Schwarz Etienne Watches

By Oster Jewelers | March 3, 2022 0 Comments

The Beginning Of Schwarz Etienne

Schwarz Etienne was created in 1902 by Paul Arthur Schwarz and his wife, Olga Etienne. The company’s name is derived from the founders’ surnames. This family-owned company, established in La Chaux-de-Fonds in the canton of Neuchâtel, was envisioned as a creator of mechanical movements, with manufacturing centered on numerous distinct brands, including Alpha, Sultana Le Phare, and Astin and, most famously, Venus. 

Schwarz Etienne’s reputation was built from collaborations, with the business lending its expertise to various high-profile brands, including Chanel, Dunhill and Mauboussin amongst others. The brand garnered a reputation not just for the quality and dependability of its products but also as a standard in the development of mechanical movements.

A New Generation Of Schwarz Etienne

Schwarz Etienne was acquired in 1940 by the founders’ sons, who subsequently expanded the company’s operations beyond Europe and into Asia and the Middle East. The company had a golden age of prosperity in the mid-1960s. Among notable clientele were the Vatican and Leonid Brezhnev.

Back To The Core Of Schwarz Etienne

After diversifying its product in the 1970s and 1980s, partially in reaction to the watch industry’s overall crisis, the business decided in 1985 to return to its core ethos and savoir-faire: focusing on manufacturing movements and watches. Throughout this time period, Schwarz Etienne established its own brand name and different collections, progressively establishing itself as a full-fledged producer with distinguishing characteristics: originality, invention and craftsmanship.

The Renewed Focus Of Schwarz Etienne

The next significant development occurred in 2007, when a passionate local entrepreneur, Raffaello Radicchi, acquired Schwarz Etienne, signaling a renewed focus on the company’s objectives to manufacture collections of excellent timepieces. Schwarz Etienne is dedicated to delivering the unique and original items that have earned the brand its long-established renown through its tight relationship with the Radicchi Horlogerie company.

Tradition and Innovation

Schwarz Etienne provides an ideal blend of tradition and innovation with the introduction of special models, incorporation into famous collections and the development of new watches. Schwarz Etienne adheres to this objective by ensuring total control over the component assembly, a faultless technological procedure, and unmatched expertise. 

Limited Edition Schwarz Etienne Roma Synergy Timepieces

One of the newest collections is the Schwarz Etienne Roma Synergy By Kari Voutilainen.

The Roma Synergy is a classic, modern-style dress watch in Schwarz Etienne’s line-up, providing a blank canvas for Voutilainen to work his magic. With a case diameter of 39mm and 42mm for a special edition exclusively for Oster Jewelers, the stainless steel case fits comfortably under an 11mm-height cuff. Inside is Schwarz Etienne’s caliber ASE 200.00, which has small seconds and a micro-rotor, an area of expertise for the company. The micro-rotor is flush with the movement plate, allowing for a full 86-hour power reserve while maintaining a slim profile.

Another intriguing feature of this particular micro-rotor movement that lends itself perfectly to showcasing hand-finishing is the almost full-plate movement, which means there’s plenty of space for decorative application of haute horlogerie techniques. Les Ateliers Kari Voutilainen adorned the micro-rotor and the ratchet wheel with snailing and diamond drops. Finally, the bridges are beveled by hand. Black polished steel components bind the finishing together. Black polishing is accomplished by adding diamond paste to a tin plate and then rubbing the component being completed on the tin plate until it achieves a mirror finish.

Voutilainen’s trademark mastery of the art of guilloché is prominently shown on the dial side. A large part of the design’s brilliance is the way the numerous rose-engine-turned patterns interact to produce fascinating contrast and depth. The Roma Synergy is available in a limited series of 50-pieces each in two dial colors: ocean blue or sand grey. Each dial is hand-finished with a variety of contrasting finishes using a rose-engine machine. The hour track is framed by a sun design, which frames the fish scale pattern that covers most of the dial except for the smaller seconds, which has a vague wave pattern. 

The name Schwarz Etienne appears immediately below noon, while a silver plaque at six o’clock commemorates Voutilainen’s contribution to the production of this limited edition watch.

Additionally, there are 2 exclusive Oster Editions of 8 pieces each with a radiant green guilloché dial offered in 39mm and 42mm steel cases.

Timepieces At Oster Jewelers

Oster Jewelers specializes in the world of fine watches, offering a world-class range of handcrafted timepieces that include hundreds of years of history, craftsmanship, and modern technology. Whether your style is traditional, athletic, dressy, or futuristic, Oster Jewelers has the perfect watch for you.

View our selection of Schwarz Etienne Timepieces on our website.