Difference btwn Swiss Army vs. Swiss Military Watch???

[thedeliman]

I'm very confused. does anyone know the difference between Swiss Army Watches (made by Victorinox) and Swiss Military Watches (made by Wenger)? The respective websites don't do a very good job of shedding light on this. Both "claim" to be the original manufacturer of the swiss army knife...

Wenger
Victorinox
who came first? and is one brand better than the other???


thanks, guys!
karl =)

 

[thedeliman]

anybody? please?
thanks,
karl

Originally posted by: thedeliman
I'm very confused. does anyone know the difference between Swiss Army Watches (made by Victorinox) and Swiss Military Watches (made by Wenger)? The respective websites don't do a very good job of shedding light on this. Both "claim" to be the original manufacturer of the swiss army knife...

Wenger
Victorinox
who came first? and is one brand better than the other???


thanks, guys!
karl =)

 

[The Stigenator]

they are both geniune..
the difference is that they were made by two different people. One was made for the german army and one for teh allies..

I will try and find it in the bathroom readers journal..they had an article on it.

 

[thedeliman]

Absolutely fascinating. Here's a snippet from what I found at http://www.rmworks.com
(so, is one brand of watch better than the other?)

Once cutlery manufacturing was established in Switzerland, in the Swiss government's typical neutral fashion, contracts were issued for their Swiss
Army Knives to both Wenger, in the French speaking Jura region and
Victorinox, in the German speaking canton of Schwyz. The first purchase
order from the Swiss government found in Wenger's archives dates from 1901,
but is is possible that there were deliveries prior to that date. But one thing is sure, the Fabrique suisse de coutellerie at Courtelle (today Wenger)
produced pocket knives since the very beginning.

Although in the initial stages there were a host of small craftsmen
working in tandem with the two industrial cutlers, since the 1920's, they have occupied the stage alone as the exclusive producers of the military knife.
Wenger & Victorinox are also the two who are entitled to use the legally
protected symbol of the federal cross on the numerous civilian versions that
have been derived since before the First World War, which certifies their
Swiss authenticity. So to this day both companies can lay claim to being
the manufacturers of the Swiss Army Knife. By gentlemen's agreement
Wenger is proclaimed as the manufacturers of the Genuine Swiss Army
Knife and Victorinox uses Original Swiss Army Knife,
as their respective tag lines.