L. Sandoz-Vuille

In 1905, Louis Sandoz commissioned a grand villa on the terraces above Le Locle. The house, located at number 20 rue Alexis-Marie-Piaget, was designed by architect F. Maspoli and remains a landmark to this day. This was the original location of the L. Sandoz-Vuille watchmaking company. In 1911 the growing firm connected the villa to the building located at no. 18 (built in 1902) with three levels of workshops.

In 1935, after the failure and bankruptcy of Sandoz-Vuille the villa and factory was purchased by Hermann Brunner and housed the Luxor factory for many years. Luxor continued the production of clocks, and retained the 8-day clock line established by Sandoz-Vuille. The Luxor company was merged with Paul Buhré and Zenith under Dixi in 1978 but the factory remained in operation until 1987. As of 2012 it houses an artists workshop operated by the Luxor Factory Association.

Sandoz-Vuille Timeline

• About 1872 - Louis Sandoz is born
• 1896, July 1 - Richard-André Sandoz is born to Louis Sandoz-Vuille
• 1904, October 7 - L. Sandoz-Vuille receives Swiss patent CH31781, "Mouvement de Montre-Réveil" for an 8-day alarm watch that resembles the famous Hebdomas invented by Irénee Aubry.
• 1908, March 28 - Louis-Edgar Sandoz is born to Louis Sandoz-Vuille
• 1908, April 24 - The house L. Sandoz-Vuille is registered in Le Locle under the management of Louis-Augustin Sandoz, allié Vuille, of Le Locle and La Brévine. The business is focused on watch production and is a factory and warehouse located at Rue Alexis-Marie Piaget 20.
• 1910, August 25 - L. Sandoz-Vuille receives Swiss patent CH53289, "Mouvement de Montre" for an 8-day watch movement without alarm that also strongly resembles the Hebdomas watch.
• 1913 - Emile Droz of Le Locle is made a manager of the factory between February and December
• 1914, July 1 - Louis Sandoz-Vuille is forced to sell his large rural farm and home outside Le Locle by a tribunal.
• 1922, May 30 - Richard Sandoz, accountant of Le Locle, is made manager of the factory
• 1928, January 1 - L. Sandoz-Vuille in Le Locle, and its branch in La Chaux-de-Fonds, is dissolved in favor of a new firm, Les Fils de L. Sandoz-Vuille, established by Richard-André and Louis-Edgar Sandoz. The firm remains a manufacturer of watches and is located at Rue Alexis-Marie Piaget 18-20.
• 1932, April 4 - A new company called Louis Sandoz-Vuille is established in Lucerne by Louis Sandoz-Vuille, who now lives in Auvernier. Lisa Wildisen is made manager. The company is located at Löwenplatz 11, immediately in front of the Bourbaki Panorama, a popular tourist destination.
• 1934, October 13 - Lisa Wildisen is removed as manager of Louis Sandoz-Vuille in Lucerne.
• 1934, November - Les Fils de Sandoz-Vuille is sued by creditors and begins a long trial known as "l'Affaire Sandoz-Vuille".
• 1935, January 15 - Les Fils de L. Sandoz-Vuille in Le Locle is deleted from the commercial registry.
• 1935, February 5 - Louis Sandoz-Vuille in Lucerne is deleted from the commercial registry.
• 1935, February 14 - Louis-Edgar and Richard-André Sandoz declare bankruptcy in Le Locle.
• 1936, September 30 - The liquidation of Les Fils de L. Sandoz-Vuille in Le Locle is completed.
• 1949, June 10 - Louis Sandoz-Vuille dies at the age of 77