Technos (watches)
Technos is a trademark for a range of watches. First registered in 1924 in Switzerland, after WWII it has significant market share, especially in Japan and Brazil. Like many other Swiss watch brands, it was almost swept into oblivion by the onslaught of the Japanese watch industry in the mid-1970s. The brand is now Brazilian-owned.
History
M. Gunzinger-Hug Co.
The company was founded 1900, under the name M. Gunzinger-Hug, by Melchior Gunzinger, in Welschenrohr, in the Swiss Jura Mountains, Canton of Solothurn, Switzerland.
Gunzinger Bros Ltd
Melchior’s son, Joseph Gunzinger took over the small watch manufacturing facility in 1920 and changed the name to Gunzinger Bros Ltd.[1]
In 1924 he registered the trademark "Technos" and started manufacturing and exporting watches under that specific name. Technos became a very successful brand and the company had to increase its manufacturing capacity, to become a sizeable company and almost the sole employer in the area: in 1970, when Josef Gunzinger sold the company to General Watch Co it occupied 450 people and exported worldwide, but especially to Japan & Brazil.
Soon however, with the onslaught of Japanese watches Technos started losing its market shares, and by 1976, only the Japanese market was still managing to provide some orders.
In 1977 the company was transferred to Biel/Bienne in Montres Edox SA premises. Both companies were reorganized under a new joint management, to fight for survival, and in 1980 Certina was also integrated in the ad hoc structure.
Heiwado & Co
In 1982 the company was sold, with all rights to the "Technos" trademark, to its long-time Japanese importer Heiwado & Co, Tokyo, Japan (see ja:テクノス ). Its new owners granted a limited licence to use the trademark Technos to the importing company in Brazil, allowing them to design and manufacture their own Technos branded watches.
In 1995, the company sold the rights to the Technos brand throughout South America and the Caribbean to Technos Relógios S.A., followed in 2002 by the sale of the remaining worldwide rights.
Technos Relógios S.A.
In Brazil the history of Technos began in 1956, when Centauro Importadora, from Rio Grande do Sul, started to represent Technos watches, with the slogan: "The most punctual Swiss watch in the world". Now called Technos Relógios S/.A., with its parent company, Technos da Amazônia Indústria e Comércio Ltda, both 100% Brazilian companies, they produce about a million watches a year in their own manufacturing facilities in Manaus. Now based on Citizen movements, Technos watches are no longer Swiss Made. (See )
Technos has become the leading watch brand in Brazil, with a 35% of market share, and was the first company in field be certificated ISO 9002.
Technos da Amazonia Swiss SARL
Through the sister company Technos da Amazonia Swiss SARL in Neuchâtel, Switzerland, Technos Brazil now holds the rights to the trademark “Technos” worldwide.(see *
Styles
See the latest styles at website
References
- Josef Gunzinger, “Dictionnaire Historique de la Suisse”
- Japanese Wikipedia
- Technos da Amazonia Swiss Sàrl
- Manaus Production Facility
External links
Bibliography
- [Welschenrohr.f Ein Stück Wirtschaftsgeschichte aus dem Kanton Solothurn. (Technos W.) Sol. Ztg. 1950, Nr. 220, v. 22. Sept.
- Technos. 50 Jahre Gebrüder Gunzinger A. G., W. 1900—1950. Sol. 1950
- Jahrbuch für Solothurnische Geschichte 73. Band, 2000, pages 117-177, "Aufstieg und Niedergang der Uhrenindustrie in Welschenrohr", by Christof Schmid, revisde by Urban Fink - Vogt-Schild/Habegger Medien AG, Solothurn, Switzerland
- Fleissige Hände, Uhrenindustrie in Welschenrohr und im Thal" (1880–1980), by Urban Fink, 2000, Gemeindekanzlei Welschenrohr, Switzerland