View source for Société Suisse des Spiraux

Société Suisse des Spiraux (SSS) was a [[balance spring]] factory created in [[1898]] by major Swiss watch manufacturers to compete with the [[cartel]] known as [[FSR|Fabriques de Spiraux Réunies (FSR)]]. The group succeeded in building a competitive factory in [[La Chaux-de-Fonds]] and producing springs for their own use, blunting the impact of the cartel. It was merged with [[FSR]] in [[1955]] and dissolved the following year.

==Establishment==

When the five largest makers of [[balance spring]]s in Switzerland came together as a [[cartel]] to control the market in [[1895]] it was met with much controversy. The [[FSR|Fabriques de Spiraux Réunies (FSR)]] announced that they would immediately double the price of springs and would not allow any competition between member factories. They also bought out (or forced out of business) all other spring makers so watchmakers were forced to buy from a single central depot in [[Neuchâtel]].

Fanned by incendiary articles in [[La Fédération Horlogère]], a group of watchmakers immediately coalesced with the idea of creating a competing spring factory. 300 watchmakers contributed funding to the project, which ultimately raised 125,000 francs to start production of balance springs.

On July 28, [[1898]], the Société Suisse des Spiraux (SSS) was officially organized at an assembly of watchmakers. The group elected [[Louis-Constant Girard-Gallet]] (1855-1945), son of [[Girard-Perregaux]] founder [[Constant Girard]], as their first chairman. The first secretary was respected La Chaux-de-Fonds watchmaker [[Paul Ditisheim]] (1868-1945), best remembered today for the [[Solvil et Titus]] brand he later founded. Additionally, [[Louis Muller]] and [[Ernest Goering]] served as vice presidents and [[Edmond Picard-Lévy|Edmond Picard]] as treasurer.

Member companies were
* Geneva: [[Antoine Benassy-Philippe]] of [[Patek Philippe]] and regulator [[A. Savoye]]
* Bienne: [[Louis Muller]] of [[La Champagne]] and [[Arthur Huguenin]]
* Saint-Imier: [[Ferdinand Bourquin]]
* [[Tramelan]]: [[Ariste Chatelain]]
* Le Locle: [[Alfred Besse]]
* La Chaux-de-Fonds: [[L.-C. Girard-Gallet]] of [[Girard-Perregaux]], [[Paul Ditisheim]], publisher [[Alphonse Gogler]], [[Ernest Goering]] of [[Montres Alpha]], [[Edmond Picard-Lévy|Edmond Picard]] of [[Invicta|R. Picard (Invicta)]], and [[Albert Bourquin-Jaccard]]

==Operation==

The organization was headquartered at Rue du Parc 8 in [[La Chaux-de-Fonds]] with a small factory established in the [[Montbrillant Watch Manufactory]] at Chemin de Montbrillant 1. Even at the first meeting the group decided to establish a second factory in Geneva, and the company boasted that both factories were operational by [[1900]]. The La Chaux-de-Fonds operation was moved to Charrière 23, a small building used by various watchmakers for decades, on April 23, [[1902]], but this operation was closed by [[1908]]. The Geneva factory, Rue Coulouvrenière 40, would remain the sold site of production for SSS and remained in operation through the dissolution of the company in [[1955]].

Businessman [[Albert Bourquin-Jaccard]] (1860-1948) soon replaced Ditisheim as secretary, a position he held until his death in [[1948]]. Although he was involved in watchmaking, Bourquin-Jaccard was more of an administrator and was owner of several buildings in La Chaux-de-Fonds as well as the local tramway.

La Chaux-de-Fonds businessman [[Emile Meyer]] (1859-1935) became the primary contact for SSS by [[1905]]. He was named secretary in [[1930]] but died in August [[1935]], with Albert Bourquin-Jaccard resuming the position.


