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'''Fabriques d'Assortiments Réunies (FAR)''' was a maker of [[assortment]]s within [[ASUAG]]. It was merged with [[Fabriques de Balanciers Réunies]], [[Fabriques de Spiraux Réunies]], and [[Nivarox]] to become [[Nivarox-FAR]] in [[1984]].
:See Also: [[Nivarox-FAR]], the successor company established in [[1984]]
 
'''Fabriques d'Assortiments Réunies''' (commonly abbreviated '''FAR''') was a [[holding company]] for makers of [[assortment]]s established in [[1932]] within [[ASUAG]]. It was merged with [[Fabriques de Balanciers Réunies]], [[Fabriques de Spiraux Réunies]], and [[Nivarox]] to become [[Nivarox-FAR]] in [[1984]].
 
==Formation==
 
The Fabriques d'Assortiments Réunies (FAR) [[Société Anonyme]] was established officially on September 5, [[1932]]. It was located in [[Neuchâtel]] on Rue Girardet 60, which remains the headquarters of the successor company [[Nivarox-FAR]] within the [[Swatch Group]]. It was a holding company established with initial share capital of 6 million francs and was entirely funded and owned by [[ASUAG]].
 
FAR was headquartered in [[Le Locle]], which was home to the majority of balance and escapement makers and assortiment houses at the time. The initial components represented most of the industry: [[G. Perrenoud]], [[La Concorde]], [[Stella]], and [[Pierrehumbert Frères]] of Le Locle, [[Meier & Giroud]] and [[A. von Weissenfluh]] of [[Bienne]], [[Gallay]] of [[Le Sentier]], and [[Egger & Girod]] of [[Reconvilier]]. Representatives from each company, major watchmaking companies [[La Champagne]] and [[Election]], as well as a banker and [[ASUAG]], made up the initial Board of Directors:
* [[Ernest Strahm]], [[ASUAG]] (president)
* [[Alfred Perrenoud]], [[La Champagne]]
* [[René Didisheim]], [[Election]]
* [[Louis-Paul Monnet]], [[FIDHOR]]
* [[Sydney de Coulon]], [[FHF]] (signing member)
* [[Charles-Louis Huguenin|Louis Huguenin]], [[La Concorde]] (vice-president)
* [[Georges Perrenoud]], [[G. Perrenoud]] and [[Dixi]] (signing member)
* [[Robert Egger]], [[Egger & Girod]]
* [[Adhémar Giroud]], [[Meier & Giroud]]
 
==Initial FAR Branches==
 
The first action of FAR was to take over each of the companies as official branches. [[Le Sentier]] and [[Bienne]] were established on November 16, [[1933]] and each also listed 6 million francs of capital, though it is likely that this is the same amount as the primary FAR branch in Neuchâtel and was also held by ASUAG.
* "Branch A" in [[Le Locle]] took over the operations of [[G. Perrenoud]] at Rue du Marais 19-21, the same block as Branch C
* "Branch B" in [[Le Locle]] took over the operations of [[La Concorde]] at Rue de la Concorde 29, the current headquarters of [[Metalem]]
* "Branch C" in [[Le Locle]] consolidated the companies [[Stella]] and [[Pierrehumbert Frères]] at Avenue Collège 10, which is still in use by [[Nivarox-FAR]] and is located on the same block as Branch B
* "Branch D" in [[Le Sentier]] was created to take over the [[Gallay]] manufacture of assortments there. The board of directors for Branch D in Le Sentier consisted of [[Ernest Strahm]] (president), [[Alfred Perrenoud]], [[René Didisheim]], [[Louis-Paul Monnet]], [[Charles-Louis Huguenin|Louis Huguenin]] (vice-president), [[Georges Perrenoud]] (signing), [[Robert Egger]], [[Adhémar Giroud]], and [[Sydney de Coulon]] (signing). Authorized representatives in Le Sentier were [[Georges Gallay]] and [[Marguerite Gallay]], who ran the factory there.
* "Branch E" in [[Bienne]] took over the [[Meier & Giroud]] factory there. The Board of Directors consisted of [[Ernest Strahm]] (president), [[Charles-Louis Huguenin|Louis Huguenin]] (vice-president), [[Sydney de Coulon]], [[Georges Perrenoud]], [[Alfred Perrenoud]], [[René Didisheim]], [[Louis-Paul Monnet]], [[Robert Egger]], and [[Adhémar Giroud]] (also branch manager). [[Eugèue Gonseth]] was also given signing authority and management of the branch, which was located at Dammweg 3.
 
