It was in the year 1900 that François Huguenin (1864-1940) founded the watch production workshop that was to become CONSUL. Huguenin chose La Chaux-de-Fonds as his base, in the mountains of Neuchâtel, as this was the centre of modern watchmaking. In no other place were production facilities as advanced, one could even say as avant-gard, or the workforce as highly qualified.
Would you please tell us something about the history of your company? How you happened to get involved in the watchmaking?
All of the brands at the time were concentrating mostly on exporting, because already in 1900 Switzerland exported almost 9'000'000 watches and precision movements. Also, from the outset CONSUL had international ambitions with the objective of distributing its watches on the world market.
In order to achieve this goal, it was not enough just to supply the customer with good product. Many trips were therefore undertaken across the five continents to set up CONSUL's watch distribution. In those days trips were veritable expeditions, very long and often dangerous.
This explains why Charles-Edouard Virchaux was obliged to sleep under canvass with his watch collection, as there was simply no hotel in Kuwait.
Perseverance justified these efforts, because already by the seventies CONSUL products were sold in more than one hundred countries and in all continents.
In 1934, François Huguenin handed over the company to his son-in-law Charles Virchaux. This was a very turbulent period marked by the Great Depression and world unemployment, which bore witness to the economic fragility of the times. In order to face these changes, Charles Virchaux modified the company's structures and concentrated on higher quality products and the emerging markets of the time, which included South America and Asia.
Only 8 years later, in 1942, Charles Virchaux handed over the reigns to his son, Charles-Edouard Virchaux, who continued to apply the strategies developed by his father. Thus the first decades saw the brand grow, despite the turbulence of the period. The First World War, the economic crisis of the thirties and the Second World War are all only too well known.
As for its products, CONSUL has always been in the vanguard of Swiss watch-making.
F. Huguenin recognised the potential of bracelet watches very early on, at a time when more than 95% of all watches were pocket watches. So he was among the pioneers who concentrated on improving ways to miniaturise components to be able to make more elegant watches, with smaller proportions and yet still retaining their high precision.
CONSUL also developed and improved techniques for increasing shock-resistance as well as for protecting the movement against dust and humidity.
Its capacity for technical innovation was confirmed by its large number of inventions, many of which were patented, such as its revolutionary dust-proofing system.
In the 50s it was its famous chronograph, the CONSUL 30mm, which attracted the most attention for its precision, and sturdiness (shock-proof, dust-proof and anti-magnetic).
In 1951, the future of CONSUL became closely linked with another big Swiss watch industry brand, Girard-Perregaux, through the marriage of Charles-Edouard Virchaux to Madame Paulette Graef, owner of Girard-Perregaux.
The collaboration between these two companies became closer over the years, until it was made official in 1969, by the foundation of Girard-Perregaux Holding SA, of which Charles-Edouard Virchaux was to remain managing director. This holding company comprised Girard-Perregaux SA, CONSUL SA and their overseas subsidiaries.
That same year, Charles-Edouard Virchaux was very proud to introduce (under the Girard-Perregaux brand) a quartz movement oscillating at 32'768 Hertz, the frequency that was to become the standard for all quartz watches the world over. This standard frequency can be considered as a real technical revolution.
While the Swiss Watch Industry was being shaken by the revolution caused by the arrival of the quartz movement and many companies were being forced into liquidation, CONSUL stood at the forefront of technology.
In 1979, Charles-Edouard Virchaux took a well deserved retirement after almost 50 years of service with CONSUL SA, of which 37 were as its director.
The company was taken over by Desco of Zürich, who was to divest itself of Girard-Perregaux SA in 1985.
The effort to reinforce the individuality of the CONSUL brand was underlined by the creation of the Catamaran brand in 1983 and then by the transfer of its head office to Bienne in 1986.
After belonging to the Desco Group for 17 years, CONSUL was sold to a new owner, a watch-making enthusiast, whose aim is to continue to expand the company and its brands.
In 1998, CONSUL returned to Neuchâtel, close to its origins in La Chaux-deFonds.
What is the essence of the timepiece by your brand? If you were given only three words to characterize your watches what words would you choose?
Dressy, elegant, classic.
How much time does it take to create a new timepiece?
Between 18 to 24 months
What are the main challenges and problems a watchmaker faces while creating a new watch?
To anticipate the trend, the price point, the features and the markets.
What trends in watchmaking seem the most appealing to you?
Fulfilling the dream and expectation of a customer.
What is your idea of an ideal timepiece?
To be timeless.
Are there any watchmakers with whom you would like to work together? If you were able to work together with some great watchmaker of the past who would it be?
Maybe not a watchmaker but someone like Leonardo Da Vinci.
Speaking about the situation on watch market today, what companies in your opinion will remain buoyant in terms of the economic meltdown? Why?
The traditional brands with a real and true history that are in business continuously for at least 100 years and that are well structured in Switzerland as well as in the rest of the world.
Many swiss brands correspond to the above mentioned; therefore, risking forgetting one name, we prefer not to mention any.
What are your main markets?
Far East, Middle East, Europe
What achievement of the nowadays watchmaking seems the most significant to you?
The capacity of the swiss watch industry to re-invent themselves, creating more and more elaborated and complicated movements.
What are your plans for the future? What we are to expect from your brand next year?
To continue creating, developing new attractive models and we expect for the next year to face a little recovery from the markets.
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