Gallet & Co

Gallet & Co was a maker of complicated watches in La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland from 1825 through the present day. The company traces its roots to 1466 with the birth of Humbertus Gallet in Geneva. However, the formal establishment of Gallet & Co. occurred in 1825 by Julien Gallet (1806–1849).

Foundations and Family Legacy

The Gallet family traces its roots to Humbertus Gallet, who became a "bourgeois de Genève" (or citizen) on April 18, 1466. The family's involvement in gold, jewelry, and watch production is documented in 1702 as Philippe Gallet (1679–1739), son of Jacques Gallet (1649–1700) and Marie Bouvier Gallet, is listed in the Geneva Registry of Jewelers and Watchmakers. In 1742 his son Pierre Gallet (1719-1768) marries noblewoman Jeanne Renée de Rabours and is noted to be a master goldsmith like his father. This suggests that the family was involved in the trade perhaps even before the 18th century. Jacques Gallet (1744/5-1806) continues the family's trade, as does his son Jean-Louis Gallet (1774-1809), who becomes a French citizen after Napoleon annexes Geneva. The premature death of Jean-Louis Gallet interrupts the family's father-to-son tradition and severs the ties to Geneva, as his son, then just 3 years old, moves to La Chaux-de-Fonds.

Julien Gallet (1806-1849) set up a jewelry and watch assembly workshop in La Chaux-de-Fonds in 1826 known as Julien Gallet & Cie. This was quite early in the watchmaking city's ascendency, and suggests that he moved to the city to help establish the trade there and was perhaps not included in the Gallet family's Geneva operation. His widow Louise Gallet (1808–1865) and sons, Léon L. Gallet (1832–1899) and Lucien F. Gallet (1834–1879), continued the company after Julien's untimely death.

American and Asian Expansion

Léon L. Gallet was chosen by his father to take over management of the family business following his death in 1848. In 1856 Gallet established a relationship with a Mr. Kupfer to distribute Gallet watches in the United States but when he died in 1864 Léon personally traveled to America to take over. Thus an American branch also called Julien Gallet was established in New York, taking over Kupfer's business.

When Léon L. Gallet retired in 1883 he turned over management of the firm to his son George while his other son Julien Louis Gallet established a partnership with his cousin Jules Racine. Racine was originally from Tramelan and was said to be "the nephew of the founder", presumably Léon L. Gallet. The Swiss arm of this importing business, called Julien Gallet & Cie, was located at Rue du Parc 27 in La Chaux-de-Fonds while the Julien Gallet & Co of New York had offices at 25 John St. The company later moved to 1 Maiden Lane, home to many watch importation businesses, and in 1884 established a Chicago office. The market for fine and complicated watches in America was quite successful, and the branch there separated on October 24, 1890, becoming known simply as Jules Racine & Co. Racine partnered with Charles Perret, relocating to 180 Broadway and, later in the decade, back to 37 Maiden Lane. The brand introduced diverse watch lines tailored to American preferences, and demand for Gallet watches continued to expand for decades. Georges-Léon Gallet, who had been a manager of Julien Gallet & Cie in 1889, became a partner with his brother in 1891.

As American watchmaking industrialized, prominent watchmaking firms in the Swiss Jura joined forces as the Societe Intercantonale des Industries du Jura in 1876. In addition to Gallet this group included Courvoisier, Longines, and Girard-Perregaux. The group focused on distribution, marketing, and sales in Europe, especially England. Léon's 20 year old daughter Henriette would marry the 55 year old Louis Courvoisier in 1880 to cement the relationship.

Gallet established the Lyre mark for watch cases and movements in 1881 as brands and trademarks became more important.

Starting in 1912, one of the Gallet sons traveled through India, China, and Japan, seeking to expand trade in Asia. This lead to connections with the Hattori family in Japan who would create Seiko.

Léon L. Gallet frequently traveled to America even after he retired in 1883 and it was there that he died in 1899 at Jules Racine's home in New York.

Jules Racine & Co. remained the Gallet representative in America even after partner Charles Perret died in 1916. The company expanded, operating a large showroom at 37-39 Maiden Lane but in 1919 distribution of Gallet watches was turned over to a new firm. Efrus and Harry C. Cohen formed a new company, Lorraine Watch Co., Inc. at 206 Broadway to import fine Swiss watches. They gained exclusive rights to distribute Gallet and Electa watches, including ladies bracelet watches, chronographs, and horse timers.

