The history of the Sicura watch brand

Sicura is one of the most important brands in the world of large, vintage and affordable watches.

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".

Ad from 1949 from Joh. Gobber with the Sicura brand on the watches.
Click to view this nice ad in hi-res. Source: eBay seller groovedetector1966

Watch ad from 1956 using the brand name Sicura

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.

Ernest Schneider at his desk

Ernest Schneider - the godfather of Sicura watches in the 60s and 70s

Ernest Schneider was born in 1921 and thus was around 40 years old when he took over Sicura. He had been in the Swiss Army since the age of 20 and ended as an officer in the 10th Brigade. Ernest Schneider became the driving force behind Sicuras growth and a maker of affordable watches that followed the latest trends. The watch cases were often brass plated metal with standard pin-lever movements to keep production cost and prices low.

Ernest Schneider was a pilot himself (yes, this a newer picture were Ernest wears a Breitling cap)

Ernest Schneider, owner and CEO for Sicura and later Breitling 

Sicura watch ads from 1970 and 1971

Sicura coat-of-arms on the backcase.

Sicura ad from 1974. In the 70s Sicura popularized watches with "digital" displays and simple mechanical movements. 

Sicura watch brochure from 1975. Download as pdf here.
This is very important in documenting original Sicura watches.

What we know from this fantastic brochure is that Sicura SA in 1975 had four watch assembly factories, one case factory and one jewel factory, employed 450 people and produced more than 1 million watches per year. In 1975 almost all the watches in the brochure had mechanical movements and a few had electromechanical - no quartz yet.

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.

Sicura ad from 1977 with quartz watches. Sicura also used the brand "Sikato" for their watches with LCD-display.

Sicura ad from 1977 with a solar powered quartz watch with LCD

As a consequence of the quartz crisis the watch company Breitling suspended operations in 1978, laidoff all workers and sold their assets to the highest bidders - Sinn bought completed / partially completed watches and Ollech & Wajs bought the machinery and unassembled parts. And in April 1979 Ernest Schneider from Sicura signed an agreement with Willy Breitling to buy the right to the names "Breitling" and "Navitimer".

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

Ernest Schneider introduced new models and breathed new life into Breitling with succes and during a few years the brand Sicura was phased out and Sicura became Breitling. At 29 Nov 1993 Montres Sicura AG officially changed its name to Breitling AG. Ernest Schneider continued as President for Breitling until his death in 2015 at the remarkable age of 94. Ernest' son Theodore Schneider today is the owner and undisputed leader of Breitling.

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

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