==Timeline==

* [[1898]]
** July 15 - The start of the SSS is officially back-dated to this day, with a lifespan of 25 years
** July 28 - An assembly in La Chaux-de-Fonds officially ratifies the creation of Société Suisse des Spiraux (SSS); [[Louis-Constant Girard-Gallet]] (of [[Girard-Perregaux]]) is chairman and [[Paul Ditisheim]] is secretary, with [[Louis Muller]] (of [[La Champagne]]) and [[Ernest Goering]] (of [[Montres Alpha]]) as vice-presidents and [[Edmond Picard-Lévy|Edmond Picard]] (of [[R. Picard]]) as treasurer
* [[1899]] - The factory in the [[Montbrillant Watch Manufactory]] in [[La Chaux-de-Fonds]] is producing soft and hardened springs under the Spiraux Trempés and Excelsior brands
* [[1900]] - The Geneva factory at Rue Coulouvrenière 40 is operational; SSS springs win a gold medal at the Paris Exposition
* [[1901]] - June 22 - [[Paul Ditisheim]] leaves the board of SSS with [[Albert Bourquin-Jaccard]] of [[Côte-au-Fees]] taking his place as secretary
* [[1901]] - March 14 - A new round of funding is raised, with existing shared devalued by 40% and 24,000 francs of new shares added
* [[1902]] - April 23 - SSS moves from Montbrillant 1 to Charrière 23 in La Chaux-de-Fonds
* [[1903]] - SSS Springs win first prize at the Greenwich chronometer testing
* [[1904]] - SSS Springs win first prize at the Greenwich and Geneva chronometer testing
* [[1905]] - SSS Springs win first prize at the Greenwich and Geneva chronometer testing
* [[1906]] - SSS Springs win first prize at the Greenwich chronometer testing
* [[1907]] - SSS Springs win first prize at the Greenwich chronometer testing
* [[1908]] - The La Chaux-de-Fonds factory closes by this time; SSS Springs win first prize at the Greenwich and Geneva chronometer testing
* [[1909]] - SSS Springs win first prize at the Greenwich chronometer testing
* [[1910]] - SSS Springs win first prize at the Greenwich chronometer testing
* [[1914]] - [[Edmond Picard-Lévy|Edmond Picard]] dies
* [[1920]] - July 26 - The company is revised; the board of directors consists of [[Louis-Constant Girard-Gallet]] as president, [[Albert Bourquin-Jaccard]] as secretary, [[Emile Meyer]], [[Ernest Goering]], [[Charles Jeanneret]] (of [[La Terrasse]]), [[Ariste Châtelain]], [[Louis Muller]], French businessman [[Charles Picard]], [[Hubert Rouge]] (of [[Patek Philippe]]), and [[Adolphe Eugène Redard]]
* [[1925]] - July 6 - Geneva factory manager [[Eugène Golay]] is added as director
* [[1928]] - [[Ariste Châtelain]] dies
* [[1930]] - May 14 - At its general meeting the SSS is reorganized and the board expanded; [[Louis-Constant Girard-Gallet]] and [[Albert Bourquin-Jaccard]] remain chairman and secretary, respectively, while [[Louis Muller]] and [[Ernest Goering]] are made vice-presidents and [[Emile Meyer]] becomes secretary; the organization's offices are at Rue de la Montagne 5 in La Chaux-de-Fonds
* [[1935]] - [[Emile Meyer]] dies
* [[1936]] - June 11 and 13 - SSS officially becomes part of [[ASUAG]] and is reorganized; the new board members are [[Louis Berthoud]] (of [[Universal Genève]]), [[Paul-E. Brandt]] ([[Omega]]), [[Werner Brandt]] ([[Fonderie Boilat]] and [[ASUAG]]), and [[Sydney de Coulon]] ([[Ebauches SA]]); members [[Ariste Châtelain]] and [[Emile Moyer]] (both deceased) are removed
* [[1937]] - [[Eugène Golay]], director of the Geneva factory for nearly 2 decades, dies
* [[1938]] - June 7 - The SSS is relocated to [[Geneva]] and the board is reconstructed: [[Louis-Constant Girard-Gallet]] remains chairman, [[Paul-E. Brandt]] is vice president, and [[Albert Bourquin-Jaccard]] remains secretary; members of the organization are [[Louis Muller]], [[Louis Berthoud]], [[Sydney de Coulon]], [[Charles Jeanneret]], [[Charles Picard]], and [[Adolphe-Eugène Redard]]; [[Ernest Goering]] and [[Werner Brandt]] resigned, while [[Humbert Rouge]] and [[Eugène Golay]] have both died; the new office is Rue de la Coulouvrenière 40 in Geneva
* [[1940]] - May 20 - The board consists of [[Paul Renggli]] ([[ASUAG]]) as chairman, [[Paul-E. Brandt]] as vice-president, [[Albert Bourquin-Jaccard]] as secretary, with [[Paul Baehni]], [[Louis Berthoud]], [[Sydney de Coulon]], [[Alfred Pfister]], and [[Charles Picard]]; [[Louis-Constant Girard-Gallet]], [[Charles Jeanneret]], [[Louis Muller]], and [[Adolphe-Eugène Redard]] (deceased) are removed
* [[1943]] - [[Louis Muller]] dies
* [[1945]] - [[Paul Ditisheim]] and [[Louis-Constant Girard-Gallet]] die
* [[1946]] - June 14 - [[Paul-E. Brandt]] resigns as [[Henri Gerber]] joins the board
* [[1953]] - June 9 - [[Fred Pfister]] is added to the board while [[Albert Bourquin-Jaccard]], [[Louis Berthoud]], and [[Alfred Pfister]] (all deceased) are removed
* [[1955]] - January 12 - The company decides to dissolve operations; the board is [[Paul Renggli]] as president, [[Henri Gerber]] as vice president, and [[Sydney de Coulon]], [[Paul Baehni]], and [[Fred Pfister]], as liquidators, with [[Charles Gschwend]] representing the bank; [[Charles Picard]] has died
* [[1956]] - May 30 - The SSS is officially dissolved

[[Category:SSS]]
[[Category:La Chaux-de-Fonds]]