Fabrique d'Horlogerie de Delémont

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The Fabrique d'Horlogerie de Delémont (Delémont Watch Company) was the primary maker of watches in Delémont in the first half of the 20th century. It grew out of the watchmaking activities established by Emile Maître in the late 19th century, which became Maître, Frêne & Künzli in 1886 when Hippolite Frêne and Léon Künzli joined as partners. In 1890 Emile Maître partnered with Raphaël Picard and his sons to form E. Maître & Cie as a supplier to their successful La Chaux-de-Fonds watchmaking firm, Les Fils de R. Picard. In 1895 the operation became known as Weber, Ruedin & Cie, then simply Ruedin & Cie, and finally Fabrique d'Horlogerie de Delémont.

Maître, Frêne & Künzli

See Also: Emile Maître

Weber, Ruedin & Cie

See Also: Jämes Ruedin

On January 15, 1895, Jämes Ruedin partnered with Jules Weber to take over the ebauche factory of Emile Maître. Other partners in this business were Edmond, Gabriel, and Armand Picard of Les Fils de R. Picard, a prominent firm in La Chaux-de-Fonds that was later known under the Invicta brand. The company was called Weber, Ruedin & Cie.

Following the death of Jules Weber. Ruedin took over the majority partnership in the company, which was then known as Ruedin & Cie, manufacture d'Horlogerie de Delémont. Ruedin parted ways with the Picard brothers in August 1916, with the company now called J. Ruedin.

Fabrique d'Horlogerie de Delémont

Following Ruedin's retirement on April 20, 1921 the company was taken over by Emile Fasnacht and Paul Fasnaeht as Fabrique d'Horlogerie de Delémont.