The Watch Files

06 The Forgotten History of Jaquet-Droz, An Experiment in Cooperation

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On April 4, 1960, 70 independent Swiss watchmakers joined forces to form a remarkable new cooperative. Intent on standing their ground against the consolidation of watchmakers into corporations, the Coopérative de Fabricants Suisses d'Horlogerie would launch a shared watch brand three years later, using the name of famous watchmaker Pierre Jaquet-Droz. The Coopérative grew rapidly, accounting for over 15% of Swiss watchmaking exports in 1968 and boasting a catalog of over 2,000 different models. Yet this unique experiment, and the famous brand they used, is entirely forgotten.

Join Serge Maillard, Publisher & CEO of Europa Star, and Stephen Foskett, Publisher of Grail Watch, as we tell the stories of the events that changed the horology industry.

More Information:

  • The Forgotten History of Jaquet-Droz, Switzerland’s Shared Watch Brand, Grail Watch, 2021
  • La Concentration Dans le Secteur Horloger, Europa Star 4, 1960
  • Interview with Dr. Charles-Edouard Virchaux, President of the Cooperative of Swiss Watch Manufacturers, Europa Star Eastern Jeweler 85, 1964
  • Scope of the Technical Control Center of the Swiss Manufacturers' Cooperative at Bienne, Europa Star Eastern Jeweler 89, 1965
  • Jaquet-Droz Sales Centre Opens at Bienne, Europa Star Eastern Jeweler 91, 1965
  • The Cooperative of Swiss Manufacturers Publishes Report for 1965, Europa Star Eastern Jeweler 94, 1966
  • 1966 a Prosperous Year for Jaquet-Droz, Europa Star Eastern Jeweler 100, 1967
  • Jaquet-Droz Strike their Balance, Europa Star Eastern Jeweler 111, 1969
  • Jaquet-Droz Six Years' Presence on Watch Markets, Europa Star Eastern Jeweler 133, 1973
  • Jaquet-Droz: A Great Name Becomes a Great Brand, Europa Star 199, 1993
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