A. Michel

A. Michel AG (also known as A. Michel SA or AMSA) was a watch movement manufacturer in Grenchen and founding member of Ebauches SA. The company was founded in 1898 by Adolf Michel (1866-1928) and Jean Schwarzentrub (1850-1912). Note that the founder's name is consistently spelled "Adolf" in German and "Adolphe" in French, both at the time and today.

Predecessor Companies

Adolf Michel (1866-1928) was a watch movement manufacturer in Grenchen. Born in 1866 in Bönigen, Michel lived in Grenchen for most of his life and is widely credited as a father of watchmaking there. After an apprenticeship in Couvet he worked in La Chaux-de-Fonds and Saint-Imier before establishing his own business. Michel moved to Grenchen by 1891 to work for the firm of Aumann & Cie, manufacturer of pendants, with Jean Aumann and Alfred Hofer.

It is generally accepted that it was in 1898 that Michel and Johann "Jean" Schwarzentrub (1850-1912) established a manufacture of metal goods, but there is little documentation to support this. Schwarzentrub had established an ebauche factory with Edouard Kummer and Peter Obrecht in 1883 and this went on to become the successful Obrecht & Cie after his departure. He founded a watch manufacturing business in 1893 and this had established his name in the town, but this was bankrupt in 1898. He was also part of the team behind another ebauche manufacture, Friedli, Triebold & Cie, in 1897, but this was purchased by Johann Michel two years later, with the founders (including Schwarzentrub) replaced by Ernest and Arnold Baumgartner.

The earliest official collaboration between Adolf Michel and Jean Schwarzentrub was the establishment of a manufacture of ebauches in Lengnau on September 1, 1901. Located a short distance from Schwarzentrub's Schützengasse factory, the new operation was named Ad. Michel & Cie, Ebauches-Fabrik. On June 26, 1903, the company was moved to Grenchen. The company was taken over by a new firm, Obrecht-Hugi & Cie in 1904, with Emil Obrecht-Hugi and Jean Schwarzentrub as directors. This factory was located at Mitteldorfstrasse 36.

A. Michel

In June 1906, the firm of Ad. Michel in Grenchen was re-established with Adolf Michel listed as sole proprietor. The firm was located at Schützengasse, likely the same block formerly occupied by Schwarzentrub's companies as early as 1886.

The firm of Ad. Michel was converted into a Société Anonyme called A. Michel AG in February 1918. Adolf Michel's son, who shared his name, was listed as a board member but was removed just two years later in January 1920.

After the departure of the younger Adolf Michel, the founder was joined by Walter Roth-Michel and Mario Bello-Michel on the board. Bello (who lived in Milan) was removed the following year but joined again another year later.

Politician Hermann Obrecht was added to the board in 1922. Virgile Juillerat and Eugen Gustav Schürch joined as managers of the firm at this time. Share capital was reduced from 1 million francs to 750,000 francs in January 1923. With the economy turning around, A. Michel was able to raise additional capital, increasing total share capital to 2 million francs.

A. Michel joined forces with FHF, A. Schild, Ebauches SA, and Fabriques de Spiraux Réunies to form ASUAG in 1931. The chairman of this so-called "superholding" cartel was none other than A. Michel board member Hermann Obrecht.

The Next Generation

Adolf Michel died in Grenchen on February 21, 1928, at 62 years of age. He was replaced on the board by Walter Hirt-Häni.

Hermann Obrecht resigned from the firm in April 1933. He was replaced by Emil Hindenlang as chairman.

Adolphe Michel SA (AMSA) was an ébauche maker in Grenchen in the early 20th century. A founding member of Ebauches SA, the company's iconic factory is currently home to MECO, successor to Ernst Meyer's Meyer & Co. and part of the Swatch Group.