Huguenin-Girard

Huguenin-Girard was a maker of balance springs in the 19th century. It was one of the five companies that combined in 1895 to form a cartel to corner the production of these springs, Société des Fabriques de Spiraux Réunies (FSR).

History

Jules-Henri Huguenin (1827-1886) married Elise (née Girard) by 1852 and inherited her share of a previous watch pendant and buckle business. Elise had previously been married to a man named Rochat who was in business with Françoise Lassieur of Geneva, and the two produced watch components and maintained a depot in La Chaux-de-Fonds. Jules-Henri Huguenin took over ownership of this on June 16, 1852. It is unclear if this is the same Jules Henri Huguenin who died in January 1886 and was president of the committee of the hospital of La Chaux-de-Fonds but it is likely that this was the origin of the Huguenin-Girard watch spring factory.

The firm of J. Huguenin-Girard is included in a survey of businesses in 1883, with Charles Perrin (1851-1888) and Auguste Ali Bourquin, both of Savagnier, as managers. The company was a maker of balance springs, pendants, rings, and crowns and was located at Rue St-Pierre 20 in La Chaux-de-Fonds. In 1884, J. Huguenin-Girard sold a factory at Rue du Parc 41 in La Chaux-de-Fonds, and it is likely that this was the former Rochat Lassieur operation. His wife Elise Huguenin (née Girard) likely died at some point previous to this and Jules-Henri Huguenin re-married Laure Montandon (1845-1899).

Jules-Henri Huguenin-Girard died by January 9, 1886, and his widow, Laure Huguenin (née Montandon) inherited the company in 1888. She soon brought his son, also named Jules Huguenin (1869-1897), into management and he ran the company from that point forward. Jules was married to Julie Du Bois.

In 1895, the firm of Huguenin-Girard became one of the founding members of Société des Fabriques de Spiraux Réunies (FSR), with Jules Huguenin becoming a director of the cartel. After this the firm moved away from the manufacture of balance springs to focus on pendants, rings, and crowns for watches.

Jules Huguenin died in a tragic carriage accident in Le Locle in 1897, with Louis Huguenin taking ownership and becoming a director of FSR.

Timeline

• 1827 - Jules-Henri Huguenin is born
• 1852 - June 16 - Jules-Henri Huguenin inherits the share of a watch component business started by the deceased husband of his wife, Elise Rochat (née Girard) and Françoise Lassieur of Geneva.
• 1883 - The firm of J. Huguenin-Girard is noted in a survey of existing businesses; the company was run by Jules Henri Huguenin of Le Locle who lived in La Chaux-de-Fonds, with Charles Perrin and Auguste Ali Bourquin, both of Savagnier, as managers; the company was a maker of balance springs, pendants, rings, and crowns and was located at Rue St-Pierre 20 in La Chaux-de-Fonds
• 1884 - July 7 - A factory at Rue du Parc 41 in La Chaux-de-Fonds is sold by J. Huguenin-Girard
• 1886 - January 7 - Jules-Henri Huguenin-Girard dies at 59
• 1888
  • January 21 - After the death of Jules Henri Huguenin the firm is reorganized as Veuve de J. Huguenin-Girard under the ownership of his widow Laure Huguenin (née Montandon); Charles Perrin remains in management and the address remains at Rue St-Pierre 20 in La Chaux-de-Fonds
  • November 15 - Charles Perrin dies at 37; he had worked for the Huguenin-Girard factory for 20 yers and had risen to become the manager
• 1897
  • September 28 - Jules Huguenin is killed in a carriage accident in Le Locle
  • October 2 - The authority of Jules Huguenin is revoked following his death and conferred on Louis Huguenin of Le Locle
  • October 16 - Louis Huguenin takes the place of Jules Huguenin on the board of FSR
• 1898 - May 5 - The firm is reorganized as L. Huguenin, successor of Vve. de J. Huguenin, with Louis Huguenin as owner; the firm now focuses on manufacture of pendants, rings and crowns at Rue St-Pierre 20 in La Chaux-de-Fonds
• 1899 - January 20 or 21 - Laure-Adèle Huguenin (née Montandon) dies
• 1911 - January 6 - The company is reorganized as Huguenin & Cie, former house of J. Huguenin-Girard; it is managed by Louis Huguenin and Louis-Henri Calame of Le Locle and is located at Rue du Parc 8, La Chaux-de-Fonds
• 1925 - August 24 - The firm is reorganized as a Société Anonyme called Huguenin & Cie, maker of pendants, rings and crowns