Enjoy Watches

Watchmaker profile

Bernhard Zwinz

Bernhard Zwinz designed the modern Winnerl wristwatch movement after independent atelier work and assembly/finishing of Philippe Dufour’s Simplicity. 1

The first movement's parts were largely supplied by Andreas Strehler to Zwinz's designs. Modern Winnerl revival is separate from the historical maker; no quartz-beating or national-first claim.

At a glance

The watchmaking story

Useful places to start with Bernhard Zwinz's work include Winnerl marine-chronometer-inspired wristwatch and Simplicity assembly and finishing. 1

L’Atelier de Joux is the name recorded for Bernhard Zwinz's own watchmaking practice. 123

Sources associate Bernhard Zwinz with Winnerl, although the precise role remains unresolved. 123

Bernhard Zwinz worked for or held a role at Philippe Dufour. 123

Scope: Direct watchmaking

Why this person is included

Documented attributable craft or technical contribution

Background and working context

Affiliations and workshops: L’Atelier de Joux; Winnerl; Philippe Dufour (historical) 1

Documented origin: Austria 1

Geographic ties: Austria; Germany; Switzerland. Documented workplace / industry location 2

Brands, workshops, and other relationships

  1. Watchmaking workshop / practice · Inherited source-linked record; relationship classification reviewed, sources not reopened

    L’Atelier de Joux — Own watchmaking practice. Independent watchmaker / movement designer 123

    Legacy affiliation: L’Atelier de Joux; Winnerl; Philippe Dufour (historical). Person-level contribution: Designed the modern Winnerl wristwatch movement after independent atelier work and assembly/finishing of Philippe Dufour’s Simplicity.

    Original affiliation wording: L’Atelier de Joux; Winnerl; Philippe Dufour (historical). No present-day employment or ownership inferred.

  2. Watch brand / watchmaking business · Inherited source-linked record; relationship classification reviewed, sources not reopened

    Winnerl — Association — role unresolved. Independent watchmaker / movement designer 123

    Legacy affiliation: L’Atelier de Joux; Winnerl; Philippe Dufour (historical). Person-level contribution: Designed the modern Winnerl wristwatch movement after independent atelier work and assembly/finishing of Philippe Dufour’s Simplicity.

    Original affiliation wording: L’Atelier de Joux; Winnerl; Philippe Dufour (historical). No present-day employment or ownership inferred.

  3. Watch brand / watchmaking business · Inherited source-linked record; relationship classification reviewed, sources not reopened

    Philippe Dufour — Worked for / held role. Independent watchmaker / movement designer 123

    Legacy affiliation: L’Atelier de Joux; Winnerl; Philippe Dufour (historical). Person-level contribution: Designed the modern Winnerl wristwatch movement after independent atelier work and assembly/finishing of Philippe Dufour’s Simplicity.

    Original affiliation wording: L’Atelier de Joux; Winnerl; Philippe Dufour (historical). No present-day employment or ownership inferred.

Evidence and limitations

This dossier connects 6 field-specific evidence records with 3 public sources. Known links only; full career not established; unresolved relationship(s) remain

Claim qualifications (6)
  • Noteworthy contribution: Self-reported career and supplier roles; historical interview, not current orders or employment. 1
  • Representative work: Self-reported career and supplier roles; historical interview, not current orders or employment. 1
  • Affiliations / workshops: Self-reported career and supplier roles; historical interview, not current orders or employment. 1
  • Documented origin: Self-reported career and supplier roles; historical interview, not current orders or employment. 1
  • Qualifications / caveats: Self-reported career and supplier roles; historical interview, not current orders or employment. 1
  • Geographic ties: Commercial retrospective; does not establish corporate continuity with the nineteenth-century workshop. 2

Sources

  1. Watchmaker — Interview with Bernhard ZwinzBernhard Zwinz; interviewer not named · Winnerl · Maker-republished original interview · Not stated

    [S0299] Bernhard Zwinz; interviewer not named. Winnerl. "Watchmaker — Interview with Bernhard Zwinz." Not stated. https://winnerl.ch/watchmaker.html Accessed 2026-09-13. Locator: Interview: Simplicity assembly, L’Atelier de Joux, first Winnerl movement and component suppliers.

    Source context

    Relationship to subject: Interview with modern Winnerl maker; published by his business

    How it was checked: Opened and text inspected. Locator: Interview: Simplicity assembly, L’Atelier de Joux, first Winnerl movement and component suppliers

    Limitation: Reprinted excerpt from Wristwatch Magazine USA, date not supplied. Chronometer-versus-quartz and historical priority superlatives are not adopted. Interview time references are historical.

  2. History — Joseph Thaddäus WinnerlWinnerl · Brand-authored historical profile · Not stated

    [S0300] Winnerl. "History — Joseph Thaddäus Winnerl." Not stated. https://winnerl.ch/history.html Accessed 2026-09-13. Locator: Opening biography, apprenticeship, Paris Observatory and 21st-century rebirth sections.

    Source context

    Relationship to subject: Modern business using the historical maker's name

    How it was checked: Opened and text inspected. Locator: Opening biography, apprenticeship, Paris Observatory and 21st-century rebirth sections

    Limitation: Commercial history; sweeping sole-inventor and national-only claims omitted. A 2018 revival is not evidence of uninterrupted corporate continuity.

  3. https://winnerl.ch/watchmaker.html https://winnerl.ch/history.htmllinked source

Corrections and stronger evidence

Names, dates, and workshop relationships can change as archives are digitised. If you have a primary source that clarifies this record, use the correction process.

Submit supporting evidence