Partnership with Excelsior Park

Gallet began working with the Jeanneret family of Saint-Imier in the 1880s, giving the company access to stopwatch and chronograph mechanisms. This would continue for many decades, with Albert Jeanneret & Frères becoming Jeanneret-Brehm and later Excelsior Park. It is said that Gallet supplied the funds to enable Henri Jeanneret-Brehm to purchase the Magnenat-LeCoultre factory in Le Sentier and that the company's strong English and American market caused the Jeannerets to use the name "Excelsior Park". This solidified Gallet's position as a premier watchmaker, as it gave the firm access to high-end chronograph movements. The collaboration led to the production of railroad pocket watches and chronograph movements. Gallet's involvement in providing timepieces for the military during World War I further showcased its adaptability and commitment to precision.

The partnership between Gallet and Excelsior Park was critical for both firms. For Gallet, the burgeoning demand for stopwatches and chronographs for military, scientific, and sport allowed the company to sustain through two world wars and beyond. It also separated the company from the consolidation that was happening at this time. The Excelsior Park factory in Saint-Imier gained access to Gallet's vast international markets and a reliable customer for their complicated watch movements. Although they also supplied others (notably Zenith and Girard-Perregaux in the post-war period), Excelsior Park was reliant on Gallet for much of its sales.

Fabrique Electa

It is claimed that Léon Gallet acquired the Grumbach & Co watch factory in 1855 but there is little evidence of this. Instead, it appears that the Grumbach family became involved when Gallet purchased the Electa factory in La Chaux-de-Fonds in 1907. Gallet appears to have used Electa ebauches in complicated watches for a few years by then, and this purchase was an opportunistic way to enter manufacturing. Electa was an evolution of American businessman Prosper Nordmann's Société d'Horlogerie de Genève, which produced ultra-thin and chronograph movements for the Waltham Watch company based on the designs of Henry-Alfred Lugrin and Prosper Nordmann. The company moved to La Chaux-de-Fonds, establishing the Fabrique du Ravin at Rue du Ravin 17 in 1904. Gallet was an enthusiastic buyer of Electa's movements and purchased the company when it went bankrupt and renamed the firm Gallet & Co, Fabrique d'Horlogerie Electa in January 1907.

Gallet built a new factory for Electa about 1913. This was located on the opposite side of the railroad line, a new area just being developed, at Rue Jacob Brandt 61. The company would become known as The Electa Gallet & Co watch manufactory after this, reflecting the importance of manufacturing at the time. But Electa faced bankruptcy in 1924. The factory would later be used by Schwarz-Etienne and Eugène Meylan.

After the failure of the Electa factory, Gallet returned to Excelsior Park movements for complicated watches.

World Wars and Innovations

World War I prompted Gallet to shift its focus to the production of military watches, including hand and cockpit timers for the British Royal Air Force. The post-war crisis forced the firm to sell the Electa factory in 1924, with Gallet focusing on production of watches, chronographs, and stopwatches for military and sporting use.

The company continued to innovate, introducing the Flight Officer Chronograph in 1938, featuring a rotating 12-hour bezel for longitude calculations. The MultiChron Petite, designed exclusively for women engaged in technical and scientific roles during World War II, showcased Gallet's commitment to diversity and functionality.

World War II witnessed Gallet's contributions to military and industrial clients, surpassing 100,000 units in annual sales. The "MultiChron Navigator" GMT Chronograph, with its 45-minute recording capability and separate 24-hour GMT hand, exemplified Gallet's technological prowess.

Post-War Era and Resilience

In the post-war era, Gallet faced economic challenges as the watch industry experienced a downturn. The company decided to refocus on its core strength—manufacturing high-quality professional timepieces. The introduction of waterproof cases in the late 1940s and continued collaboration with Excelsior Park marked this period.

The 1960s saw the unveiling of innovative models like the "Excel-O-Graph," featuring a rotating bezel with an integrated slide rule for navigation. Gallet weathered the crisis of the 1970s by maintaining its commitment to mechanical watches for military and professional use.

Gallet Today

In the 1990s, Gallet underwent changes in leadership and relocation. Walter Hediger assumed control, and the company moved to Grandson, Vaud, Switzerland. Gallet continued its focus on mechanical watches for professional applications, and under Hediger's leadership, the company survived the challenges posed by the quartz revolution.

The brand's association with the National Watch and Clock Museum and its participation in exhibitions underscore Gallet's commitment to preserving horological heritage. The 2016 celebration of Gallet's 550th anniversary highlighted the brand's resilience and ongoing relevance in the watchmaking industry.

