Fabriques de Spiraux Réunies

Société des Fabriques de Spiraux Rèunies (FSR) was founded in 1895 as a cartel to control the manufacture of balance springs. The company incorporated the five major producers at that time, buying out the others, and becoming the sole maker of these critical components for a few years. Although competing factories and technology changes soon brought new competition, FSR remained a major concern for decades. It was incorporated into ASUAG in 1932, and later merged with FAR and Nivarox.

Initial members of FSR included the following companies, with specific directors noted:

• Baehni & Cie. of Bienne (Eugene Baehni)
• Jules Huguenin of La Chaux-de-Fonds (Louis Huguenin)
• George Sandoz of Geneva (George Sandoz)
• Charles Dufaux of Geneva (Charles Dufaux)
• Philippe-Auguste Guye of Geneva (Professor Philippe-Auguste Guye)

The creation of FSR also resulted in the end of spring production for some existing companies:

• C.-A. Paillard of Geneva
• Julien-Albert Courvoisier-Clément of La Chaux-de-Fonds
• Montandon-Lütz of Geneva

La Chaux-de-Fonds watch dealer Charles-Albert Vuille was made administrator-director of FSR by 1901 and was appointed to join the board in 1902. Lawyer Henri Lehmann of La Coudre was made chairman of the board in 1902 as well; he also served on the board of Zenith Great Britain in 1914 until his sudden death on April 8, 1915. Philippe-Auguste Guye was replaced by his son Charles-Eugène Guye in 1907, enabling the former to focus on his studies in applied chemistry. Henri-Auguste Herren of Geneva replaced Lehmann after his death in 1915. Vuille became Managing Director in 1917, the same year he also joined the board of FBR, which he had also served in management for a decade. George Sandoz was removed as director in 1918 and Charles-Eugène Guye was removed in 1920 with George Sandoz restored. The company raised 50,000 francs of new funding in 1921. Frédéric Dufaux replaced Charles Dufaux in 1923 and he would remain on the board until his death in 1962. Charles-Eugène Guye rejoined the board in 1925 following the deaths of Philippe-Auguste Guye and Henri-Auguste Herren.

Share capital was increased to 900,000 francs in 1928 with new shares issued and the old restructured. Eugène Baehni (deceased) and Charles-Eugène Guye were removed from the board, replaced by William-Ernest Baehni and John Herren. 600 more shares were issued the following year and the board was shuffled again, with Ernest Dubois and Gustave Ulrich joining president Georges Sandoz and secretary John Herren. Commercial direction of the company was given to Charles-Albert Vuille in 1930, assisted by Albert Perret and Louis Huguenin (younger).

FSR was entirely modified in 1932 as it became part of ASUAG. George Sandoz had died on March 27, 1930, while John Herren, Louis Huguenin, William Baehni, and Gustave Ulrich all resigned. The new board of directors retained Frédéric Dufaux and Ernest Dubois, while Paul Baehni, Hermann Obrecht, banker Ali Bingguely (of the bank "Reutter & Cie"), Albert Mosimann, and Henri Calame, former politician, chairman. Ernest Strahm replaced Calame as chairman in 1933. Paul Baehni was specifically appointed manager of the Bienne operation that year, and this branch was given greater autonomy. In 1936 Sidney de Coulon replaced Albert Mossiman on the board. On his death, Strahm was removed from the board in 1938. Ali Bingguely was removed in 1942, two years before his death, replaced by Charles Turler. De Coulon resigned in 1948 as Gaston Nardin joined the board, with Paul Baehni promoted to the management committee. Marguerite-Emilie Guinand joined management in 1954.