Delémont, Switzerland
Matthew Norman
Partially verifiedSwiss carriage-clock brand of Swiza SA, Delémont
History
Matthew Norman is a carriage-clock brand of the Swiss clock manufacturer Swiza SA in Delémont, in the canton of Jura.
Swiza traces its origins to 1904, when Louis Schwab founded a stamping and watch-component works in Moutier; it made LEVTOI alarm clocks from 1918, registered the Swiza name in 1935 and moved production from Moutier to Delémont from 1965. In 1959 the company became an integrated manufacture making its own movements and dials, and launched an 8-day mechanical calibre. In 2009 Europa Star reported that Mecap Holding had acquired Swiza from Bedonia Holding; Swiza then made luxury clocks and alarm clocks under its own brands Swiza, Matthew Norman and the recently acquired L'Epée, and for other watch brands.
The brand says that all production stages, from making to finishing, assembly and inspection, take place on site. In 2016 it worked with the designer Kostas Metaxas on two table clocks, Helix and Garden of Eden, each with a 17-jewel, 8-day Matthew Norman 1754 movement.
The extended history summarises the open references listed under Sources; each statement was checked against the cited passage. Confirm key dates in period documents before relying on them.
Timeline
Matthew Norman's recorded dates, dated events from this profile and its sources, and dated pieces and sales from the object catalogue. Dates are as each record gives them.
1904 · Career
Swiza traces its origins to 1904, when Louis Schwab founded a stamping and watch-component works in Moutier; it made LEVTOI alarm clocks from 1918, registered the Swiza name in 1935 and moved production from Moutier to Delémont from 1965.
1959 · Career
In 1959 the company became an integrated manufacture making its own movements and dials, and launched an 8-day mechanical calibre.
2009 · Career
In 2009 Europa Star reported that Mecap Holding had acquired Swiza from Bedonia Holding; Swiza then made luxury clocks and alarm clocks under its own brands Swiza, Matthew Norman and the recently acquired L'Epée, and for other watch brands.
2016 · Career
In 2016 it worked with the designer Kostas Metaxas on two table clocks, Helix and Garden of Eden, each with a 17-jewel, 8-day Matthew Norman 1754 movement.
Current watchmaking & later fate
- The brand names Swiza SA Manufacture, rue Saint-Maurice 1, Delémont, as its maker.
As stated in the references listed under Sources, retrieved 2026-11-04. Ownership and collections change; check the maker's own announcements for the latest position.
Key models
- Helix and Garden of Eden
- Table clocks designed by Kostas Metaxas (2016), each with the 8-day Matthew Norman 1754 movement.
Known markings
- Dials are signed 'MATTHEW NORMAN LONDON' although the clocks are Swiss-made; one catalogued backplate reads 'MATTHEW NORMAN LONDON 1750A' with '11 eleven jewels / unadjusted / Swiss made'.
Serial numbers
No serial-number system for this maker is recorded in the cited references.
Collecting significance
The catalogued pieces listed on this page show the kinds of objects auction houses, dealers and museums attribute to this maker; each attribution is the source's own.
Where sources differ
- Founding date: the brand says it was established in the 19th century, while Swiza, which makes the clocks, dates its own foundation to 1904; no independent record of a 19th-century Matthew Norman firm was found.
In the object catalogue
2 catalogued objects are recorded under Matthew Norman. Attributions are as given by each source and are not independent authentication.
- Matthew Norman Gilt Brass Striking Carriage Clock with Alarm and RepeatCarriage clock
- Matthew Norman mahogany cased marine chronometerMarine chronometer (duration not stated)
Provenance
Where the 2 catalogued pieces by Matthew Norman were recorded, with the collectors, owners and sales their records name.
Provenance map
Each piece is linked to the museum, auction house or dealer whose record it comes from, and to any other house or collection its own provenance names. Select a name to see its pieces.
Auction houses · 2 pieces
Curated Auctions
Auction house · 1 piece
Matthew Norman Gilt Brass Striking Carriage Clock with Alarm and RepeatCarriage clock · Record source
Curated Auctions: lot 0201
Auction history
| House | Sale & lot | Object |
|---|---|---|
| Curated Auctions | lot 0201 | Matthew Norman Gilt Brass Striking Carriage Clock with Alarm and Repeat |
| Fellows | lot 336 | Matthew Norman mahogany cased marine chronometer |
Each line is copied from the object's source record and is not independently verified. Holders are as recorded when the piece was catalogued: museum objects may not be on display, and sold lots have since changed hands.
Sources & references
- Matthew Norman – the brand, Matthew Norman, retrieved 2026-11-04 (paraphrased; text © the publisher)
- About us – Swiza, Swiza, retrieved 2026-11-04 (paraphrased; text © the publisher)
- A new era for Swiza S.A., Europa Star, retrieved 2026-11-04 (paraphrased; text © the publisher)
- Firm in canton Jura upholds tradition of carriage clocks, SWI swissinfo.ch, retrieved 2026-11-04 (paraphrased; text © the publisher)
- An Unexpected Reinvention of the Table Clock, Robb Report, retrieved 2026-11-04 (paraphrased; text © the publisher)
Where sources disagree, the disagreement is stated rather than resolved silently.