Damas
Created Sunday 06 October 2024
Damas watch with Pulsation scale ~1960's
Diameter: 34mm
originally i assume it was designed for a nurse (Ladies)
Movement: A. Schild AS 1950/51 17 Jewels
Size: 11.5”’ (26 mm)
BPH: 21600 A/h
Period used: ~1965
Beguelin & Cie SA, Tramelan and Damas
The company "Béguelin & Cie SA, Manufacture de Montres Damas et Tramelan Watch Co." is little recorded. The company was founded in Tramelan-dessous, apparently by Charles Edouard Béguelin and Berthold Meyrat. In 1950, Tramelan-dessous (lower Tramelan) merged with Tramelan-dessus (higher Tramelan) to form the current commune of Tramelan.
In “Swiss Timepiece Makers, 1775-1975” Kathleen H. Pritchard says the company was founded in 1903 although the company itself in adverts says 1902. However, the roots of the company stretch further back than this. Many people with the family name Béguelin were involved in watchmaking in Tramelan. In 1883, Charles Edouard Béguelin and Jules Abel Béguelin, both of Tramelan-Dessous, had founded a company in the town under the name Ch & A Béguelin for the manufacture of watches. Both partners were already in business as “fabricants d'horlogerie.” In 1888, Jules Abel left the partnership and the company continued under the name Chs Ed Béguelin. In May 1901, a watchmaking company in Tramelan-dessous under the name Charles Henri Béguelin was closed, and Edmond Béguelin and Arthur Béguelin founded Béguelin frères with the foundation date of 1 January 1901.
On 18 March 1905, Charles-Edouard Béguein and Reynold Chatelain, both from and residing in Trameian-dessous, set up a partnership under the business name Béguelin & Cie for the manufacture and finishing of ébauches. This partnership was dissolved on 16 May 1907 and the business taken over by a company under the same name, Béguelin & Cie, a limited partnership begun on 8 April 1907 by Charles-Edouard Béguelin and Berthold Meyrat, partners with unlimited liability, and Paul Droz with a liability of five thousand francs.
Trademarks used by Béguelin & Cie include the BTCo logo, presumably for Béguelin Tramelan, BEG and a fancy letter M. In later years the brand name “Damas” was used prominently in advertising and on movements. ~1949
Pulsation Scale
This is used like a Tachymeter would be used to measure speed but a pulsation scale is used to measure body pulse rate.
They are calibrated to 15 or 30 counts and graduated in pulse rate, so if it is a 30 count, you would count 30 beats from when the second hand is at 0 and after 30 counts read the rate directly from the position of the second hand.
Backlinks: Watches
If you have a comment or suggestion, please use the form on the contact page.