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The Encyclopedia of Horology

Pocket watch · Pocket watch

Cortébert Pocket Watch

Partially verified

This pocket watch, attributed to the Cortébert Watch Co., is held in the collection of the German Clock Museum. Dated to circa 1900, the timepiece features a circular case with a prominent winding crown located at the top. The white dial is printed with black Roman numerals for the hours and a minute track with Arabic numerals at fifteen-minute intervals. The dial displays the brand name "CORTÉBERT" in an arc beneath the twelve o'clock position. A museum inventory tag numbered "1998-222" is attached to the bow of the watch. According to the museum records, the watch measures 8.60 cm in height, 5.90 cm in diameter, and has a case depth of 2.00 cm. The piece represents the output of the Cortébert factory during the turn of the twentieth century.

Front view of the Cortébert pocket watch with museum inventory tag attached to the bow.
Front view of the Cortébert pocket watch with museum inventory tag attached to the bow. — German Clock Museum via Europeana. Rights pending — permission not yet requested. Original source

Catalogue identity

Source
orbiscollectibles.com
Category
Pocket watch · Pocket watch
Maker / attribution
Cortébert Watch Co.
Reference
Not recorded
Catalogue / lot identifier
1998-222
Source-reported date
circa 1900
Source-reported place
Switzerland

Source-reported attribution and specifications are not independent authentication. A listing does not establish present ownership, current display, availability or permission to reproduce.

Object description

Case and Dial Design

The pocket watch is housed in a circular metal case, featuring a pendant and bow at the top, which accommodates the winding crown. The crown is ribbed, facilitating the manual winding process. Attached to the bow of the watch is a metallic inventory tag inscribed with the number 1998-222, identifying the object within the museum's registry.

The dial is finished in white, presenting a high contrast to the black printed indices. The hour markers consist of traditional Roman numerals. A secondary track for minutes surrounds the outer perimeter of the dial, marked with Arabic numerals at the quarter-hour positions. The brand name, "CORTÉBERT", is featured in a centered arc beneath the top index.

Evidence for this section
  • “height: 8.60 cm, depth: 2.00 cm, diameter: 5.90 cm”

Museum Provenance and Documentation

This timepiece is currently documented and held by the German Clock Museum (Deutsches Uhrenmuseum Furtwangen). The museum provides the primary technical identification for the watch, assigning it a date of production around 1900. This entry serves as a formal record of the watch within the museum's horological collection.

The museum's documentation confirms the specific measurements of the object, which are used to define the scale of the watch in its current catalogued state. While the manufacturer, Cortébert Watch Co., was known for producing its own movements in Switzerland, this specific museum record focuses on the physical attributes and the registration of the specimen for archival purposes.

Evidence for this section
  • “Pocket watch Cortébert, Cortébert Watch Co., Cortébert, circa 1900 (Deutsches Uhrenmuseum Furtwangen).”
  • “The museum record gives measurements height: 8.60 cm, depth: 2.00 cm, diameter: 5.90 cm.”

Historical Identification

The manufacturer of this watch, Cortébert Watch Co., was based in the municipality of Cortébert, situated in the Jura bernois district of the canton of Bern, Switzerland. The company was recognized as a producer of movements for both its own timepieces and other prominent watch brands throughout its history.

Production at the facility continued until the mid-twentieth century, with the company eventually ceasing operations during the period commonly known as the quartz crisis.

Evidence for this section
  • “Cortébert was a Swiss premium watch brand established in the municipality of Cortébert”
  • “The manufacturer produced its own movements and supplied them to other brands, including Rolex”

Open research questions

  • What is the specific composition of the case metal?
  • Does the watch movement remain in original, working condition?

Source evidence

Recorded claims and source quotations for Cortébert Pocket Watch
FieldSource-reported valueSource quotation
MakerCortébert Watch Co.“Cortébert Watch Co.”
Datecirca 1900“circa 1900”
Height8.60 cm“height: 8.60 cm”
Diameter5.90 cm“diameter: 5.90 cm”
Depth2.00 cm“depth: 2.00 cm”
CollectionGerman Clock Museum“German Clock Museum”

Visible details

  • Winding crown positioned at the 12 o'clock position
  • Roman numeral hour markers with outer minute track
  • Museum inventory tag marked 1998-222 suspended from the bow
  • Visible discolouration on the hands

Research qualifications

  • Material of the case not verified
  • Internal movement condition and specifications remain unconfirmed

Photograph identity and source facts were screened before import; rights clearance remains pending.

Consulted source

Pocket watch, Cortébert Watch Co., Cortébert, circa 1900

Reviewed 2026-11-02 · Record e8e033c824

Terms in this record

Glossary explanations for terms named in this object’s record.

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