Georges Perrenoud

Georges-Alfred Perrenoud (1885-1952) was born on September 22, 1885, in La Sagne, Switzerland. After taking over his family's assortiments business in Le Locle, Perrenoud rose to become one of the most important industrialists of the town. He is best remembered as the owner of Dixi machine tools, though he also initiated the creation of FAR and owned Zénith for a time.

Perrenoud died on January 5, 1952 at 67 years of age. He was memorialized by the companies and organizations he was most associated with: Dixi, Fabriques d'Assortiments Réunies, Nivarox SA, Cylindre SA, Chatons SA, and Les Paquerettes of Brenets.

Death

By coincidence, Perrenoud died the same day as Werner Ruch and two days before Gaston Schwarz, two other influential Swiss watch personalities.

Early Career

Perrenoud is often listed as coming from La Sagne, Les Ponts-de-Martel, and Le Brévine early in life, though later reports typically list his origin as being Le Locle.

Georges Perrenoud was associated with the manufacture of assortiments in Le Locle as early as 1908, when he is listed as vice-president and treasurer of Association Syndicale des Fabricants d'Assortiments à Ancres, serving alongside Albert Schumacher, Louis Huguenin, Louis Jeanneret-Wespy, Emile Huot, Alfred von Weissenfluh, and César Scholl. This experience no doubt connected the young man (just 23 years old) to the entire watch industry.

In March 1908, Georges Perrenoud Fils was officially registered in Le Locle by Georges-Alfred Perrenoud. The business was focused on construction of anchor assortiments and was located at Rue du Marais 19.

Georges Perrenoud Fils was merged into a new company called Perrenoud Frères on November 1, 1913. The company was owned by Georges-Alfred and his brother Charles-Eugène Perrenoud (1890-1918) and was located at Rue du Marais 19 and 21. Charles-Eugène died of the flu while serving in the military on December 3 1918, forcing Georges to liquidate the firm.

On June 7, 1919, a new Société Anonyme called Assortiments Georges Perrenoud was created to take over the work of Perrenoud Frères. The company was capitalized with 400,000 francs and was located at Rue du Marais 21. The board consisted of Georges-Alfred Perrenoud alone. Paul-Auguste Davoine and Charles-Ferdinand Perret were made managers of the company.

Obituary

Perrenoud's first venture was with his family's assortiment business in Quartier-Neuf, where he quickly gave it a new impetus. He was an energetic man with an enterprising spirit and a taste for risk-taking. During periods of crisis and hardship in the watchmaking industry, he noticed that women were working in the factories while men were often left unemployed. He then set his sights on creating and adapting other industries to the mountains, leading to the construction of Dixi I and Dixi II.

Perrenoud was one of the initiators of the creation of the Fabriques d'Assortiments Réunies, a movement that helped organize the watchmaking industry. It took many years of effort to finally establish this great joint-stock company. Perrenoud also served on numerous boards of directors, where his opinions were respected. He was not afraid to challenge ideas that he felt were wrong and always thought big. Although several of his initiatives did not achieve the desired results, he cared little about it. He would rebuild new capital and move forward with other enterprises.

Perrenoud's love for the land was evident in his farming ventures. He owned a farm at Petit-Sommartel, a cheese factory at Pradières, and a vast estate in Calevaz, Nyon. He was known for his kindness and was always ready to help those who came to him.

Perrenoud's contribution to his hometown, Le Locle, was immeasurable. He loved his birthplace and had a significant hand in its development. His exceptional career was remembered with deep admiration and respect during his funeral, which took place at the French Temple. The service was attended by a large number of people, and speeches were given by various individuals, including Pastor Jacques Février, Paul Renggli, president of the board of directors of the Fabriques d'Assortiments Réunies, and René Leroy, who spoke on behalf of the Dixi factories and the other factories Perrenoud created. The service ended with a prayer by Mr. Henri Chenblo, under the watchful eyes of a mourning public.

Georges Perrenoud's legacy remains an inspiration to many entrepreneurs today. His innovative ideas, entrepreneurial spirit, and deep love for the land and his community serve as an inspiration to all who seek to make a difference in their communities. His name will be remembered for years to come, not just as a successful industrialist but also as a compassionate and generous human being who cared deeply for others.