Collecting Victorinox Pocket Knifes

I am willing to bet that every man in America remembers when he received his first Swiss Army knife. For a teenage boy, getting your first pocket knife is more than just receiving a gift.  It is a right of passage from boy to man.  Whether getting your first Swiss Army knife was memorable because it symbolized your parents trusting you to run around with a weapon in your pocket, or just because its so darn handy, it remains a gift you will always treasure.  Honestly, I am a girl in every sense of the word and even I remember getting one as a gift!  I still keep it in my purse today!  Not only do Victorinox knives make great gifts for loved ones, but they are also a sought after collector's item.  The market for these infamous little pocket multi-taskers is growing and now is the time to start your very own collection!

 The History of Victorinox
(courtesy of http://www.fundinguniverse.com)

Victorinox AG has spent the 20th century perfecting and popularizing a cultural icon: the Swiss Army knife. A synonym for utility, the multifunction gadgets have won an enduring place in the heart of self-sufficient hikers, tinkerers, and yes, soldiers, of all kinds. Among pocket knives, the Swiss Army brand is probably the most widely recognized in the world. As Europe's largest knife manufacturer, Victorinox also produces a line of popular chefs' knives.

Victorinox Swiss Army Past and Present
      
The Victorinox Swiss Army legacy traces its origins to 1884, when Karl Elsener and his mother Victoria opened a cutlery workshop in a small town in Switzerland.

Today, the Elsener family still owns Victorinox.  The company is celebrating both the 125th Anniversary of Victorinox and the 20th year of the Swiss Army Watch in 2009, with a number of events, including a road trip, and limited editions of both Swiss Army watches and Swiss Army Knives.  Princeton Watches has been an authorized Swiss Army retailer since 2000.

About the term "Swiss Army"

There is sometimes confusion about the term "Swiss Army" as it applies to knives and watches. The Swiss Army in Switzerland (meaning the actual country of Switzerland's army) licenses and procures their "Swiss Army" knives from two companies, Victorinox and Wenger (now both under the same ownership) and has for over a century, so they are both legally and commonly called "Swiss Army" knives.  However, only Victorinox Swiss Army Watches can say "Swiss Army" on the dial, they are the only "real" Swiss Army Watches

Also, originally the watches made by Victorinox were made with only "Swiss Army" on the dial.  In the last few years, the watches have been produced with the "Victorinox Swiss Army" designation on the label, as Victorinox emphasizes and celebrates its brand heritage

The transition between the two designations was not done overnight, but gradually as the company and its retailers sold the inventory with the old brand designation. Both Victorinox Swiss Army and Swiss Army watches are made by the same company and are the same watch. Many styles (over 100) were made using both designations on the label. As of 2009, it is less common to encounter a new watch that simply says Swiss Army on the dial.

Victorinox Milestones:

1884 Karl Elsender and his mother Victoria open the cutlery shop in Ibach-Schwyz, a small town in Switzerland

1891 The company creates it's first knife for the Swiss Military

1897 The company legally registers the name Swiss "Officer's and Sport Knife"

1921 Karl Elsener coined the name Victorinox, combining his mother's name, Victoria, with "inox" an abbreviation for the french name of the new "stainless" steel, which is "inoxydable"

1945 The "Original Swiss Army Knife" makes it's way around the world as GIs become familiar with it in WWII, and is sold at PXs around the world.

1989 Victorinox enters the Timepiece market in the US, under the "Swiss Army" trademark, the first Swiss Army Watches

2007 Victorinox decides to start designating all watches worldwide with "Victorinox Swiss Army" on the dial, a transition that will take a few years.

2009 The company celebrates its 125th anniversary with the new slogan "125 Years - Your Partner for Life", many new product introductions, limited editions and other events.

