Marc Favre
- See Also: Favre Frères
Marc Favre was a watchmaker who established a factory in his own name in Bienne in 1904 after inheriting the Cormoret branch of his father's Favre Frères operation. His sons, notably Robert Favre, built the business into one of the premier suppliers of compact watch movements before integrating it with SSIH.
Favre Frères
A company called Favre Frères was organized by seven sons of Louis Favre by 1865. Originally established in Courtelary, the company expanded to Neuveville by 1873. It was quite successful but was dissolved following the departure of Jules-Constant Favre in Neuveville on January 1, 1891. He continued to operate the factory there while Louis-Constant Favre and Eugène-Constant Favre took over the Cormoret operation on April 1, 1892.
Alfred-Quintal Favre split from his brothers but continued the watchmaking trade in Cormoret under his own name. He handed ownership of his firm to his son Marc Favre in 1896.
Marc Favre
Marc Favre was born about 1875 in Cormoret and grew up in watchmaking circles, with his father and six uncles participating in Favre Frères.
Marc Favre took over his father's Cormoret matchmaking operation in 1896 but moved the operation to Place du Marche in Saint-Imier in July 1899. Sensing more opportunity in Bienne, Favre closed the company in February 1903. The Saint-Imier business was taken over by Marchand-Chopard.
Marc Favre established a new business in Bienne on May 1, 1904, and Marc Favre & Cie became one of the most important makers of compact watch movements in the 20th century. He registered the Siva brand that same year and quickly began registering designs and patents.
Marc Favre died on December 29, 1930, leaving his sons Robert, Jean, and Paul to take over management.
Robert Favre
Robert Favre, son of Marc Favre, was born in Bienne in 1903. Following his schooling there, Favre attended schools in Geneva and Neuchâtel before ETH in Zurich, where he graduated with an engineering degree. He joined his father's company, Marc Favre et Cie, soon after graduation along with his brothers Jean and Paul.
Following the death of their father, Robert, Jean, and Paul took on management as their mother Sophie-Hedwig Favre-Brechbühl inherited her husband's ownership. Paul Favre left the board of directors in 1943, with Robert continuing as board president until 1949, when he relinquished it to his brother Jean Favre.
In 1954, Robert Favre became managing director of close business partner Omega, replacing Paul-E. Brandt who had recently died.
Robert Favre died suddenly on July 20, 1958 after a short illness at just 54 years of age. He was replaced on the board of Marc Favre & Co. by Charles-Louis Brandt. His son, Marc Favre, joined the board of his grandfather's company in 1963.