==Later Expansion of FAR==
 
FAR was expanded in later years to incorporate more makers of assortiments, as well as gauges and associated tools which were often produced by the same factories.
 
[[Jauges Cary]] was a brand of precise pin, ring, and block gauges used especially by makers of assortiments, pinions, and [[ebauche]]s. The origins of the company and brand are unclear, with both [[G. Perrenoud]]/[[Dixi]] (in Le Locle) and [[Gallay]] (in Le Sentier) using the name in advertisements in the 1920s prior to the creation of FAR. But "Branch J" of FAR was established in Le Locle at Rue de la Concorde 31, adjacent to Branch B, Branch G, and Branch M.
 
==FAR Branches==
 
Fabriques d'Assortiments Réunies was a holding company for a large number of smaller firms. Unlike [[FSR]], which named these branches after the town in which they were located, FAR gave a unique letter for each branch. This lead to a proliferation of lettered branches and filings, even in their home town of [[Le Locle]].
 
* Headquarters - Le Locle - Girardet 57 ([[Nivarox-FAR]])
* Branch A - Le Locle - Formerly [[G. Perrenoud]], Rue du Marais 19-21
* Branch B - Le Locle - Formerly [[La Concorde]], Rue de la Concorde 29 ([[Metalem]])
* Branch C - Le Locle - Formerly [[Stella]] and [[Pierrehumbert Frères]], Avenue Collège 10 ([[Nivarox-FAR]])
* Branch D - [[Le Sentier]] - Formerly [[Gallay]]
* Branch E - [[Bienne]] - Formerly [[Meier & Giroud]] and [[A. von Weissenfluh]], Dammweg 3
* Branch G - Le Locle - Georges Davoine, Rue de la Concorde 31 ([[Metalem]])
* Branch J - Le Locle - "Jauges Cary", Concorde 31
* Branch L - [[Reconvilier]] - Formerly [[Egger & Girod]]
* Branch M - Le Locle, Concorde 31
* Branch R - Le Locle, Girardet 55 ([[Nivarox-FAR]])
 
