WHITE STAR WATCH
Founded in 1895, in the midst of the industrial revolution and at the dawn of the Belle
Era, a period when Art Nouveau was emerging, White Star Watch has
quickly illustrated in the prestigious panorama of watchmaking in La Chaux-
de-Fonds, an emblematic city of Swiss watchmaking expertise.
Henri Weiss, founder of the brand, was an expert in precious metals and
sworn tester at Swiss customs in La Chaux-de-Fonds. His passion for
the booming watchmaking industry led him to become a seasoned watchmaker, trained
by the masters of the city, and to create his own brand.
Seeing the potential of Swiss watches early on, he used the new channels
communication to penetrate international markets, allowing
White Star to make a name for itself in many countries beyond its borders
Swiss. He filed several patents for revolutionary inventions,
introducing innovative functions and concepts, thus positioning White Star
as an essential brand. He was also one of the first to
understand the evolution towards wristwatches, revolutionizing reading
of time.
Carried by four generations of the Weiss family, the brand has
gradually developed, notably with the grandson, Philippe-Joseph
Weiss, who guided the company to new heights in the 1950s
and 1960, an era marked by the creation of one of the most
emblematic of the brand: Diagrafic, launched in 1951 .
During its most prosperous period, White Star owned three units of
production, manufacturing movements and watches for many
other brands.
Refusing the use of watches with quartz movements or
electronics, the brand has significantly slowed down its activities in the middle of
1980s.
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Trademark and Company Takeover
Passionate about watchmaking and with over 30 years of experience in the
sector, Cédric P. Berruex took the initiative, at the end of 2023, to bring together a team
seasoned enthusiasts to take over the reins of White Star Watch.
Aware of the importance of the historical heritage and the high expectations of
lovers of luxury watches, Cédric Berruex has injected a new
dynamic in the brand, by instilling an ambitious and modern vision.
Today, White Star Watch is preparing to write a new chapter in its
history by combining traditional know-how with innovations
contemporary watchmaking. The team's goal is clear: to re-establish the brand
in the firmament of Swiss watchmaking, relying on creations that are both
strong, innovative and aesthetic, respecting the heritage while responding to the
demands of lovers of fine watches.
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Brand appropriation
Careful research work was carried out in the archives of the
brand, supplemented by in-depth studies within institutions
prestigious such as the International Museum of Horology (MIH) in La
Chaux-de-Fonds, the municipal library of La Chaux-de-Fonds, and the
Horological Society of New York, in particular. These investigations have made it possible to
highlight the history of the brand, its DNA and all of the
collections produced over nearly 130 years.
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Branding
Based on these solid foundations, we proceeded to a redefinition in
depth of the brand, by highlighting its unique history, its rich
heritage as well as its founding values and achievements
notables. This work allowed us to clarify its mission and to formulate the
promise that she undertakes to honor in the years to come, while remaining
faithful to its original identity and its ambition to perpetuate excellence.
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The new collection
With our in-depth understanding of the brand, its
positioning and strategy, the team has laid solid foundations for the
first collection. It was decided from the start to revisit the model
watch complications had left their mark. This watch, which
still retains all its freshness and dynamism after 73
years, embodies a bold, timeless and unique aesthetic, which had never
never been seen before. It perfectly symbolizes the visionary legacy
from White Star Watch.
Also inspired by other models from the 1950s, our choices were
moonlight combined with an elegant day/night function, perfectly embodies
stands out for its sleek design but great visual power,
blending elegance and simplicity with a captivating aesthetic.
.
The development
A significant part of our development work has been dedicated to the
movement design, including the Diagrafic WST-01 movement,
developed and manufactured in Switzerland. The latter has been completely recreated for
reproduce the Diagrafic functions of 1951 and meet current standards.
Every detail of our watches, both technical and aesthetic, has been
meticulously studied, reworked and perfected to guarantee
completed prototypes, reflecting the expected level of excellence.
To achieve these goals, many exchanges and adjustments have been
necessary with our craftsmen, continually improving the quality
technical and visual aspect of our models. Today we are proud of the
final result, the fruit of hard and rigorous work.