Sicura originated from a company called "Joh. Gobber, Horlogerie" established in 1939. And then supposedly in 1951 the company was listed as "Sicura, Joh. Gobber" and finally the 2 May 1955 the company can be found in the Swiss Handelsregister as "Montres Sicura SA".
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| Watch ad from 1956 using the brand name Sicura |
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| Sicura watch ad from 1959 promoting Sicura as "your specialist for calendar and bangle watches". |
The company was owned by a Théodore Sfaellos and when he died in the beginning of the 1960s Sicura was taken over by his son-in-law Ernest Frédéric Schneider.
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| Ernest Schneider at his desk |
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| Ernest Schneider - the godfather of Sicura watches in the 60s and 70s |
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| Ernest Schneider was a pilot himself (yes, this a newer picture were Ernest wears a Breitling cap) |
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| Ernest Schneider, owner and CEO for Sicura and later Breitling |
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| Sicura watch ads from 1970 and 1971 |
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| Sicura coat-of-arms on the backcase. |
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| Sicura ad from 1974. In the 70s Sicura popularized watches with "digital" displays and simple mechanical movements. |
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| Sicura watch brochure from 1975. Download as pdf here. This is very important in documenting original Sicura watches. |
These ads from 1977 shows that Sicura later produced watches with quartz movements and LCD displays. Sicura also introduced the "Stunt Watch" with "Sicura Quartz" which is said to be sold into the 80s.
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| Sicura ad from 1977 with quartz watches. Sicura also used the brand "Sikato" for their watches with LCD-display. |
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| Sicura ad from 1977 with a solar powered quartz watch with LCD |
I think Ernest Schneider with Sicura had been better than most to navigate through the turbulent times and the quartz crisis in the 70s. He was a master in adapting and deliver what the consumers wanted - inexpensive fashion watches - check, affordable watches with digital displays - check, large colorful divers with lots of functions - check, quartz watches - check. When he saw the opportunity to buy one of the old, well esteemed watch brands this was an opportunity not to be missed.
Ernest Schneider, owner and CEO for Sicura and later Breitling
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| Ernest Schneider with daughter Valérie Reboul-Schneider and son-in-law Rémy Reboul in front of château d'Estoublon which Ernest bought and Válerie and Rémy has turned into a renowned producer of quality olive oil, wine etc. But that's a totally different story. |
Thanks to these super sources:
www.fhs.ch/eng/2015_05_28_02_Breitling.html
www.lagruyere.ch/nachrufe/ernest-schneider.html
www.moneyhouse.ch/u/breitling_ag_CH-254.3.000.140-4.htm
breitlingsource.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?f=11&t=16070
www.welt.de/print/die_welt/vermischtes/article119338772/Sei-nur-zufrieden-mit-Perfektion.html
www.sometimeago.com/the-smaller-watch-brands-sicura/
forum.tz-uk.com/showthread.php?204623-1975-Sicura-brochure-Retrotastic!
thedigitalwatch.com/articles-ads-media/media-n-z/media-n-z-vintage/
www.sometimeago.com/the-smaller-watch-brands-sicura/
70swatchesgallery.wordpress.com/2012/03/12/sicura-squared-box-brochure/
www.breitlingsource.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=23072
CLICK HERE - GO TO THE NEWEST POST ON THIS BLOG ABOUT LARGE VINTAGE WATCHES
Great site. Posted a link to it at our watch forum
SvarSletHey man. Thank you very much for the link and your comment. Really appreciated.
SletVery happy to have found this information so well presented! I am in the process of debunking the "junk watch" reputation. Mine is almost 50 yrs old, keeps great time, running 36 hrs on a wind and it is one of the most comfortable metal bracelet watches that I have owned. Just the right size in today's watch world...from a distance you may even think it to be a Breitling.. Ha,Ha! Kudos to Mr.Schneider!
SvarSletKudos to Mr. Schneider!
SletHi
SvarSletI had a Sicura bucket watch from my grandfather and I think that it was from 1920s or 1930s and I would like to know the history of it
So kindly if you can help by sending me a contact for Sicura ( telephone no. Or email) to know more about it
Please send me an email on abdelhamid.sorour@gmail.com
Regards,
Abdelhamid Sorour
Hi Abdelhamid. I don't think the Sicura brand name was used already in the 1920s, but maybe from the late 1940s. You could try to contact Breitling - which actually is Sicura with a new name. But don't keep your hopes up to high. It seems Breitling is not to eager to brag about their relations with Sicura.
