching" @tick-tock-tittle-tattle
> 
> Any thoughts on this?


 THANK YOU very much for your time & information.


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## tick-tock-tittle-tattle (Aug 4, 2018)

spinynorman said:


> I use Flickr, if you want something more organised that is free up to 1000 images.
> 
> And your watch - the patents suggest this is a movement that turns up in Waltham pocket watches from the US.
> 
> ...


 I am out of my depth with this one, but to be very honest I can't fault your logic on this one.

It is a really interesting piece, but sadly my powers of deduction can reveal no more than you have found out.

What a fantastic timepiece to own...beautiful.


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

I reckon that our friend, @spinynorman, has unravelled the story behind your watch pretty much as far as we are able to go. Annoyingly, the retailer has chosen to only put his surname on the dial, with no company/partnership information or address. This thread has been most interesting, and thanks everyone for contributing. :biggrin:


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## Cohocarl (Mar 28, 2020)

I would like to thank everyone for their input. There are a few pocket watches I have which were in my father's estate, mostly late 1800's Walthams, but this one had me at a loss as to it's origins.

Thanks again.

:thumbsup:


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