Gallet Timeline

• 1883, January 1 - Julien Louis Gallet (from Geneva, of La Chaux-de-Fonds) and Jules Racine (from Tramelan, of New York) form Julien Gallet & Cie in La Chaux-de-Fonds to produce, handle, and sell horology at Rue du Parc 27. The firm confers procuration on Léon L. Gallet (from Geneva, of Chaux-de-Fonds)
• 1889, May 3 - Julien Gallet & Cie confers production on Georges-Léon Gallet (from Geneva, of La Chaux-de-Fonds)
• 1891, January 1 - Georges-Léon Gallet is made a partner in the firm of Julien Gallet & Cie in La Chaux-de-Fonds
• 1897, March 5 - Julien Gallet is treasurer of the new Société des Fabricants d'Horlogerie de La Chaux-de-Fonds
• 1897, November 4 - Albert Mossimann replaces Gallet as treasurer of the Société des Fabricants d'Horlogerie de La Chaux-de-Fonds
• 1898, July 4 - Louis Courvoisier (from Le Locle, of La Chaux-de-Fonds) is given procuration of Julien Gallet & Cie
• 1900, January 1 - A new company, Gallet & Co, is created to replace Julien Gallet & Cie with Julien-Louis Gallet and Georges-Léon Gallet as directors; the company is focused on fabrication of watches with an office at Rue du Parc 27 in La Chaux-de-Fonds; Louis Courvoisier is given procuration. Julien Gallet & Cie is deleted and the procuration to Léon L. Gallet and Louis Courvoisier is removed.
• 1902, July 12 - A new Société Anonyme, Société d'Horlogerie Electa, former Société d'Horlogerie de Genève, is created in La Chaux-de-Fonds to produce and sell horology; the company has 240,000 francs share capital; Jules Grumbach (from Morteau, of La Chaux-de-Fonds) is administrator; the office is Rue du Ravin 17 in La Chaux-de-Fonds.
• 1906, December 31 - The administrators of Electa (Jules Grumbach, Georges Bernheim, and Maurice Grumbach) declare that the company is to be dissolved and liquidated.
• 1907, January 14 - Gallet & Co modifies their name to become Gallet & Co, Fabrique d'Horlogerie Electa.
• 1907, January 27 - The liquidation of Société d'Horlogerie Electa is completed
• 1912, December 10 - The company Gallet et Co. Fabrique d'Horlogerie Electa is dissolved and will be liquidated by Georges-Léon Gallet; Emile-Julien Courvoisier and Georges Bernheim are removed from procuration.
• 1912, December 12 - A new Société Anonyme, Fabrique d'Horlogerie Electa, Gallet & Co SA, is created in La Chaux-de-Fonds; it acquires the assets of the former Gallet et Co. Fabrique d'Horlogerie Electa, and will fabricate watches and related products; the capital is set at 155,000 francs; the directors are Georges Gallet, Emile-Julien Courvoisier, and Georges Bernheim; the company is located at Rue Jacob Brandt 61 in La Chaux-de-Fonds
• 1913, January 16 - Julien Gallet (from La Chaux-de-Fonds, of Bex) is given procuration at Electa, Gallet & Co SA.
• 1914, May 4 - The liquidation of the former Gallet et Co. Fabrique d'Horlogerie Electa, is completed
• 1921, January 9 - Electa, Gallet & Co. increases share capital to 1,600,000 francs.
• 1923, November 28 - Electa, Gallet & Co. reduces share capital from 1,600,000 francs to 586,250 francs.
• 1924, January 3 - Georges Bernheim retires from the board and the company.
• 1924, March - Electa is facing bankruptcy proceedings
• 1924, May 10 - A new watchmaking company, Léon L. Gallet, is created by Léon-Louis Gallet at Rue Léopold-Robert 66 in La Chaux-de-Fonds.
• 1924, September 1 - A new corporation, L. Gallet et Co, is created, absorbing the recently-created Léon L. Gallet firm; the company was founded by Léon-Louis Gallet (from and of La Chaux-de-Fonds) with Madeline Montandon née Gallet (from La Brévine, of Geneva) a partner limited to 10,000 francs; the company remains at Rue Léopold-Robert 66; Ernest Augsburger (from and of La Chaux-de-Fonds) is given procuration.
• 1928, May 19 - The corporation L. Gallet et Co is renamed Gallet & Co.
• 1929, December 18 - The liquidation of Fabrique d'Horlogerie Electa, Gallet & Co SA is completed and the company is terminated.
• 1940, September 3 - Madeline Montandon née Gallet has died and is removed from management of Gallet et Co; Paulette Gallet née Jeanneret (of and from La Chaux-de-Fonds), spouse of Léon-Louis Gallet, is made a director with 10,000 francs capital; Georges Augsburger (from La Chaux-de-Fonds and of Corcelles) is given procuration.

Gallet Family

• Julien Gallet (1806-1849) married Louise Gallet (1808–1865)
  • Léon L. Gallet (1832–1899)
    • George Gallet
    • Julien Louis Gallet
  • Lucien F. Gallet (1834–1879)