Art Deco Diamond Emerald and Platinum Cocktail Watch, Drecier and Co

Art Deco Diamond, Emerald and Platinum Cocktail Watch by Drecier and Co

The name Dreicer is little known today but a century ago this New York firm was spoken about in the same breath as Tiffany & Co. and Cartier, indeed the latter considered them their greatest rival in the city.

The company was started in 1868, by Jacob Dreicer and his wife Gittel the year after their arrival in New York from Minsk in Russia.

By prioritising quality over everything else and investing in expertise and technology the Dreicer’s built a thriving and well respected business that made them incredibly wealthy. Sadly this was all cut short by Michael’s untimely death in 1921 which was tragically followed by Jacob’s death less than three weeks later, which some attributed to a broken heart. Whilst the business continued for a few more years, it was unavoidably affected by these deaths and in 1926 the decision was taken to close and liquidate the firm. It was reported that this final day of sales brought in US$250,000 and that the remainder of the stock was sold to Cartier for US$2.5 million.