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The Origins of Electa and the Borgel Cases
The history of Electa can be traced as far back as the 15th century (1466) beyond the time when Gallet, a Swiss watchmaking company renamed itself “Gallet & Co., Fabrique d'Horlogerie Electa” in 1906. Electa was a long-established name in Geneva as a nicely made gold and brass movement developed to equip trademark Borgel cases when at the turn of the Great War in 1918, trench watches became popular leading to wristwatches exploding in the market.
Using the origins of Electa and the famed Borgel cases, Electa reemerges as an iconic Swiss-made masterpiece bringing to life the expertise and artistry of Swiss watchmaking history.
Electa is on a mission to produce and bring to life a series of timepieces for explorers and adventurers.
Early Pocket Watches
A signature feature of Electa, the borgel case was originally designed to make pocket watches waterproof, dustproof, and moisture-resistant. Introduced and patented in 1891 by young inventor, Francis Borgel, the first pocket watch cases evolved into the fashion of wearing wristwatches.
As a one-piece case, the bezel and movement were mounted on a threaded ring, leaving it screwed into the case from the front. It was integrated into trench watches in the early 1900s, making it popular and commonly used by soldiers during the Great War.
The Bund Strap
A recognizable element in Electa, the bund strap took its name from its issue to Bundesrepublik Deutschland's military pilots in the mid-20th century. This standard, two-piece leather strap came with an extra layer of leather that sits beneath the watch. Thus, it resembled a full-leather cuff designed to safeguard the wrist from the timepiece's metal case, which could scald the skin during cockpit fires or become extremely cold in freezing trenches.
Thus, it was also called the trench watch, a valued piece of equipment that military officers heavily relied on, also called "officer's watches".
Portraying a cool factor originating from military history coupled with the nobility of Swiss vintage watchmaking spirit, the Electa is a good companion in exploration and adventures.
Images from VintageWatchstraps.com © David Boettcher
