Société Suisse des Spiraux: Difference between revisions

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* [[1936]] - June 11 and 13 - SSS officially becomes part of [[ASUAG]] and is reorganized; the new board members are [[Louis Berthoud]], [[Paul-E. Brandt]], [[Werner Brandt]], and [[Sydney de Coulon]]; members [[Ariste Châtelain]] and [[Emile Moyer]] (both deceased) are removed
* [[1936]] - June 11 and 13 - SSS officially becomes part of [[ASUAG]] and is reorganized; the new board members are [[Louis Berthoud]], [[Paul-E. Brandt]], [[Werner Brandt]], and [[Sydney de Coulon]]; members [[Ariste Châtelain]] and [[Emile Moyer]] (both deceased) are removed
* [[1938]] - June 7 - The SSS is relocated to [[Geneva]] and the board is reconstructed: [[Louis-Constant Girard-Gallet]] remains chairman, [[Paul-E. Brandt]] is vice president, and [[Albert Bourquin-Jaccard]] remains secretary; members of the organization are [[Louis Muller]], [[Louis Berthoud]], [[Sydney de Coulon]], [[Charles Jeanneret]], [[Charles Picard]], and [[Adolphe-Eugène Redard]]; [[Ernest Goering]] and [[Werner Brandt]] resigned, while [[Humbert Rouge]] and [[Eugène Golay]] have both died; the new office is Rue de la Coulouvrenière 40 in Geneva
* [[1938]] - June 7 - The SSS is relocated to [[Geneva]] and the board is reconstructed: [[Louis-Constant Girard-Gallet]] remains chairman, [[Paul-E. Brandt]] is vice president, and [[Albert Bourquin-Jaccard]] remains secretary; members of the organization are [[Louis Muller]], [[Louis Berthoud]], [[Sydney de Coulon]], [[Charles Jeanneret]], [[Charles Picard]], and [[Adolphe-Eugène Redard]]; [[Ernest Goering]] and [[Werner Brandt]] resigned, while [[Humbert Rouge]] and [[Eugène Golay]] have both died; the new office is Rue de la Coulouvrenière 40 in Geneva
* [[1940]] - May 20 - The board consists of [[Paul Renggli]] as chairman, [[Paul-E. Brandt]] as vice-president, [[Albert Bourquin-Jaccard]] as secretary, with [[Paul Baehni]], [[Louis Berthoud]], [[Sydney de Coulon]], [[Alfred Pfister]], and [[Charles Picard]]; [[Louis-Constant Girard-Gallet]], [[Charles Jeanneret]], [[Louis Muller]], and [[Adolphe-Eugène Redard]] (deceased) are removed
* [[1946]] - June 14 - [[Paul-E. Brandt]] resigns as [[Henri Gerber]] joins the board
* [[1946]] - June 14 - [[Paul-E. Brandt]] resigns as [[Henri Gerber]] joins the board
* [[1953]] - June 9 - [[Fred Pfister]] is added to the board while [[Albert Bourquin-Jaccard]], [[Louis Berthoud]], and [[Alfred Pfister]] (all deceased) are removed
* [[1953]] - June 9 - [[Fred Pfister]] is added to the board while [[Albert Bourquin-Jaccard]], [[Louis Berthoud]], and [[Alfred Pfister]] (all deceased) are removed

Revision as of 03:14, 19 March 2023

Société Suisse des Spiraux (SSS) is a balance spring factory created by major Swiss watch manufacturers to compete with the cartel known as Fabriques de Spiraux Réunies (FSR). The group succeeded in building a competitive factory in La Chaux-de-Fonds and producing springs for their own use, blunting the impact of the cartel.

Establishment

When the five largest makers of balance springs in Switzerland came together as a cartel to control the market in 1895 it was met with much controversy. The Fabriques de Spiraux Réunies (FSR) announced that they would immediately double the price of springs and would not allow any competition between member factories. They also bought out (or forced out of business) all other spring makers so watchmakers were forced to buy from a single central depot in Neuchâtel.

Fanned by incendiary articles in La Fédération Horlogère, a group of watchmakers immediately coalesced with the idea of creating a competing spring factory.

On July 28, 1898, the Société Suisse des Spiraux (SSS) was officially organized at an assembly of watchmakers. The group elected Louis-Constant Girard-Gallet (1855-1945), son of Girard-Perregaux founder Constant Girard, as their first chairman, with La Chaux-de-Fonds watchmaker Paul Ditisheim (1868-1945) selected to serve as secretary. The organization was headquartered at Rue du Parc 8 in La Chaux-de-Fonds.

Timeline