 | This article includes a list of general references, but it lacks sufficient corresponding inline citations .(May 2009) |
 | |
| Type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Watch manufacturing |
| Founded | 1888 |
| Founder | Fritz Meyer |
| Headquarters | , |
Key people | Christian Frommherz (CEO) |
| Products | Watches |
| Parent | Chungnam Group of Companies |
| Website | http://www.roamer.ch |
Roamer is a Swiss manufacturer of luxury watches, now based in Wallbach, Switzerland.
Roamer was founded by Fritz Meyer in Solothurn, Switzerland, in 1888. The company originally concentrated on manufacturing cylinder escapements,. [1] Within only seven years, the company grew to sixty employees and started producing complete watches. In 1895, the company developed its first own calibre and named it "Number 38" to commemorate Meyer's 38th birthday. In 1905, [2] Meyer joined fellow watchmaker Johann Studeli to form the partnership Meyer and Studeli (MST). In the same year, [3] Meyer won a bronze medal at the Liège World Fair. The partnership continued to develop new calibres and enter them into more world fairs, winning silver medals at the Milan Fair in 1906 and Brussels Fair in 1910. [3]
The earliest identified watch is an unmarked lady's pocket watch containing an MST 41 cylinder escapement that has London silver hallmarks for 1908. [3]
In 1917 [3] they purchased fellow Solothurn watchmaker L Tieche Gammeter (LTG). LTG had previously registered the brand "Roamer" in 1908. [3] In 1918 the partnership incorporated Meyer & Studeli SA into the company. [3]
By 1923, production grew to one million units. The jewelled lever-escapement watches were sold under the brand "Roamer". Cylinder, and later pin-lever, watches were sold under the brands Medana and Meda. [2] In 1932 [2] the company started its own dial production line. In 1945, a representative office opened in New York City and in 1952 Meyer and Studeli officially changed its name to Roamer Watch Co. SA. In 1955, [1] Roamer patented the Anfibio watertight watchcase, which proved to be a commercial success. The company launched its first quartz movement in 1972.
In 2003, Roamer returned to manufacturing mechanical watches. [4]
In 2013, its 125th year, Roamer launched a limited new edition of the Stingray Chrono Diver watch. [5]
Roamer is a member of the Federation of the Swiss Watch Industry FH. [6]
An escapement is a mechanical linkage in mechanical watches and clocks that gives impulses to the timekeeping element and periodically releases the gear train to move forward, advancing the clock's hands. The impulse action transfers energy to the clock's timekeeping element to replace the energy lost to friction during its cycle and keep the timekeeper oscillating. The escapement is driven by force from a coiled spring or a suspended weight, transmitted through the timepiece's gear train. Each swing of the pendulum or balance wheel releases a tooth of the escapement's escape wheel, allowing the clock's gear train to advance or "escape" by a fixed amount. This regular periodic advancement moves the clock's hands forward at a steady rate. At the same time, the tooth gives the timekeeping element a push, before another tooth catches on the escapement's pallet, returning the escapement to its "locked" state. The sudden stopping of the escapement's tooth is what generates the characteristic "ticking" sound heard in operating mechanical clocks and watches.
A pocket watch is a watch that is made to be carried in a pocket, as opposed to a wristwatch, which is strapped to the wrist.
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