CH28100A/470

Swiss patent 88 was Irénee Aubry‘s first patent and the basis for the Hebdomas watch. The original design appears to have been submitted on November 19, 1888, just five days after the patent office opened. It was officially published as patent CH88A on January 10, 1889, making it one of the earliest Swiss patents.

Patent CH88 was modified with a revision officially called CH88A/2 but commonly known as “brevet No. 2” with a design much closer to the final Hebdomas watch. This was likely submitted very soon after and was published on January 21, 1889, just 11 days after CH88. This was not Patent number 2, however, which was for an embroidery machine created by F. Saurer & Söhne.

CH88A/2 is a modification to CH88A, the Hebdomas patent by Irénee Aubry. This patent is closely related to the production Hebdomas watch, while the original design is very different.

This patent is often referred to as “patent 2” or “CH2” under the (mistaken) assumption that it was submitted before Patent CH88A. Some reports even suggest that Aubry was next in line behind Paul Perret on November 14, 1888, given that he received CH1A. But examination reveals that this was a modification to CH88 and was likely submitted after the November 19, 1888 date. This explains why it was approved on January 21, 1889 while CH88 was published on January 10. The actual Patent number 2 was an embroidery machine created by F. Saurer & Söhne.