Bentima early period German 8 day Movement Westminster mantel clock

A Bentima Clock with German Movement Playing Westminster, Whittington and St. Michael Chimes, c.1925 to 1960, Walnut Case, with Key and Working, 34cm wide

A fuller story of Bentima's origins has to wait until October 1956 and a retirement presentation to Elias Buerger, FBHI, Managing Director of Bentima Co. following the AGM of the Watch Manufacturers Asso­ciation, of which he was Vice President. Mr Buerger, then aged 81, had come to England from Russia in 1913 as a grain merchant. He became a watch and clock importer in 1921 and invested in The Perivale Clock Manufacturing Co. Later he acquired S. Davall and Sons, Ltd., and formed Bentima in 1925. The three companies seem to have traded independently at least into the 1950s, with Bentima as the distributor of Perivale and Davall products.

According to Graces Guide, S. Davall & Sons were described in 1947 as "Clock-Makers of high grade springwound, pendulum or lever spring types in modern wood, plastic or metal cases, for domestic use." In 1968 they were making flight recorders for BEA, as part of the Bentima Group.

In Switzerland, "Bentima" was first registered as a trademark for "Montres et parties de montres" by Georges Christian, Manufacture d'Horlogerie Oris on 5th June 1924, which confirms the listing in Mikrolisk. It continued under the Oris Watch Co., until March 1983, when it transferred to Bentima, by then at 3-5 Aintree Road, Perivale. It expired in February 1989. On that basis, do we think Bentima watches were made by Oris?