History of the brands

The True Story of the Barbezat-Bôle Company

Barbezat-Bôle

The Barbezat-Bôle company in Le Locle—not to be confused with Barbezat-Baillot, the founder of the Le Phare factory—specialized in fine pocket watches featuring complications and automatons. It acquired the Paul Buhré company in 1928.

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History of the brands

The true story of Société Horlogère Reconvilier

Reconvilier

Reconvilier watches suffered a double whammy: little appreciated during their existence because they were fitted with Roskopf calibers, and wiped out when American and then Asian quartz watches reached such low prices that the entire Swiss Roskopf watch industry disappeared.

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History of the brands

The true story of Eloga watches

Eloga

Eloga was a very active Lengnau-based manufacturer until it was taken over by Fortis in 1969.

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History of the brands

The true story of Rila watches

Rila

Rila is one of the many factories created by the Choffat family in Tramelan. Active until the "quartz crisis", it subsequently merged with the Dulux factory.

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History of the brands

The true story of Pronto watches

Pronto

Unusually, for over a century, Pronto watches were run by the same family, from the company's creation in 1890, to its demise in 2000.

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History of the brands

The true story of The Rode Watch Co, Fabrique Avia

Rode Watch

This American-Swiss manufacturer from the very early 20th century produced high quality watches, and created the Avia brand, taken over much later by Degoumois & Cie.

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