Enjoy Watches

Brand history & owner guide

Atlantic

Atlantic presents a Swiss watchmaking history beginning with Eduard Kummer’s Bettlach business in 1888 and later Atlantic-branded waterproof wristwatches. 1

A brand-history guide, not an authentication, water-resistance test or valuation opinion.

At a glance

Stated origin
Bettlach, 1888 1
Atlantic name
1930/1932 source chronology 12
Research priority
Dial, reference and era 1
Care priority
Current water-resistance condition 1

Bettlach 1888 is the stated origin

Atlantic’s official history says Eduard Kummer established the company in Bettlach, Switzerland in 1888. It describes a first workshop of 15 to 20 employees.

This establishes brand context, not the date of an individual watch. 1

Atlantic became a wristwatch name later

The official history says EKB was producing waterproof wristwatches under the Atlantic name by 1930, while the brand’s catalogue says the first watches under the name were released in 1932.

Keep source wording and exact model evidence together when dating a watch. 12

Water resistance is not perpetual

Historic waterproof-watch claims describe a period product category. They do not prove the condition or current water resistance of a used watch.

Gaskets, case condition and service history remain essential. 1

Brand and factory names should be distinguished

The official history uses EKB in its chronology and Atlantic as the product brand. Preserve dial text, reference and period records rather than compressing corporate and product history into one date.

This avoids unsupported continuity claims. 12

Individual watches need object-level records

Record the reference, movement, dial text, case markings and service history for any Atlantic watch. Production-era details can vary substantially.

A current catalogue does not document an earlier example. 1

Keep conclusions bounded

The official sources support an 1888 Bettlach origin and later Atlantic-branded wristwatch chronology. They do not authenticate, date or value an individual watch.

Use period material for those conclusions. 12

Key dates

  1. 1888

    Bettlach company establishment

    Official history dates the establishment to 1888. 1

  2. 1930

    Atlantic-name waterproof watches

    Official history gives 1930 in its chronology. 1

  3. 1932

    Atlantic-name release statement

    Official catalogue gives 1932 for the first Atlantic-named watches. 2

Ownership and continuity

Atlantic’s public history connects an 1888 Bettlach business with a later Atlantic-branded wristwatch line; the sources use different nearby dates for that product-name chronology. 12

Identification and service

For an individual watch, record the complete reference, serial, dial, case, and movement markings and compare them with dated primary documentation.

A brand history cannot authenticate, appraise, or establish the provenance of a particular watch.

Evidence and limits

How the claims are supported
  1. source stated claim

    Atlantic states that Eduard Kummer established its Bettlach company in 1888 and that EKB was producing waterproof wristwatches under the Atlantic name by 1930.

  2. source stated claim

    Atlantic’s catalogue says the first watches under the Atlantic name, with sextant logo, were released in 1932.

Known limits

  • This guide does not resolve the 1930 versus 1932 source wording beyond reporting it.
  • It does not authenticate, value or test a watch.

Direct sources

  1. Atlantic HistoryAtlantic Watches · official history · accessed September 12, 2026

    Locator: 1888 Bettlach origin and 1930 Atlantic-name chronology. First-party source; its statements remain attributed.

  2. Atlantic Main CatalogueAtlantic Watches · official catalogue · accessed September 12, 2026

    Locator: 1932 Atlantic-name release statement. First-party source; its statements remain attributed.

Corrections

The public correction mailbox has not yet been recorded as tested end to end. Read the reporting format and retain your evidence until receipt is acknowledged.

Read the corrections policy