Comptoir Général des Ebauches

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The Comptoir Général des Ebauches was an organization designed to unify sales of ebauches in response to over-supply and market crisis in the 1890s.

It was a successor organization to the Chambre Syndicale des Ébauches, formed in 1876, and the Syndicat des Fabriques d'Ébauches Suisses et Françaises of 1891.

Failure in 1892

Following the collapse of the Syndicat des Fabriques d'Ébauches Suisses et Françaises, which existed for a single year, the main producers of ebauches met in Bienne on September 27 and 28, 1892 to discuss an organization with a stronger mandate. The idea of a single sales arm for the majority of watchmakers had already been floated, and the Comptoir Général des Ébauches was discussed in great detail.

The result of this meeting was a concrete plan to start operation on December 1. Following the meeting the group immediately began advertising for applicants to be director, with a November 15 deadline, in the assumption that the company would be formed at this time.

Although most major ebauche makers were involved in these meetings, there was one notable absence: The Fabrique d'Horlogerie de Fontainemelon was not included. Those in attendance, notably Lucien Tièche who ran the second-largest ebauche producer, Société d'Horlogerie de Langendorf, were assured that Augste Robert of FHF would abide by the limits and pricing schedule of the Comptoir even if his firm was not a member. However, on October 7 a letter was received by the organizers explaining that FHF did not see the rules of the Comptoir as binding. Lucien Tièche saw FHF as a "sine qua non" and refused to allow Langendorf to join without them.

An emergency meeting was held on October 28 in Sonceboz to finalize an agreement, but the refusal of both FHF and Langendorf meant the Comptoir could not be created. Ultimately the 1892 effort ended in failure, and the brutal competition in the ebauche industry continued.

The following factories were part of the October 1892 meeting of the Comptoir Général:

Establishment in 1894

The idea of a Comptoir was again floated in 1894, with the organization successfully formed on March 1. It was renewed the following year but the shareholders voted to dissolve it on June 11, 1895.

The following companies were part of the 1894 Comptoir Général des Ebauches:

Renewal and Dissolution in 1895

The Comptoir Général was lauded by industry insiders, notably in the pages of La Fédération Horlogère, but was controversial from the start. Although they agreed once again to abide by the limits placed by the organization, FHF, the largest maker of ebauches, was not a member. Other "dissident" factories refused to join the group or abide by its limits.

The Langendorf Watch Company, as a "mixed" producer of both ebauches and watches, was able to continue large-scale production for their own use. Some ebauche manufacturers emulated Langendorf by introducing their own "mixed" production to evade the limits. And still others supplied unfinished ebauches to finishers in lieu of payment, skirting the controls.

The Comptoir Général was flooded with ebauches from the member factories and was unable immediately to sell all of these at the new higher prices. The July 26, 1894 meeting of the Syndicat des Fabricants d'Horlogerie des Cantons de Berne et de Soleure drew representatives of the Comptoir Général as well as a prominent (unnamed) dissident watchmaker. The group resolved that the mission of the Comptoir Général was necessary for the future of watchmaking and urged all members to join.

Rumors continued to swirl that the Comptoir Général was a failure and would be dissolved. But the board met on February 28, 1895 and voted to renew the charter for an unlimited term. This seemed to quash the dissent for a time, but a growing group of manufacturers chafed at the un-sold inventory and higher ebauche prices. A meeting in Sonceboz on May 20 resolved to reorganize the company to resolve these questions.

The heads of the dissident firms were summoned to meet in Bienne on May 31 so their objections could be addressed. Instead, this meeting resulted in a substantial dilution of the Comptoir Général: Ebauche factories could once again sell direct to watchmakers, though the sales limits were supposed to be enforced. This was generally seen as a failure of the organization, and shareholders voted to dissolve it at their June 11 meeting.

Timeline

  • 1892, September 27-28 - The former members of the Syndicate of Ebauche Makers meet in Bienne to discuss the creation of a Comptoir Général des Ebauches; they plan to start operation on December 1; the group immediately began advertising for applicants to be director, with a November 15 deadline
  • 1892, October 7 - FHF writes a letter refusing to join the organization
  • 1892, October 28 - The prospective members meet in Sonceboz to finalize an agreement but the Langendorf Watch Company refuses to join without FHF also being a member
  • 1894, March 1 - The Comptoir Général des Ebauches is incorporated as a public limited company with headquarters in La Chaux-de-Fonds; the aim of the firm is "centralizing the sale of designs and finishings for pocket watches, by creating a single office responsible for selling the aforementioned production of the shareholder establishments"; the initial duration of the company was set at just one year; share capital was 1.2 million francs; the chairman of the board of directors was Numa Rosselet, vice-president was Urs Heutschy, secretary was Emile Juillard, Deputy Director was Thomas Christoftel; the office was Léopold-Robert 14, La Chaux-de-Fonds
  • 1895, February 28 - The board decides to continue the company for an unlimited period
  • 1895, June 11 - At the general meeting, the shareholders decide to dissolve the company
  • 1902, June - The liquidation of the company is completed
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