Different Types of Victorinox Swiss Army  Pocket Knives
(courtesy of http://forum.multitool.org/)



01.   SportRatchet
02.   WorkChamp XL.
03.   Hercules.
04.   Skipper.
05.   Carpenter.
06.   Rescue Tool.
07.   Jumpmaster.
08.   Hunter.
09.   OH Trekker.
10.   Pocket Clip Sentinel.
11.   SwissBianco New Soldier.
12.   New Soldier.
13.   1 of 1000 USA New Soldier.
14.   New German Army Knife.
15.   New Dutch Army knife.
16.   Stag Hunter.
17.   Mauser.
18.   German Army knife.
19.   Trooper.
20.   Solo.
21.   Grand Prix.
22.   Shuttle.
23.   Astronaut.
24.   Super Timer.
25.   Timekeeper.
26.   1891-1991 Anniversary Climber.
27.   1897-1997 Anniversary SwissChamp.
28.   1897-1997 Anniversary Spartan.
29.   Scientist.
30.   Tiffany Sterling silver and Gold SwissChamp.
31.   SwissChamp XLT.
32.   Sapphire SwissChamp.
33.   Rosewood SwissChamp.
34.   Hardwood SwissChamp.
35.   Stag SwissChamp.
36.   Champion Plus.
37.   Hardwood Handyman.
38.   Woodsman.
39.   Woodsman.
40.   Master Electrician.
41.   Master Gardner.
42.   Ranger.
43.   Ranger.
44.   Camper.
45.   Mountaineer.
46.   Huntsman.
47.   Traveller Lite.
48.   Altimeter Plus.
49.   Voyager.
50.   Wild Turkey (Wildlife Series)
51.   Climber.
52.   Rosewood Super Tinker.
53.   Silvertech Spartan.
54.   Spartan Lite.
55.   Spartan Lite.
56.   Nylon Huntsman.
57.   Nylon Camper.
58.   Nylon Spartan.
59.   Nylon Recruit.
60.   Nylon Recruit.
61.   Nylon Recruit.
62.   Leather Recruit.
63.   125th Anniversary Soldier.
64.   125th Anniversary Cybertool.
65.   125th Anniversary Climber.
66.   125th Anniversary Classic SD.
67.   Red Pioneer Pruner.
68.   Red Pioneer Harvester.
69.   Red Pioneer.
70.   Red Pioneer.
71.   Red Farmer.
72.   08 Soldier.
73.   1 of 5000 USA Soldier.
74.   Farmer.
75.   Electrician.
76.   VSAK 2004 Soldier.
77.   Electrician Plus.
78.   1 of 5000 USA Soldier.
79.   First Mate.
80.   Pioneer Settler.
81.   Pioneer Apprentice.
82.   Pioneer Solo.
83.   Scibeer  Blue Pioneer.
84.   Blue Farmer.
85.   Popular.
86.   Ambassador.
87.   Ambassador.
88.   Director.
89.   Silver Money Clip.
90.   Hunter Green Cadet.
91.   Autumn Orange Cadet.
92.   Black Cadet.
93.   Silver ribbed Cadet.
94.   Red Cadet.
95.   Gun Metal Cadet.
96.   Sciebeer Gun Metal Lumberjack.
97.   Baker’s knife.
98.   Pruner.
99.   2GB Swiss Beat MP3.
100.   Series 1 Ambassador.
101.   Series 1 Ambassador.
102.   Series 1 Ambassador.
103.   Series 1 Ambassador.
104.   Series 1 Ambassador.
105.   Red Classic SD.
106.   Red Bijou.
107.   Red Whistle.
108.   MiniChamp variant.
109.   MiniChamp variant.
110.   Red Alox Classic SD.
111.   Silver Alox Classic SD.
112.   Hot Pink Classic.
113.   Silvertech Signature Lite.
114.   1GB Swiss Memory.
115.   Broker.
116.   Sterling Silver Mat Classic.
117.   Sterling Silver Swirl Classic.
118.   Sterling Silver Barleycorn Classic.
119.   Sterling Silver Space Classic.
120.   Sterling Silver Basketweave Classic.
121.   Sterling silver Hammered Classic.
122.   Sterling silver Polished Classic.
123.   Sterling silver Hand Engraved Classic.
124.   Gold Ingot Classic.
125.   Tiffany Sterling Silver and Gold Classic.
126.   Black Classic SD.
127.   Black Classic SD.
128.   Sapphire Classic SD.
129.   Emerald Classic SD.
130.   Red Classic.
131.   Black Classic SD with advertizing on back.
132.   125th Anniversary SwissCard.
133.   SwissCard Lite.
134.   SwissCard.
135.   SwissCard Visor Clip.

Victorinox Pocket Knife Price Guide