Even inexpensive and modestly made music boxes have their own charm, but nothing quite compares with the exquisite design and enchanting music of high-end music boxes.
Perhaps no brand demands more respect and is more recognizable than Swiss made Reuge.
As anyone who has ever seen or heard one of these functional works of art will tell you, they are so much more than a mere music box – they are creative masterpieces that provide a fascin
ating glimpse into a long and rich history.
A Brief History of the Reuge Music Box
Part of what makes Reuge music boxes so incredibly unique is the story of their origin.
In the early to mid 19th century, a small village in Switzerland called Sainte-Croix managed to establish itself as the predominant location for the production and distribution of early music boxes.
As chance would have it, a man named Charles Reuge – who possessed a natural talent for mechanics – moved there around the year 1865. He used his mechanical genius to create musical pocket watches and even ran his very own shop in Sainte-Croix. What made Charles Reuge so special was that his idea of combining musical cylinders and tiny combs into watches was completely novel. These musical pocket watches marked the beginning of the Reuge family’s journey in re-defining the world of musical mechanics.
It appears that the apple didn’t fall far from the tree. Albert Reuge, the son of Charles Reuge, created his own music box store in the village of Sainte-Croix around 1886.
As word of the quality and exclusivity of the Reuge music boxes spread, demand for these mechanical wonders soon exceeded the supply. By the end of the 19th century, Reuge mechanical technology was used in products ranging from cigarette lighters to women’s cosmetic compacts.
The popularity of the Reuge brand has only grown as the secret behind the superior craftsmanship of the music boxes has been passed down through generations of the Reuge family. Guido Reuge personally guarded the family legacy for over sixty years and he was also responsible for the construction of the Sainte-Croix factory, which is still in use today. He felt that the company could hold on to its original vision of generating unique, high quality music boxes while still adapting to the changing social and industrial climate.
In 1960, Reuge made a bold and decisive move by electing to revive the concept of mechanical singing birds. These gorgeous and rather delicate works of art were successfully brought to life through the expertise of the Reuge brand. They quickly became a much sought after item for collectors and mechanical music enthusiasts across the globe.
Today, Reuge continues to produce only the finest music boxes in the world. In 1993, the original Reuge company in Switzerland chose to expand their international reach by merging with an American business located in Los Angeles, California called Sorrento Specialties, creating Reuge Music U.S.A.
What Defines the Reuge Brand?
For those who are unfamiliar with Reuge products, it may seem incredible or even impossible that a single company has been able to not only survive but truly thrive for so long. The key to the perseverance of Reuge music boxes is actually quite simple – they are the most luxurious, exquisite music boxes ever made. The Reuge philosophy, which is found on their website, summarizes it very well: “tradition – quality – exclusivity – modernity – creativity.” It is the superior quality and timelessness of Reuge music boxes that has kept the name alive for centuries and will continue to do so for many years to come.
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