==Detailed Timeline==
 
* [[1932]] - September 5 - Les Fabriques d'Assortiments Réunies (FAR) is established as a [[Société Anonyme|public limited company]] to buy out the [[assortiment]] factories of the watchmaking region, manufacture, and sell these components; share capital was 6,000,000 francs, though this was entirely held within [[ASUAG]]; the board of directors was made up of [[Ernest Strahm]] (chairman), [[Charles-Louis Huguenin|Louis Huguenin]] (vice-chairman), [[Sydney de Coulon]] and [[Georges Perrenoud]] (members), [[Alfred Perrenoud]], [[René Didisheim]], [[Louis-Paul Monnet]], [[Robert Egger]], and [[Adhémar Giroud]]; the office is Rue Girardet 60 in [[Le Locle]]
* [[1933]] - November 16 - FAR Branch A is established in [[Le Locle]]; [[Georges Perrenoud]] is manager, along with [[Paul Davoine]], [[Charles Perret]], and [[Henri Chabloz]]; the office is Rue du Marais 19-21 in Le Locle
* [[1933]] - November 16 - FAR Branch B is established in [[Le Sentier]]; [[Charles-Louis Huguenin|Louis Huguenin]] is manager along with his sons, [[Louis-Edouard Huguenin-Jeanneret|Louis Huguenin]] and [[Charles-William Huguenin|William Huguenin]]; the office is Rue de la Concorde 29 in Le Locle
* [[1933]] - November 16 - FAR Branch C is established in [[Le Sentier]]; [[Bernhard Pierrehumbert]] is manager along with [[Georges Chabloz]] and [[Elisabeth Schumacher]]; the office is Rue du College 10 in Le Locle
* [[1933]] - November 16 - FAR Branch D is established in [[Le Sentier]]; the board of directors is [[Ernest Strahm]] (chairman), [[Charles-Louis Huguenin|Louis Huguenin]] (vice-chairman), [[Sydney de Coulon]] and [[Georges Perrenoud]] (members), [[Alfred Perrenoud]], [[René Didisheim]], [[Louis-Paul Monnet]], [[Robert Egger]], and [[Adhémar Giroud]]; management consists of [[Georges Gallay]] and [[Marguerite Gallay]]
* [[1933]] - November 16 - FAR Branch E is established in [[Bienne|Biel]]; the board of directors is [[Ernest Strahm]] (chairman), [[Charles-Louis Huguenin|Louis Huguenin]] (vice-chairman), [[Sydney de Coulon]] and [[Georges Perrenoud]] (members), [[Alfred Perrenoud]], [[René Didisheim]], [[Louis-Paul Monnet]], [[Robert Egger]], and [[Adhémar Giroud]]; the branch is managed by [[Adhémar Giroud]] with [[Eugèue Gonseth]]; the office is Dammweg 3
* [[1933]] - December 22 - [[Edgar Nicolet]] joins the board of FAR while [[Charles Meylan]] is given power of attorney
* [[1933]] - December 22 - FAR Branch L is established in [[Reconvilier]]; the board of directors is [[Ernest Strahm]] (chairman), [[Charles-Louis Huguenin|Louis Huguenin]] (vice-chairman), [[Sydney de Coulon]] and [[Georges Perrenoud]] (members), [[Alfred Perrenoud]], [[René Didisheim]], [[Louis-Paul Monnet]], [[Robert Egger]], and [[Adhémar Giroud]]; the branch is managed by [[Robert Egger]] with [[Virgile Girod]]
* [[1934]] - November 2 - [[Charles Perret]] is named central technical director for all of FAR
* [[1935]] - July 15 - FAR Branch A removes [[Charles Perret]] as director
* [[1936]] - April 28 - [[Louis-Paul Monnet]] retires from FAR as well as Branches A, B, and C and is replaced by [[Hans Soldan]] of the Banque Cantonale de Berne
* [[1938]] - April 12 - FAR Branch C removes [[Elisabeth Schumacher]] from management
* [[1938]] - May 12 - FAR Branch D removes [[Marguerite Gallay]] from management
* [[1938]] - December 15 - Following his death, [[Ernest Strahm]] is replaced by [[Paul Renggli]] on the board of FAR
* [[1940]] - April 4 - FAR Branch A removes [[Paul Davoine]] from management
* [[1941]] - July 23 - Following his death, [[Charles-Louis Huguenin|Louis Huguenin senior]] is replaced as FAR vice-chairman by [[Georges Perrenoud]], with [[Louis-Edouard Huguenin-Jeanneret|Louis Huguenin junior]] joining the board; he is also removed from management of FAR Branch B
* [[1941]] - July 25 - FAR Branch L is reorganized, removing the deceased [[Ernest Strahm]] and [[Charles-Louis Huguenin|Louis Huguenin]] as well as [[Georges Perrenoud]] and [[Sydney de Coulon]] from the board, with [[Robert Egger]] and [[Virgile Girod]] becoming directors
* [[1941]] - July 26 - FAR Branch D is reorganized, removing the deceased [[Ernest Strahm]] and [[Charles-Louis Huguenin|Louis Huguenin]] as well as [[Georges Perrenoud]] and [[Sydney de Coulon]] from the board, with [[Charles-William Aubert]] becoming director and manager along with [[Georges Gallay]]
* [[1943]] - May 29 - FAR Branch C removes [[Paul-Bernard Pierrehumbert]] from management
* [[1945]] - April 18 - [[Albert-Paul Tuetey]] joins the board of FAR; he is replaced as director of FAR Branch A by [[Willy-Edouard Giroud]] and [[Jean Monard]]
* [[1946]] - February 13 - FAR removes [[Charles Perret]] from management
* [[1947]] - June 17 - FAR Branch C adds [[Pierre Chabloz]] and [[Hermann Meier]] to management
* [[1947]] - June 23 - FAR Branch E adds [[Alfred von Weissenfluh]] to management
* [[1949]] - February 14 - FAR Branch D adds [[Claude-Maurice Aubert]] to management
* [[1949]] - December 22 - The central office of FAR is moved to Rue Girardet 57 in Le Locle
* [[1950]] - May 20 - FAR removes [[Adhémar Giroud]] from the board and adds [[Georges Gallay]] and [[Georges-Edouard Chabloz]]
* [[1952]] - May 10 - FAR promotes [[Georges-Edouard Chabloz]] to vice-chairman, replacing [[Georges Perrenoud]] who has died; he is replaced as manager of FAR Branch A by [[Henri Chabloz]]
 
