Jämes Favre-Fallet

Jämes Favre-Fallet (1848-1895) was a watchmaker in Saint-Imier active in the late 19th century. He was the brother of Georges Favre-Jacot, founder of Zénith, and his son Jämes-Albert Favre would marry his cousin and take control of Zénith in 1911.

Early Life

Jämes Favre-Bulle was born in 1848, the son of Jules-Louis Favre-Bulle (1816-) and Albertine Matthey. His brother was Georges-Emile Favre-Bulle (later Favre-Jacot), who would found the famous Le Locle watchmaking company later known as Zénith.

He married Ida Fallet, who was likely related to Edouard Fallet, Saint-Imier watchmaker and one-time partner of Jules-Frédéric Jeanneret there. The couple had 7 children: Jämes, Ida, Berthe, Pauline, Jeanne, Marthe, and Jean.

Now known as James Favre-Fallet, he and his family lived in Ponts-de-Martel, selling their large home in Saint-Imier in November of 1881.

Work

James Favre-Fallet established an eponymous watchmaking workshop in Saint-Imier and is listed on Rue de la Brasserie as early as 1875. It was registered on March 26, 1883 on Rue Agassiz, though the company is listed in Indicateur Davoine as being on Rue de la Brasserie from 1875 through 1893.

On February 15, 1889, Favre-Fallet registered the trademark "Hélice" with a propellor logo (designed by F. Homberg of Bern) for movements, dials, and cases of watches. This brand expired in 1909.

Favre-Fallet's son Jämes became a registered director of the company on January 11, 1890. On January 16 of the same year the company registered a new brand for movements and cases of watches, "Olivary", with the motto "Non Intenebris" and a stylized "JFF" mark. This same mark was separately registered on September 25 of that year for cases, movements, dials, and pocket watch cases. These brands expired in 1910 and 1911, respectively.

The business was renamed "J. Favre fils" under the direction of Jämes Favre on August 6, 1892. The son now lived in Saint-Imier and continued watchmaking there at Route de la Gare 1. He was still known as Jämes-Emile Favre-Fallet, having not yet married. He voluntarily closed the business on July 17, 1895, four months after his father's death, and moved to Le Locle to work for his uncle, Georges Favre-Jacot.

Death

James Favre-Fallet died on March 3, 1895, at 47 years of age. He had long suffered poor health, turning the family watchmaking business over to his son Jämes in 1890. His wife Ida (née Fallet) died on August 19, 1897 at the age of 51.

See Also

• Georges Favre-Jacot - His brother, who founded Zénith
• Jämes Favre - His son, who took over Zénith