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Joel Pynson
April 2025
1. From Massachusetts to the canton of Geneva
The Electa story began with the famous American Waltham Watch Co.one of the world's leading watch manufacturers at the end of the 19th century. When this American company decided to produce complicated watches, until then the preserve of the Swiss, it called on Henry-Alfred Lugrin, from the same family as the Alfred Lugrin behind Lemania, and Prosper Nordmann, a watchmaker from Alsace [1].
Lugrin filed numerous patents in the USA for chronograph calibers that could be mass-produced, and Nordmann organized production in 1876.
Perhaps because these chronographs were not as successful as expected in the USA, Prosper Nordmann transferred production to Geneva, where he founded the Prosper Nordmann company [2] in 1890, and the Timing and Repeating Watch Co. the following year [3].
Watches were made in Geneva at the Fabrique de St Jean, which employed around fifty people in 1896.
Timing and Repeating markets chronographs that are sold in England and Switzerland by Schwob Frères, the company associated with Tavannes Watch.
1892
1894
In 1897, Prosper Nordmann moved to Paris, and the Geneva company became a branch under the name Société d'Horlogerie de Genève [4].
In 1900, the Société d'Horlogerie de Genève registered the Electa trademark, and the company underwent major changes: a sales office was opened in La Chaux-de-Fonds, and Prosper Nordmann stepped down, replaced by Jules Grumbach, a manufacturer from La Chaux-de-Fonds. [5].
1900
The company was finally transferred to La Chaux-de-Fonds in 1902, under the name Société d'horlogerie Electa [6].
2. Electa in La Chaux-de-Fonds
All the machines from the Geneva factory were transferred to La Chaux-de-Fonds and installed in vast buildings, part of which were already being used to wind movements produced in Geneva [7].
1902
The organization of the factory is quite different from what was usual at the time. Indeed, as the rooms were very large, all operations (blanks, reassembly, adjustment) were carried out in the same room, and the pulleys, necessary for machine operation, were not fixed to the ceiling as usual, but supported by posts distributed throughout the room.
In order to rationalize production, only a small number of calibres were produced, with a move upmarket, as demonstrated by the manufacture of the Mensor double-sided chronograph, patented by Ch. Amez-Droz et Co. in Geneva and manufactured by Electa in La Chaux de Fonds [8].
1903
In 1907, perhaps due to the company's financial difficulties, Société d'Horlogerie Electa was taken over by Gallet & Co. and became Gallet & Co. Fabrique d'horlogerie Electa [9].
Gallet & Co. had its origins in 1826, was run by Georges-Léon and Julien-Louis Gallet. Thanks to family ties, it was very active internationally, particularly in the United States and Asia.
The Electa factory was transformed into a Gallet "manufacture". The number of calibers was increased, but the production of "Nordmann-type" chronographs was discontinued. Pocket chronographs remained a company specialty, however, and Gallet continued to market them under brand names such as Electa, Jerome Park and National Park, with calibers from such diverse origins as Fils de Jeanneret-Brehm, Minerva, Le Coultre and Breitling.
1912
Le Coultre ébauche
In 1912, the company became a société anonyme under the name Fabrique d'horlogerie Electa, Gallet & Co. SA [10].
At the start of the 2nd World War, Electa-Gallet began producing wristwatches. The Galco trademark is registered in 1916.
1914
1915
From then on, wristwatches became a company specialty, with an ever-growing range of watches for the military, including wrist chronographs.
1918
1920
c. 1918
c. 1918
But the post-war years were crisis years for the Swiss watchmaking industry, and Electa-Gallet was no exception.
In 1924, the company went into debt-restructuring moratorium, and the factory and all its machinery had to be put up for sale.
1924
1927
Fabrique d'Horlogerie Electa, Gallet & Co. SA disappeared in 1928 [11].
Some brands, including Electa, were taken over by the English firm Rotherham and Sons.
[1] Joël Pynson, Les chronographes américains et leurs liens avec la Suisse, Chronométrophilia, 2016, 79, pp. 115-129
[2] FOSC 1890
[3] FOSC 1891
[4] FOSC 1897
[5] FOSC 1901
[6] FOSC 1902
[7] Revue Internationale de l'Horlogerie, 1902, 11, pp. 562-564
[8] Revue Internationale de l'Horlogerie, 1902, 11, p. 567
[9] FOSC 1907
[10] FOSC 1910
The archives of Fédération Horlogère, Davoine and l'Impartial are available online at www.doc.rero.ch
The archives of Journal Suisse d'Horlogerie, Europa Star, Revue Internationale d'Horlogerie and Suisse Horlogère are available at The Watch Library
The FOSC (Feuille Officielle Suisse du Commerce) is available on E-periodica
Notes :
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