Aurore

Fabrique d'Ébauches Aurore was a watch movement factory in Villeret active from 1918 through 1975.

Fabrique d'Ébauches Aurore

On July 1, 1918, the Fabrique d'Ébauches Aurore began official operation. The factory would be located on the hill above Villeret on the opposite side of the railroad tracks from the rest of the village and was connected directly to Saint-Imier by road and railroad as well.

The company was initially founded as a partnership between watchmaker William Bourquin of Villeret and mechanic Georges Guerrin of Epiquerez, with watchmaker Charles-Gérald Meyrat of Tramelan-Dessous and mechanic Marcel Cattin of Les Bois also participating. All four of the founders lived in Villeret near Saint-Imier and were working to expand the success of the watchmaking city to their neighboring village. The official name of the firm was Guerrin, Bourquin et Cie., Fabrique d'ébauches Aurore, reflecting the primary partners.

The company soon registered a number of proprietary movement designs, all of which were compact and designed for ladies watches. This included a range of round, oval, and octagonal movements, which were updated in 1925 with a new barrel-shaped design. The firm also registered a trademark in the shape of the letters "AV" in a trapezoidal outline.

Fabrique d'Ebauches Bernoises

See Also: Fabrique d'Ebauches Bernoises

Aurore was absorbed into the new Fabrique d'Ebauches Bernoises cooperative on June 7, 1927, officially becoming known as Fabrique d'Ebauches Bernoises S.A., Etablissement Aurore, à Villeret on September 29. Although Aurore was thus under the control of the board of FEB (and thus Ebauches SA), it continued to be managed independently. Specifically, the management team under FEB consisted of Georges Guerrin, William Bourquin, Marcel Cattin, and Charles Meyrat. But Alphonse Ehrsam and Robert Schild, head of the Commercial and Purchasing offices of Ebauches SA, respectively, were also given authority.

When César Schild retired in 1935, Sydney de Coulon took over as director of Ebauches SA, FEB, and Aurore. Marcel Cattin's power of attorney was removed in 1945 but reinstated (along with Willy Meyrat) in 1949. Georges Guerrin and Charles Meyrat retired in 1951 and William Bourquin retired in 1952. In 1953, following the death of Maurice Robert of FHF, Denis Robert was named to the board.

The offices of FEB were moved from Bienne to Corgémont, closer to the factories, in 1957.

Jean Laesser was given power of attorney for the Aurore factory in 1963. Willy Meyrat retired from the board in 1971.

The Aurore factory in Villeret was closed around 1975 and the branch was officially deleted from the business register in September of 1978.