Roskopf, Biography, roskopf & Cie

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Georges Frederic Roskopf 1813-1889

Georges Roskopf was born 15th March 1813 at Niderwiller, Germany.
Today, the Niderwiller village is situated in the French province Alsace, witch is bordering to Switzerland and Germany.
1829 Apprenticeship Mairet & Sandoz watchmakers sellings, tools.
1835 Own company watches and tools, parts en componements.
1855 New company ROSKOPF GINDREAUX & Co.
1857 Fritz-Edouard Roskopf (1835-1927) starts his own watch business in Geneve.
1867 Paris exhibition, bronze medal.
1867 Start production 20 Swiss frank watches.
1869 Silver medal Amsterdam exhibition.
1870 Start production 25 Swiss frank watches.
1872 New company Wille freres.
1889 Roskopf dies.
1899 Son Fritz-Edouard produces his own Roskopf watches, signed F.E. Roskopf & Co.made by the Société Horlogère in Reconvillier, 1902 renamed Reconvilier Watch Co. SA, 1913 Renamed into Buffat & Co, ending ca 1970.
1900 Louis-Frederic Roskopf (grandson)started a new company, Louis Roskopf & Cie watch company. Trade marks: Louis Roskopf S.A, Petit Fils Roskopf, Roskopf Nieto. Renamed/ together ca 1923 with Reconvillier Watch Co SA, ending 1970.

  1. Patents:
    A patent office was founded in Switzerland in 1888. Hence Roskopf was not able to patent his inventions in Switzerland.
    He patented his inventions in France, Belgium and the USA.
    French patent 54528, on 18 June1862 Georges-Frederic Roskopf patented his crown winding system
    Belgium Patent 21988, 3 Aug 1867 USA Patent 75463 10. March 1868 for an exchangeable escapement unit for watches (this patent says explicitly that the escapement may be adapted for use with a cylinder or lever as well as a pin pallet).
    French patent 80611, 25 March 1868 Georges-Frederic Roskopf - for a changeable escapement unit for watches. Here the watch was called: "Montre de proletaire" meaning "laborers watch"
    And finally the Swiss patents after Switzerland established a patent office in 1888:
    90517,.. 21 Mar 1921 ...........Alex Dubois Fab de Grenier Chaux de Fonds, Rue Leopold Robert 32.
    6269, ...15 Sept 1893 ..........Wille frères and Vve Ch.L. Schmid
    11489, 15 Sept 1896 ...........Ch.L. Schmid
    18632, ...3. Jan 1899 ............Fritz Edouard Roskopf, Roskopfs son, for an improved setting of the hands.
    20371, ..27 July 1900 ...........Greder Freres a Longeau pres Berne
    22530, ...5. Feb 1902 ........... Wille frères
    26514, .26 May 1903.............K. Rosskopf & Cie, Chaux de Fonds
    28545,... 9 Feb 1904 .............K. Rosskopf & Cie, Chaux de Fonds
    30353, .15. Dec 1904 ...........Ch.L. Schmid
    29831, ..20 July 1904............H. Rosskopf & Cie, Holstein (Switzerland), Cattin & Christian Holstein,................................Manufacture Horlogerie (patent on watch paper)
    30353, ..23 Feb 1904 ...........Ch. Leon Schmid & Cie Chaux de Fonds