Cristal

The Cristal Watch brand can trace its roots to Sonvilier watchmaker Paul-Emile Chopard who founded the future Solvil factory there for Paul Ditisheim in 1918. Chopard formed a watchmaking company in his own name in La Chaux-de-Fonds in 1924 and this was taken over by Charles Flury in 1940.

Flury registered the Cristal brand in 1944 but this conflicted with that of a pre-existing watch glass manufacturer. That company took over the firm in 1951 as Vermot & Robert, Montres Cristal, shortly after Flury relocated to Corcelles. They quickly moved the company to Beau-Site 19 in Le Locle on June 1, 1951. The company moved back to La Chaux-de-Fonds, at Rue du Parc 137, in July 1959.

Cristal Watch was taken over by Schild et Cie of La Chaux-de-Fonds on November 1, 1963. But this unusual transaction also saw the exit of Werner Schild, former manager of the acquiring company, and the installation of all-new management including Henri Vermot of the acquired firm. Schild et Cie became Schild SA despite the exit of the founder.

Timeline

• 1926, February - Paul-Emile Chopard forms the firm Paul Chopard-Rosselet in La Chaux-de-Fonds at Rue du Nord 65
• 1940, June - The firm of Paul Chopard-Rosselet is taken over by a new company in the name of Charles Flury
• 1944, March 7 - The Cristal brand is registered by Charles Flury
• 1949, December - The watchmaking firm of Charles Flury relocates from La Chaux-de-Fonds to Corcelles at Place de la Station 1b
• 1950, April 24 - Paul-Emile Chopard dies in La Chaux-de-Fonds
• 1951, June 7 - Following the death of Charles Flury the company is taken over by Vermot & Robert, Montres Cristal, a joint venture registered in Le Locle by Henri Vermot and Fernand Robert; the firm is located at Beau-Site 19
• 1952, July 4 - The Cristal Watch brand is registered by Vermot & Robert
• 1956, January 1 - Vermot & Robert, Montres Cristal is transformed into a collective société called Cristal Watch Vermot et Cie under Jules-Henri Vermot-Petit-Othenin, unlimited partner-manager, with Fernand Robert limited to his sponsorship of 65,000 francs
• 1956, July - Henri Vermot joins the board of Schild & Co of La Chaux-de-Fonds as he begins the takeover of that company
• 1959, July - Cristal Watch Vermot et Cie moves from Le Locle to La Chaux-de-Fonds; Henri Vermot remains unlimited partner, with Fernand Robert remaining a limited partner; the company is located at Rue du Parc 137, the Schild & Co factory
• 1960, October - Henri Vermot becomes administrator-delegate for Schild & Co
• 1960, November - Alphonse Blanc and Dr. Arnold Bolle are removed from the board of Schild & Co; Otto Schild is director rather than executive director, and Henri Vermot is promoted from managing director to chairman
• 1961, May - Léon Schild is removed from the board of Schild & Co
• 1961, October - Following the death of Otto Schild, Henri Vermot becomes sole director and administrator of Schild & Co
• 1962, December - A new board of directors is formed at Schild & Co consisting of president Martin Widmer, director Werner Schild, and deputy director Henri Vermot
• 1964, May 29 - Cristal Watch Vermot & Cie is dissolved and merged into Schild et Cie SA, a new Société Anonyme in La Chaux-de-Fonds; the company increased its share capital from 200,000 to 600,000 francs by issuing 400 new shares to compensate creditors and take over the assets of Cristal Watch ; the new board of directors is composed of president Martin Widmer, vice president Beat Tanner, and managing director Henri Vermot