La Concorde
La Concorde was the name used in the early 20th century for the Le Locle-based assortiment factory established in 1850 by the Huguenin brothers that became the foundation for Nivarox-FAR.
Charles-Louis Huguenin-Virchaux
In 1850, the brothers Williams and Charles-Louis Huguenin-Virchaux came from La Brévine to settle in Le Locle to produce assortiments for watches at Quartier du Progrès 59. Their earliest products included the anchor and escape wheel needed to produce watches.
After his death, Charles-Louis Huguenin's widow Sophie took over managing the firm in 1885 until her sons were old enough. Williams left the firm around this time, forming his own company called W. Huguenin and soon expanding with a second workshop in nearby La Chaux-de-Fonds.
Charles & Louis Huguenin and La Concorde
Charles-Louis Huguenin (1869-1940) and his brother Charles-Adolphe Huguenin-Perrenoud took over the family business in 1892. Officially called "Chs et Ls Huguenin," it was commonly called Fabrique d'Assortiments pour Echappements à Ancres. At this time it was located at 59 and 60 Quartier Neuf in Le Locle. Under their leadership, the company acquired a reputation for quality and became the largest such factory in Le Locle.
Charles & Louis Huguenin's products were widely recognized, winning silver medals in Paris in 1889 and Geneva in 1896 and five other medals and diplomas by this time. The company boasted of interchangeability (though their products were still produced by hand) and produced artistic levers suitable for the fashionable open heart watches of the time. They also produced escapements for chronometers and Glashütte style movements.
The company was later known by the brand name "La Concorde," named for the large factory building they built at Rue de la Concorde 29 in Le Locle.
Louis Huguenin's contributions to the watchmaking industry extended beyond his own company, and he replaced Jules Huguenin on the board of Fabriques de Spiraux Réunies in 1897 following his death. He would press for greater consolidation following the establishment of FSR and was a driving force behind the setting up of watchmaking organizations. As part of FSR he was active in the conclusion of agreements and the constitution of ASUAG, where he was part of the management committee. He pressed for the creation of the Fabriques d'Assortiments Réunies, which took over his family firm and others in the 1930s, culminating with a monopoly on production of assortiments in 1945.
In 1917, Louis Huguenin brought his sons Louis (1894-1973) and William into ownership of the business. Louis Junior in particular took to the business, having worked with his father since 1914.
The factory was integrated into FAR in 1933 as "Branch B, Le Locle" though operation remained the same. It was managed by Louis Huguenin, Sr. along with his sons, Louis Huguenin, Jr. and William. Louis Huguenin became especially involved in the industry and took over the firm in 1940 following his father's death. When Nivarox SA was formed in 1937, Louis Huguenin (junior) was named secretary of the board, a position he retained until 1972.
The next generation, also named Charles-Louis Huguenin, continued the family work through the consolidation of all spring factories as Nivarox SA in 1976 and the consolidation of this with FAR and FBR as Nivarox-FAR in 1984.
Huguenin Family
- Daniel-Frédéric Huguenin-Virchaux (1795-<1862) married Louise Brüstlein (1790-1862)
- Williams "William" Huguenin-Virchaux (1830?-) + Marie Thiébaud
- Frédéric Huguenin-Virchaux (1832-1855?)
- Charles-Louis "Charles" Huguenin-Virchaux (1835-1885) married 1856 Sophie Thiébaud (1836-?)
- Charles-Adolphe "Ch. Ad." Huguenin-Perrenoud (1865-between 1915 and 1929) married 1893 Cécie Perrenoud (1874-?)
- Charles-Louis "Louis" Huguenin (1869-1940) married 1891 Adèle Favre (1870-?) (and perhaps later ? Gugelmann)
- Edouard Huguenin-Virchaux (1844-?)