Paul-Emile Chopard

Paul-Emile Chopard (1865-1950) was a watchmaker from Sonvilier who worked in La Chaux-de-Fonds and co-founded the Solvil factory with Paul Ditisheim.

Paul-Emile "Emile" Chopard was born on December 31, 1865 in Sonvilier. He married Berthe Rosselet (1881-1976) and had two sons, Georges Chopard-Kübler and René Chopard-Hüberli.

In 1916, Paul-Emile Chopard registered 8 models of watch movements shaped as hearts and shields. He registered 10 corresponding bridge and plate designs later that year and yet 4 more soon after.

On January 1, 1918, Chopard partnered with Louis Houriet of Saint-Imier to found a watchmaking and trading firm called Chopard et Houriet in Sonvilier.

He founded Fabrique La Suze SA there in March of that year, and this soon took the name of newly-registered brand Solvil from respected La Chaux-de-Fonds chronometer maker Paul Ditisheim. Chopard was a manager of Fabrique Solvil until May 1920, when he was replace by Eugène Butticaz of Geneva. In 1924 both Chopard and Butticaz were replaced as administrators by Herbert Jeanneret.

Paul-Emile Chopard formed his own watchmaking company in La Chaux-de-Fonds in 1924, while his Sonvilier firm Chopard et Houriet was liquidated the following year.

The firm of Paul-Emile Chopard remained in operation until it was taken over by Charles Flury in June 1940. Flury was a businessman from Ennetmoos and moved to La Chaux-de-Fonds to be part of the watchmaking business there. He soon registered the Cristal brand, which conflicted with a watch glass firm of the same name. That company, Vermot & Robert, took over the brand in 1951, shortly after Flury moved to Corcelles and Chopard died.

Paul-Emile Chopard died on April 24, 1950.