Chopard Group revives a brand: La Chronométrie Ferdinand Berthoud

Chopard Group revives a brand: La Chronométrie Ferdinand Berthoud


February 18, 2014 by Olivier Müller

It was the breaking news of this end of December : Chopard created a brand new brand within the Chopard group, called La Chronométrie Ferdinand Berthoud SA.

La Chronométrie Ferdinand Berthoud – A personal project

In Switzerland, there are almost 500 active brands for 1500 inactive – with registered names but just asleep for a couple of decades, or centuries. La Chronométrie Ferdinand Berthoud was one of these. Chopard bought both the brand and the name in 2006, upon the will of its co-president Karl-Friedrich Scheufele. Therefore, the Chopard Group is laying a new milestone in its watchmaking development and further reinforcing its presence in Fleurier, in the Val-de-Travers, Neuchâtel (Switzerland).

Karl F. Scheufele presenting Ferdinand Berthoud watch and book.

Karl F. Scheufele presenting Ferdinand Berthoud watch and book.

Through this project, Karl-Friedrich Scheufele intends to bring back to life the memory of Ferdinand Berthoud and restore this substantial watchmaking legacy to its rightful status. Positioned at the very peak of the collections within the Chopard group, La Chronométrie Ferdinand Berthoud will be dedicated to offering exceptional timepieces in highly exclusive production runs. This new horological activity began to take shape seven years ago, as Karl-Friedrich Scheufele explains: “In acquiring La Chronométrie Ferdinand Berthoud in 2006, I wanted to be sure that one day a watch bearing this name would be worthy of the great master horologist who inspired it”.

Ferdinand Berthoud Book

Ferdinand Berthoud Book

La Chronométrie Ferdinand Berthoud – Ferdinand who ?

Born in 1727 in Plancemont, in the Val-de-Travers (Switzerland), barely five kilometres from the current Chopard Manufacture in Fleurier, Ferdinand Berthoud was officially awarded the title of master clockmaker in Paris in 1753. An exceptional horologist, Ferdinand Berthoud left behind an outstandingly vast body of work encompassing the fields of marine chronometers, decorative clocks and watches, specialised tools, scientific measurement instruments, as well as publications. The latter include dozens of specialised books and treatises representing 4,000 pages and 120 engraved plates.

Ferdinand Berthoud Portrait

Ferdinand Berthoud Portrait

Ferdinand Berthoud’s career was also truly exceptional, as indeed were each of the periods of history he lived through – from the Age of Enlightenment to the Empire, including surviving the French Revolution. He has been elected to the Institut de France, and also commissioned “Horologist mechanic by appointment to the King and the Navy” during the reigns of Louis XV and Louis XVI, as well as subsequently under the Empire. In 1804, Napoleon conferred on him the title of Knight of the Legion of Honour.

Details relating to the launch of La Chronométrie Ferdinand Berthoud SA will be unveiled by the summer of 2014. (www.ferdinandberthoud.ch)

    Author Bio

    Articles by Olivier Müller

    CONTRIBUTOR

    Olivier Müller is a professional journalist specialising in horology. He divides his time between Geneva and Paris, covering horology-related topics for a dozen or so magazines and specialist websites in Europe. He is also a regular speaker at various events. In 2008, Olivier Müller set up Delos Communications to manage the writing side of his business, spanning five European countries. Delos Communications also provides consultancy services for horological communication, helping brands as they define and implement their strategy in terms of positioning, messages and audience. In addition to the world’s two largest watchmaking groups, Delos Communications’ clients include a broad range of emerging independent brands, as well as public-sector bodies keen to promote their local watchmaking heritage. Five people work for the agency, including a journalist, a photographer, a community manager and a translator, all with expertise in the world of watchmaking.