SletI honestly have catalogued thousands of Sicura watches. I think Ernest was a genius as he brought his vision to the going bankrupt Breitling and turned the company into the legendary timepieces they create today.
SvarSletSicura watches in my eyes are WAY undervalued.
They created their own movement, own style, and were cutting edge.
A sleeper watch.
Thanks for your very interesting reply. Sicura certainly were cutting edge in terms of design. But did Sicura create their own movement? Please provide more information. I have only seen Sicura watches with standard movements from Baumgartner, Ronda, Bettlach, Valjoux etc. Normally Sicura didn't even bother to brand the movements and create an illusion that it was their own. Sometimes however you can see the stamp "SIC 49" in the movement which could be short for "SICURA". But in the same movement you will normally also find a stamp from the actual producer, e.g. "BF 158".
SletIf your catalog with Sicura watches is available online - or will be at some point - please share the link here!
Great Blog. My first watch back in 1966 was a SICURA. Received as a gift from my father. I don´t remember what hapenned to them. But the brand marked forever my mind. The first wristwatch I have. I was fourteen years old, and never more heard about SICURA, until I come to your Blog. I was surprised about all I read. Thank You. I wish I have that sicura nowadays. I still remember it.
SvarSletGreat read. I've been looking for one with a realistic price tag, and finally pulled the trigger on a very nice Submarine 200m SWP. It hasn't arrived yet, but am trying to find out what the name/ maker of it's movement. It has markings on only one plate: "SWISS" and "23 Jewels"
SvarSletAny help would be appreciated.
Hi. Thanks for your comment. The movement in your Sicura is probably a EB 8021. You can compare the movement with the info at the super Ranfft site, here: http://www.ranfft.de/cgi-bin/bidfun-db.cgi?10&ranfft&&2uswk&EB_8021
SletWonderfully written article. Is there a data base similar to Seikos to dte Sicura watches? Probably already asked somewhere above...sorry if so. Could you send me the link..thanks in advance-Tom
SvarSletThank you very much, I learned a lot I did not know before.
SvarSletThe sicura watches were in truth economical watches for people who could not afford watches with stone anchors. Let's also say watches that we give as a gift to our young schoolboy son. Now I know why, the breitlings of the 80s and early 90s had big reliability issues, especially with the pushers and crowns that were left in their hands.
SvarSletGreat article, do you have any other information regarding the 1970s Digital watches Sicura produced? Thank you.
SvarSletSmart watch manufacturer
SvarSletGreetings!
SvarSletFirst, thank you for this excellent site! I have a keen interest in these types of watches!
I was wondering if you might know something about an electric watch I am interested in purchasing. It's branded as "Sicatron" on the dial and it has a movement engraved as from Benrus, which is likely an ETA 9154 movement, according Electric Watches UK. I googled "Sicatron" and it's a name that was trademarked to Montres Sicura, SA in 1968. The trademark expired at the end of 1992, which makes sense with the history you have presented here.
The name "Sicatron" does not appear in the 1975 brochure. I am wondering if anyone has ever seen these watches and if they might have been the last gasp of Sicura before it was shut down or if ti was part of some transition to quartz watches. Any info would be appreciated. Cheers!
I found a Sicura automatic (waterresistant, 17 jewels incabloc) with a crown at 4 o'clock (like on seiko's) Is this someting special on a Sicura?
SvarSletFantastisch. Die drei auf dem 10. Bild plus das letzte auf dem 11. unten und das auf dem 12. würden offensichtlich in Massen verkauft werden, wenn sie heute veröffentlicht würden. Wirklich orakelhafte Designs für die nächsten Zeitalter.
SvarSletHola quisiera
SvarSletI have a SICURA 24 JEWELS gold plated watch from the late 60's. It's marked as waterproof, shockproof, made in Switzerland, antimagnetic and stainless steel back. It has a coat of arms on the face (above the 6th position) which looks like a left facing fish under 3 stars. Is it authentic? I haven't seen another one like it. I won it from Heinz in a colouring competition.
SvarSletCorrection:
SletI have a SICURA 23 JEWELS gold plated watch from the late 60's. It's marked as waterproof, shockproof, made in Switzerland, antimagnetic and stainless steel back. It has a coat of arms on the face (above the 6th position) which looks like a left-facing fish under 3 stars. Is it authentic? I haven't seen another one like it. I won it from Heinz in a colouring competition.