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Reuge Music Boxes

susb8383 — Sat, 12 Sep 2009 15:22:07 +0000

There are many different companies that make similar items, but the Reuge music boxes are the best known as the creators of high-quality, extravagant boxes. These unique products are exquisite interior works of art. They are often given as corporate gifts. Once a family owns one of these music boxes, it is often passed down to the next generation.

Here’s a little introduction into some of the styles available.

The simplest Reuge music box is a closed wooden box with a hinged lid, hiding the musical mechanism inside. There are many different boxes that fit into this category. The least expensive is about $499. It’s a simple but finely made walnut box with a 36-note musical mechanism. It’s about 5.6" long x 2.8" wide and is 3.6" high.

As you start to get into the more expensive music boxes, you’ll start to see wood inlay in the lid. One of their pricier boxes has roses made from dyed white maple inlay. It also has inlaid lines on the box. The boxes start to get larger as well. That particular box is 16" long x 5.2" wide and is 8.4" high. It has 144 notes which gives off a much more full sound than 36. It costs a measly $4999.00.

Even though most of their boxes are solid, they do have a style that has glass so you can see the musical mechanism without lifting the lid.

And the old adage ‘Big things come in small packages’ also applies to Reuge music boxes. One particular box which costs about $1599.00 is called the smallest music box in the world. The box is made of sterling silver. It only has 17 notes and the dimensions are 1.2" x .8" and is 1.1" high. That’s small enough to fit into a ring box and would make a truly unique and memorable gift.

That’s just a sampling of a few models, but there are many more styles of Reuge music boxes available.

Here’s a little history into the Reuge company, known as the makers of “luxury music boxes.”

The Reuge company was first established way back in 1885 by a man named Charles Reuge. He had been a watchmaker who moved to Sainte-Croix, Switzerland, a town that had been producing music boxes since 1811.

Charles Reuge was captivated by these items. It didn’t take him long before he began to introduce the concept into his own craft; watches. He started to make watches with musical movements.

He establishes the Reuge Company. But it wasn’t until 1886 that it transformed from just a workshop into a real company by his son Albert Reuge.

In the 1920s, Sainte-Croix wasn’t immune to a sever economic crises felt all over the world because of the World War. In these hard times, no one was interested in buying such an extravagant item. The music box industry all but disappeared.

However the Reuge Company was able to survive this period due to diversifying into other products, including ski bindings. When the economy improved, they were able to start up their luxury music box product line again. In the 1930s, Reuge musical boxes is once again reborn and they open a true factory for their manufacture.

Today they not only make Reuge music boxes but also singing birds. And they still produce a form of the original concept of Charles Reuge; the musical pocket watch.

If you order one of these exclusive Reuge music boxes, don’t expect to receive it overnight in the mail. Your wait can be anywhere from 2 to 8 weeks. That’s because the Reuge music boxes are still made by hand for a large part of the manufacturing process. It takes a full 2 months from start to finish before a Reuge music box is completed.

Here’s a look at some of the process that goes into making Reuge music boxes:

The comb is one of the most important pieces. It is what determines the tone of the notes. It is very important that the comb be the correct degree of hardness to get the right tone. The exact method that the Reuge Company uses to achieve this hardness is a closely guarded secret; much like Colonel Sanders secret recipe. But their craftsmanship is why they have such a high reputation for quality.

While the combs may be paramount to the sound of the box, the wood and inlays of the box itself are what make Reuge music boxes so visually appealing. The master craftsman that create the Reuge music boxes are chosen from the finest cabinet makers in Italy and Switzerland.

The inlays, or pieces of wood and other materials set into the base wood to form a design, are still entirely hand made. Over 100 different types of wood are used in the creation of the Reuge music boxes.

So if you want to give a truly unique and memorable gift that is also a cherished collector’s item, consider the Reuge music boxes.

Here is an example of these exquisite boxes. As you can see, the sound quality of the Reuge music box is superb.