Cortebert
History of Cortebert
Cortébert was one of the highest regarded premium watch brands, manufacturing their own movements, supplying movements to other brands such as Rolex and introducing a jump-hour movement later adopted by IWC. When the quartz crisis hit the industry in the '70s, they ceased production.
Abraham-Louis Juillard opened his small watchmaking store in Cortébert village in Switzerland in 1790. This date is commonly used as the date of founding although the Cortébert brand name was not registered until 1855 using the bottony cross as a logo.
Cortébert became very well known for their railroad watches. They supplied both the Turkish railroad system and the Italian railroad system, as well as a number of street car systems throughout Europe. In 1927, at the request of Mussolini, Cortébert started distributing their watches in Italy under the Perseo brand name. It is under this name that they were used by the Italian railway system. In the early 1920s, Cortébert was approached by Soviet Russia for assistance in establishing a watch industry in Russia. Russia purchased machinery and technical advice from Cortébert, and manufactured the Cortébert 616 pocket watch movement in Russia as the "Molnija".
Rolex-made Panerai watches of Ref. 3646, 6152, 6154 and 6152/1 were equipped with Cortébert Cal. 618 16 Ligne pocket watch movements specifically made for Rolex.
By 1944 Cortébert had a lineup consisting of 20 different calibers and a range of special railway watches that became synonymous with the marque. Perseo continued to be used by the Italian railway system after World War II and became well regarded by the Italian public. To this day, Perseo continues their relationship with the Italian Railroad System.
Cortebert closed its doors for the last time in the early 1970s, and production has ceased.
