Early history
In the early 1880s, Albert Favre Zanuti had established himself as one of the main suppliers of pocket watches to brands such as C&J Favre Brandt (founded by his business partner James Favre Brandt) and Siber & Brennwald (established by his acquaintance Kaspar Brennwald, whom he had worked with during the early days of Union Horlogère Suisse in La Chaux-de-Fonds).[12][13][14]
As a consequence of the trade agreement between Switzerland and Japan in 1864,[15][16] both companies were now established in Yokohama, Japan, relying on their Swiss based partners to guarantee supply not just of watches but also spare parts and machinery.
These initial exports of Swiss watches to Japan would be critical in establishing the Japanese watchmaking industry and the birth of the first generation of Japanese watchmakers. Amongst them were Seijiro Sakurai and Kintarō Hattori who began their careers buying Swiss watches from the western trading companies in Yokohama and re-selling them to local Japanese customers. Kintarō Hattori would go on to establish the globally renowned brand Seiko, one of the worlds' biggest watch manufacturers to date.[17][18]
Through the invitation of Viscount Aoki Shūzō[19] and supported by his long time business partner James Favre Brandt, Albert F. Zanuti received a diplomatic invitation to take part in Japan's governmental plan for 'Transfers of technology and cultural ways', joining the so-called O-yatoi Gaikokujin.
Facing very few business competitors and benefiting from a uniquely prosperous business environment, Albert F. Zanuti incorporated Zanuti & Cie. in 1887[20] along with dozens of other Japanese trading houses established in the same year (1887), some of which are now amongst the largest holding companies in the world, including Yamaha, Nissan Chemical, Mitsubishi Logistics, Nippon Oil, Fujimitsu, KAO Cosmetics and Tokyo Insurance.[21]
