Edmond Mathey-Tissot

Edmond Mathey-Tissot (1858-1929) was a watchmaker famous for his namesake brand, Mathey-Tissot, which remained a leading producer of high-end watches for a century.

Charles-Edmond Mathey-Henry was born in 1858 in Les Ponts-de-Martel near Le Locle in Canton Neuchâtel. He was the only son of Henri Constant Matthey-Henri (1827-1918), with 7 sisters born before and after him. His family consistently used the traditional spelling "Matthey" but Edmond preferred "Mathey" later in life.

His company name, Edmond Mathey-Tissot, reflected his marriage to Rose-Emma Tissot of Le Locle and La Brévine. Although the Tissot name is famous in watchmaking and Rose-Emma Tissot's home in Ponts-de-Martel is a short distance from the Le Locle home of that company, she was not closely related to founder Charles-Emile Tissot. Her parents were Ulysse Tissot and Jenny Huguenin-Dumittan, then Felix Tissot, all of Ponts-de-Martel, and great grandfather David François Tissot of La Sagne.

Note that his name was often spelled "Matthey" in contemporary records for a century, suggesting that this was perhaps the correct original spelling. His parental alliance name is variously spelled "Henri" and "Henry" and he did not often use the "Charles" name. The couple had three children: Jean, Etienne, and Violette. Although his watchmaking firm used his alliance name, "Mathey-Tissot", Edmond and his sons (and later his wife) used his birth name, Mathey-Henri.

Edmond Mathey-Tissot began his watchmaking business in 1886 in Les Ponts-de-Martel. The firm quickly grew and became a major producer of complicated watches for export, especially repeaters and chronographs. The business was reorganized in 1896 as E. Mathey-Tissot et Cie, with Albert Guye, a watchmaker from the Val-de-Travers near Fleurier who would remain his partner for the rest of his life.

He convened a gathering of makers of repeating watches in 1906 including a visit to his workshop. He was not greatly involved in other areas of the watch industry, though he did represent his town in the Grand Council starting in 1919. Mathey-Tissot was in poor health later in life and was forced to resign from most activities after 1925.

Edmond Mathey-Tissot died on October 20, 1929 and the company passed to his widow, Emma. His sons Jean-Edmond "Jean" Mathey-Henri (1887-1962) became president, while Charles-Etienne Mathey-Henri (called "Etienne Mathey", 1891-1979) was secretary along with Albert Guye. His wife died in 1943 and was remembered for her work caring for the sick during the 1918 flu pandemic.

Jean-Edmond Mathey-Henri married Ida Madeline Weber in 1920, and their daughter Jeanine Ruprecht-Mathey was also a director of the firm. They divorced in 1927 and he re-married Blanche Yvonne Robert-Charrue (1899-1987), daughter of watchmaker Émile Robert-Charrue (1868-1951).

Etienne outlived his brother, surviving until August 28, 1979. He married Stella Gallino in 1923 but does not appear to have had any surviving children. He remained involved in the Mathey-Tissot company through the 1970s, the last family connection to the firm.

Family

• Henri Constant Matthey-Henri (January 21 1827-March 25 1918) married (January 3 1852) Louise-Emile Huguenin-Dumittan (September 16 1827-October 26 1904)
  • Marie Rachel Matthey-Henri (1852-)
  • Marhe Eloïse Matthey-Henri (1854-)
  • Marie Eloïse Matthey-Henri (1856-)
  • Charles-Edmond Mathey-Henry (1858-1929) married (June 4 1886) Rose-Emma Tissot (December 13 1861- August 4 1943)
    • Jean-Edmond "Jean" Mathey-Henri (1887-1962) married (May 12 1920) Ida Madeline Weber (1896-); divorced October 19 1927 and remarried (April 2 1928) Blanche Yvonne Robert-Charrue (1899-1987))
      • Jeanine Mathey-Henri (1921-) married Roger Ruprecht (1929-2010)
    • Charles-Etienne "Etienne" Mathey-Henri (April 8 1892-April 18 1979) married (May 17 1923) Stella Gallino
    • Marthe Violette Mathey-Henri (1894-)
  • Rose Matthey-Henri (1860-1861)
  • Rose Clémence "Clementine" Matthey-Henri (1865-)
  • Héloïse Matthey-Henri (1865-)
  • Elisabeth Matthey-Henri (1870-)