A CENTURY OLD HERITAGE
Over a century of British watchmaking excellence — forged in service, reborn for the modern age.
THE ORIGINAL WATCH OF THE BRITISH MILITARY
Vertex was founded in 1912 by horological visionary Claude Lyons. Born in London in 1885, he began working in the watch trade at the age of 17. Renowned for his intelligence and ingenuity, he quickly earned an excellent reputation within the watchmaking industry.
TIMELINE
From the trenches of WWI to the workshops of Kent — a timeline of the moments that shaped Vertex.
- 1912 - 1916
- 1922 - 1931
- 1938 - 1941
- 1943 - 1944
- 1945 - 1954
- 1956 - 1972
- 2015 - 2018
- 2018 - Present
THE VERTEX STORY BEGINS
1912
Claude Lyons borrows £1,000 from his father-in-law, Mr Mayer, and sets up the Vertex Watch Company. It specialises in Swiss movements that are re-cased in Britain.
1915
Vertex is commissioned to produce watches for the British Military during WWI.
1916
Vertex Watches Ltd is founded in London at 37 & 38 Hatton Gardens, and in Switzerland at 133 Rue de la Paix in La Chaux de Fonds.
Partnerships and Watchmaking Innovation
1922
Aureole, a brand known for creating quality lever watches, begins producing complete watches for Vertex, as well as movements for the Platinum Ladies watch range.
1927
Vertex becomes the exclusive importer of Movado watches to the UK.
1931
Vertex collaborates with Swiss watch company, Revue Thommen, to produce a range of steel ‘All Proof’ watches.
War, Loss, and the Birth of Vertex’s Military Legacy
1938
Claude Lyons’s son-in-law, Henry Lazarus joins Vertex with a view to continue the family’s horological legacy.
1940
Vertex’s Hatton Garden factory and showrooms are destroyed by enemy action.
1941
Henry Lazarus, now a Captain in the British army, is approached to help in the procurement of watches for the British Military, due to his unique understanding of the Swiss watch industry.
The Cal 59 and Vertex’s Role in the “Dirty Dozen”
1943
Vertex receives the navigation watch specs and production starts in Switzerland across 4 factories.
1944
Vertex begins large-scale production of the Cal 59 W.W.W. navigation watch. It is the sole British-based manufacturer amongst the original twelve “dirty dozen” watch brands to provide timepieces to the British soldiers during WWII.
1944
4652 W.W.W Cal 59s are delivered during the preparations for D-Day.
Post-War Innovation and the Revue Thommen Partnership
1945
Vertex are commissioned to produce a mono-pusher timing watch, for ordnance disposal, but due to post-war rationing the watch is never produced.
1951
Vertex becomes the exclusive importer of Revue Thommen manufactured watches to the UK.
1954
For over 50 years the Vertex Clock keeps time at Hatton Garden.
End of an Era
1956
Vertex creates co-branded timepieces as “Vertex Revue” in order to capitalise on the brands’ respective reputations.
1960
Vertex launches a range of diving and sports watches with a unique, inlaid luminova.
1972
Vertex falls victim to the “quartz crisis” - a large scale disruption in the horological industry caused by the advent of quartz watches. This, compounded with the expiration of Vertex’s lease in Hatton garden, forces Henry to close the company.
The Revival of Vertex
2015
One hundred years since Claude Lyons founded the company, Vertex is revived and re-incorporated by his great grandson, Don Cochrane, marking a new era in watchmaking.
2016
Vertex announces the M100. The first new Vertex for 45 years, based on the Cal 59 from WW2.
2017
Vertex re-launch at Aspley House, home of the Duke of Wellington, in London.
Award-Winning Campaigns and Creative Recognition
2018 - Present
The Vertex full-page print adverts win SILVER for ‘Best Art Direction’ and BRONZE for ‘Best Writing’ at the Creative Circle Awards.
"We didn't bring Vertex back to sell watches. We brought it back because the world needs more things made properly, with pride, in Britain."
Don Cochrane — Founder, Vertex Watches
TRIBUTES TO THE BRITISH MILITARY
Finely honed 40mm tributes to the British military
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