ETA / SWATCH PATENT RECORD

CH 638 073: What does ETA have to do with Swatch?

CH 638 073 is an ETA patent record associated with the technical foundations of the early Swatch concept.

Patent record

CH638073B

Control mechanism for watch with analogue display

Original assignee
Ebauchesfabrik ETA AG
Application
CH127981A
Filed
26 February 1981
Inventors
Jean-Claude Schaffner · Jacques Mueller
ETA

The movement maker

ETA develops and produces Swiss mechanical, quartz and Swatch movements. It is a Swatch Group company today.

ETA company history
Timeline

1981

ETA-related company files CH 638 073 in Switzerland.

1983

The first Swatch is introduced with ETA-managed production.

Today

ETA remains part of Swatch Group and develops Swatch movements.

The precise wording is important: Swatch did not file this 1981 record as a brand, because the Swatch brand was introduced later. The patent was filed by Ebauchesfabrik ETA AG and later became associated with the early Swatch technology story.