Jewelry History

Leon Breitling founded the Breitling Company in 1884 in St. Imer, Switzerland and in 1892, relocated to La Chaux-de-Fonds. In 1914, Leon Breitling’s son, Gaston, takes over the company business at his father’s death. In 1915, Gaston Breitling creates the first chronograph wrist watch and gives it to pilots with “their first wrist instruments”. In 1923, the first independent push piece is developed by Breitling. In 1932, Gaston’s son, Willy...

The Elgin Company was founded on April 25, 1865. The first officers were Benjamin Raymond, President Philo Carpenter, Vice President Thomas Dickerson, Treasurer and George Wheeler, Secretary. The first movement was produced from the factory on April 1, 1867. It was during that time that watches took six months to complete. That first watch, the B.W. Raymond sold for $117 dollars when pork chops sold for three cents. The watch...

In the 1800’s, Adam Tolkowski experimented with cutting colored stones and in 1840, together with his family, moved to Antwerp. Maurice Tolkowski, son of Abraham Tolkowski became well-known in the business. In 1898, Marcel Tolkowski was born to Isadore Tolkowski as a sixth generation diamond cutter. He later became known as the “father of the modern round brilliant diamond cut”. Isadore and Sam Tolkowski worked along-side their brother, Maurice, who...

On May 1, 1839, Antoni Patek, a businessman and Franciszek Czapek, a watchmaker founded Patek, Czapek & Cie. In 1844, Patek met Andrien Philippe in Paris. Philippe introduced the “stem winding and setting system by the crown”. The company manufactured the first keyless winding and hands setting watch. In 1845, Czapek decided to leave and start his own venture. The company changed its name to Patek & Cie before changing...