The entrepreneur Fritz Suter-Rätz laid the foundation stone by making watch parts in Büren and for a brickyard in the Ey in the area between Nidau and the Büren Aare canal. In the beginning, 5 persons produced a maximum of 3 pocket watches with cylinder escapement per day. 

These pocket watches were exported mainly to England "made at Buren" where they enjoyed an impeccable reputation and were highly appreciated due to their high quality. The increase in production also required a higher number of employees. 

Fritz Suter-Rätz started making complete watches and called themselves F. Suter & Co. After 1885 they starting producing pocket watches with anger escapement, winding with key. The first patent of the company was registered in 1889

F. Suter & Co. continued with varying success to make watches with the trade name of 'Buren' for several years until it was taken over by the British firm of H. Williamson Ltd in 1898. H. Williamson Ltd, specifically bought the Buren factory to supply Swiss parts for the watches he was making in the UK.

 250 WATCHMAKERS

1896

The increase in production also required a higher number of employees. As early as 1896, 250 workers were employed in the company. Two years later F. Suter & Cie was sold to the English company H. Williamson Ltd. 

H. Williamson Ltd was founded in Coventry by Henry Williamson (c.1844-1914) in either 1865 or 1871. At some point in the 1890s, Henry started retailing watches along with silverware. In 1895, Henry purchased the Errington watch factory, which had been established in Coventry in the 1880s by Charles Hutton Errington.

Errington is recorded as a watch movement maker in 1892, obtaining rough movements to finish into watches. In 1896, Henry bought the remnants of the English Watch Company, including the machinery to make both front and backplates. This meant he was in a position to manufacture and finish his own watches. The limited company was registered in 1892, to take over the business of wholesale watch and clock manufacturers of a private company of the same name.

Henry Williamson purchased the Swiss company of Fritz Suter & Co, and in 1899 the factory of Albert Montandon in la Chaux-de-Fonds. The Buren factory was acquired specifically to supply parts such as the train wheels and pinions, mainspring barrels and arbors, and escapement parts, to the Errington watch factory in Coventry.  These were made into watches of English design with plates that were made in Coventry, which were then sold as “English Lever” and “Keyless English Lever” watches.

Williamson got into trouble for incorporating too many Swiss made parts into the English watches he made in his factories in Coventry and Birmingham and after this he only made complete watches in Buren and imported them into UK as Swiss Made. 

Due to the existing railroad connection, H. Williamson Ltd. continued to invest and expand in Buren and further developed the location as an international branch. 

In 1899 the Lancashire Watch Company, who had previously supplied watches to Williamson before they purchased the Swiss factories, took out a prosecution under the Merchandise Marks Act 1887 and Williamson were found guilty of applying a false trade description to the watches with Swiss train wheels and other Swiss made parts. 

As a result of this, Williamson imported Swiss machinery so that they could make the parts in Coventry,

which meant that the Swiss factories were no longer needed for this. Rather than close or sell of the factories, Williamson began making complete watches there and importing them under the brand name BUREN.

Due to the existing railroad connection, H. Williamson Ltd. continued to invest and expand in Buren and further developed the location as an international branch.