====== A. Schild ======
**A. Schild S.A.** (also known as **ASSA**) was an [[ebauche]] and [[watch movement]] maker operating from the 1890's through the 1970's.

Schild, formerly associated with [[Eterna]], began producing watch movements [[Grenchen]], [[Solothurn]] after [[1896]]. Schild produced many different movements and became one of the largest movement makers in Switzerland by the 1920's. It was unrelated to [[Schild Frères]] which also produced movements in Grenchen at this time.

In 1926, ASSA was combined with [[A. Michel AG]] (also of Grenchen) and [[FHF|Fabrique d' Horlogerie de Fontainemelon (FHF)]] (of [[Fontainemelon]]) to create [[Ebauches SA]]. Each component company maintained independence and branding, but the combined entity was able to weather the difficult economic conditions of the depression and World Wars and rose to dominate Swiss movement manufacturing. A. Schild would become part of [[ASUAG]] (along with [[Eterna]]) in [[1931]].

After [[1939]], A. Schild movements were identified by a stamped marking featuring a shield with the letters "AS" inside. A. Schild movements were used by many manufacturers in the 1950's through 1970's, including such familiar names as [[Harwood]], [[Fortis]], [[Enicar]], and even [[Jaeger-LeCoultre]].

The [[quartz crisis]] of the 1970's hit A. Schild especially hard, as inexpensive Japanese and quartz watches cut into the market for volume-produced three-handed watches. By [[1979]], Ebauches SA, including A. Schild, was merged with [[ETA]] (also of Grenchen) to survive. ETA had been formed by [[Eterna]] after the departure of Adolph Schild, so this merger was a historic reunion of Schild family movement-making.

A. Schild movements are greatly respected today for their reliability, and many new old stock pieces remain in use. Indeed, manufacturers like [[Alexander Shorokhoff]] and [[Favre Leuba]] continue using A. Schild ebauches in new watches.


{{tag>Movement_manufacturers Movement_manufacturers_Switzerland Ebauches_SA ETA Grenchen Solothurn}}