Eberhard & Co.
Eberhard & Co is a Swiss watch manufacturer.
Eberhard et Rosselet
Henri Rosselet of Douanne and Georges Eberhard of Jegenstorf (in Canton Berne) founded a watchmaking firm known as Eberhard et Rosselet on July 1, 1887. The company was located at Rue Léopold Robert 16 in La Chaux-de-Fonds, but moved to a new location, Demoiselle 71, less than 2 years later. This was later noted to be Henri Rosselet's home address.
Eberhard & Rosselet were awarded an early patent on March 23, 1888, number 2231, for "boîtes et mouvemenents de montres", with another patent, number 2702, awarded June 28, 1890 with the same description. Patent 2702 was transferred to Eberhard & Co. on September 19, 1896 as patent 7761.
Henri Rosselet is also known as Rosselet-Dubois after his marriage to Mathilde-Clara Dubois, and moved to Demoiselle 27 by 1892. Henri Rosselet divorced in 1895 and died in 1901 at 39 years of age at the Union Workhouse in Withington (Manchester), England.
Georges-Lucien Eberhard was born on May 19, 1865, starting the company at just 22 years of age, and died at 61 on May 21 or 22, 1926. Georges Eberhard married Marie-Mathilde Rosselet by 1890, with his daughter Hélène born that year. His son, Georges-Emile, was born in 1894, and another son, Maurice William, came in 1900. Before the turn of the century, George Eberhard's name is variously written as Æberhard, Aeberhard, or Eberhardt, and he sometimes also took the alliance name of Eberhard-Rosselet. Strangely, Georges Eberhard the elder is specifically called Georges-Emile after the turn of the century but Georges-Lucien on the birth announcements for his children.
Georges Eberhard was called a "self-made man" and was known for his industriousness and dedication to work.
Eberhard & Co.
The firm was known as Eberhard et Cie. at least from 1892, though still located at Demoiselle 71. It moved to Rue Léopold-Robert 32 by 1895 and was later commonly called Eberhard & Co. By 1916 it was also called The National Watch Manufactory. It was incorporated on June 26, 1919 as Eberhard & Cie., with Georges-Emile Eberhard (the elder) and Robert Châtelain of Tramelan as managers. George's widow Marie-Mathilde Eberhard-Rosselet took ownership of the firm from his death in 1926 through her own death on November 17, 1936.
Georges-Emile Eberhard (the younger) died by April 1942, with his position at the firm taken over by Bluette-Olga Eberhard (née Schorn), wife of his brother Maurice Eberhard. Robert Châtelain, production manager for the company, also died that year.
Primarily precision watches and chronographs are produced. Already in 1919 the first wrist chronograph is presented.
In 1935 an innovative stop watch with two pushers is developed, which allows start and stop without reset. In 1938, the first wrist chronograph with hour counter is presented.
In the 1930s, the precise Eberhard watches are worn by officers of the Italian Navy.
Towards the end of the 1950s the first model of the series Extra-fort is brought on the market. Here the second counter is accomplished by a single slider.
In 1984 the model "Chronomaster" is published in cooperation with the Italian aerobatic aviation team "Frecce Tricolori". In 1987, at the 100th anniversary of the brand, the collection "Navymaster" is presented.
In 1992 Eberhard & Co., in honor of the Italian racing idol Tazio Nuvolari, brings a chronograph specially dedicated to him on the market. On the basis of this model later an entire collection is created.
In recent years, Eberhard & Co. gained awareness especially by a watch with eight-day movement and by chronographs with a patented 4-row counter display.
The brand, which since long has its headquarters in the well-known watchmaking town Biel, enjoys a great popularity especially in Italy. It is now also working hard to increase its visibility in other countries.
Address
Eberhard & Co SA
Rue du Manège 5
Case postale 3509
2500 Biel 3
Tel. 032 / 342 51 41
Fax 032 / 341 02 94