Aurèle Maire

Aurèle Maire-Deléglise was a Swiss watchmaker who became technical director for Longines in the 1970s.

Aurèle Maire was born in 1923 to watchmaker Aurèle Maire-Pellaton (1895-1977). His father married Marie-Madeline Pellaton (1896-1983), daughter of Georges Pellaton-Steudler, founder of the Martel Watch Co. His brother, Robert-Maurice, was born four years later and would become technical director of Martel and would replace Aurèle as technical director of Zenith.

The Maire family lived in Ponts-de-Martel, a small town near Le Locle famous for talented makers of complicated watches. Aurèle trained as a pilot during World War II while also attending the Technicum in Neuchâtel. He was a talented watchmaker, winning second prize for marine chronometers at the 1946 Concours de Chronomètres at the Neuchâtel Observatory. He graduated with a diploma as a horloger-technicien "with congratulations from the jury." He won the same prize again in 1951, again placing second to respected firm of Ulysse Nardin.

Aurèle Maire opened a movement finishing workshop in Les Ponts-de-Martel under his own name in 1954, continuing in this business through 1962.

On December 6, 1967, Aurèle Maire gave up his position as technical director for Zenith. He was replaced by his brother Robert Maire, former technical director of Martel.