==External Links==
* [https://www.cary.swiss Jauges Cary]


[[Category:ETA]]
[[Category:ETA]]
[[Category:ASUAG]]
[[Category:ASUAG]]

Latest revision as of 22:03, 11 May 2023

See Also: Nivarox-FAR, the successor company established in 1984

Fabriques d'Assortiments Réunies (commonly abbreviated FAR) was a holding company for makers of assortments established in 1932 within ASUAG. It was merged with Fabriques de Balanciers Réunies, Fabriques de Spiraux Réunies, and Nivarox to become Nivarox-FAR in 1984.

Formation

The Fabriques d'Assortiments Réunies (FAR) Société Anonyme was established officially on September 5, 1932. It was located in Neuchâtel on Rue Girardet 60, which remains the headquarters of the successor company Nivarox-FAR within the Swatch Group. It was a holding company established with initial share capital of 6 million francs and was entirely funded and owned by ASUAG.

FAR was headquartered in Le Locle, which was home to the majority of balance and escapement makers and assortiment houses at the time. The initial components represented most of the industry: G. Perrenoud, La Concorde, Stella, and Pierrehumbert Frères of Le Locle, Meier & Giroud and A. von Weissenfluh of Bienne, Gallay of Le Sentier, and Egger & Girod of Reconvilier. Representatives from each company, major watchmaking companies La Champagne and Election, as well as a banker and ASUAG, made up the initial Board of Directors:

Initial FAR Branches

The first action of FAR was to take over each of the companies as official branches. Le Sentier and Bienne were established on November 16, 1933 and each also listed 6 million francs of capital, though it is likely that this is the same amount as the primary FAR branch in Neuchâtel and was also held by ASUAG.

Later Expansion of FAR

FAR was expanded in later years to incorporate more makers of assortiments, as well as gauges and associated tools which were often produced by the same factories.

Jauges Cary was a brand of precise pin, ring, and block gauges used especially by makers of assortiments, pinions, and ebauches. The origins of the company and brand are unclear, with both G. Perrenoud/Dixi (in Le Locle) and Gallay (in Le Sentier) using the name in advertisements in the 1920s prior to the creation of FAR. But "Branch J" of FAR was established in Le Locle at Rue de la Concorde 31, adjacent to Branch B, Branch G, and Branch M.

FAR Branches

Fabriques d'Assortiments Réunies was a holding company for a large number of smaller firms. Unlike FSR, which named these branches after the town in which they were located, FAR gave a unique letter for each branch. This lead to a proliferation of lettered branches and filings, even in their home town of Le Locle.

Detailed Timeline

External Links

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