Rooted in the heart of the Jura since its creation in 1904, Swiza is celebrating its rich history by launching throughout 2024 various Swiss knife collections recalling the symbiosis of two histories combining industry and craftsmanship.
Founded in Delémont on the initiative of Louis Schwab, the company specialised in the production of supplies and components for mechanical watch movements. The founder soon began creating alarm clocks under the Swiza brand, registered in 1935. From then on, the watchmaking business developed under family control and remained so for three generations. Precision turning, stamping, polishing, assembly and galvanic treatments are all part of the in-house expertise. Clocks and wristwatches featured in the catalogue until Swiza was sold in 2006, when the company was taken over by the Swiss group Merse in 2009.
From then on, Swiza began a gradual process of diversification, focusing on another of the region’s most cherished production icons: the pocket knife. The brand relies on experts in the field and in 2015 launched a new pocket knife with a contemporary design. The firm’s gradual evolution towards its current cutlery business is part of this continuity.
To celebrate its 120th anniversary, the company launched the Legacies collection of pocket knives last spring. Entirely manufactured in this cradle of the micromechanical arts, these models assert their dual affiliation with the watchmaking tradition and the cutlery industry historically present in this part of the country. The suppliers are often the same for both. Far from being a simple tool, the Legacies knife goes beyond just being the role of a utilitarian object to take on a more precious dimension, dedicated to a clientele more sensitive to aesthetics.
For its second anniversary model, the Delémont-based company is making a strong statement with Urbex (for URBanEXplorers), a bold celebration of its Swiss heritage and perpetual innovation. This revolutionary knife combines durable, cutting-edge materials with contemporary design.
Every detail of the Urbex has been designed with adventure in mind: a stainless steel blade that can be opened one-handed, with sharp teeth for greater slicing power; a corkscrew for downtime; a safety lock system; a punch/reamer awl with a sewing eye and a bottle opener with a built-in screwdriver – while not forgetting a can opener with a built-in screwdriver and tweezers for more precise operations. All this is enhanced by a PVD coating that gives these tools a matt black finish that’s as elegant as it is hard-wearing.
Designed and manufactured in Biwi’s workshops in Glovelier, Urbex benefits from the unrivalled expertise of a Jura-based company that is a leader in micro-precision and innovative materials. This short-circuit collaboration embodies Swiza’s desire to make the most of the exceptional skills cultivated within the regional ecosystem of the Jura Arc.
The Urbex collection comes in three models, three fields of adventure: Mirage, Lava and Canopy. Each has a different textured finish. Their surfaces and colours evoke the escapist-style destinations for which they were designed: dunes, volcanic landscapes or vast expanses of vegetation.
October 03, 2024