Paul-Emile Chopard

Paul-Emile Chopard (1865-1950) was a watchmaker from Sonvilier who worked in La Chaux-de-Fonds and co-founded the Solvil factory with Paul Ditisheim.

Paul-Emile "Emile" Chopard was born on December 31, 1865 in Sonvilier. He married Berthe Rosselet (1881-1976) and had two sons, Georges Chopard-Kübler and René Chopard-Hüberli.

In 1916, Paul-Emile Chopard registered 8 models of watch movements shaped as hearts and shields. He registered 10 corresponding bridge and plate designs later that year and yet 4 more soon after.

On January 1, 1918, Chopard partnered with Louis Houriet of Saint-Imier to found a watchmaking and trading firm called Chopard et Houriet in Sonvilier.

He founded Fabrique La Suze SA there in March of that year, and this soon took the name of newly-registered brand Solvil from respected La Chaux-de-Fonds chronometer maker Paul Ditisheim. Chopard was a manager of Fabrique Solvil until May 1920, when he was replace by Eugène Butticaz of Geneva. In 1924 both Chopard and Butticaz were replaced as administrators by Herbert Jeanneret.

Chopard and Flury

See Also: Cristal

Paul-Emile Chopard formed his own watchmaking company in La Chaux-de-Fonds in 1924, while his Sonvilier firm Chopard et Houriet was liquidated the following year. This is listed in the business ledger in 1926 as Paul Chopard-Rosselet, located at Rue du Nord 65 in La Chaux-de-Fonds.

The firm of Paul-Emile Chopard remained in operation until it was taken over by Charles Flury in June 1940. Flury was a businessman from Ennetmoos and moved to La Chaux-de-Fonds to be part of the watchmaking business there. He soon registered the Cristal brand, which conflicted with a watch glass firm of the same name. That company, Vermot & Robert, took over the brand in 1951, shortly after Flury moved to Corcelles and Chopard died.

Paul-Emile Chopard died on April 24, 1950.