POCKET WATCH IN A GOLD CASE WITH A PORTRAIT OF EMPEROR ALEXANDER I. COURVOISIER FILS. CHAUX-DE-FONDS, SWITZERLAND, CIRCA 1815–1825

Courvoisier — From Royal Patent to Swiss Watchmaking DynastyThe history of Courvoisier Frères exemplifies continuity, craftsmanship, and international success in Swiss horology. Its origins trace back to the 18th century and the figure of Josué Robert (1691–1771), who received a royal watchmaker′s patent from Frederick II of Prussia in 1725. His firm, Josué Robert et Fils, was one of the leading European manufactures of its time. In 1781, his widow Charlotte Robert brought her son-in-law, Louis Courvoisier (1758–1832), into the company. By 1787, the enterprise was known as J. Robert & Fils, Courvoisier & Cie. Robert & Courvoisier (1795–1811) In 1795, the firm was renamed Robert & Courvoisier. Louis Courvoisier gradually assumed control of the watchmaking division and expanded its international trade. By 1811, after the departure of the other partners, the company became Courvoisier & Cie, with offices in La Chaux-de-Fonds, Geneva, and Paris. From 1815, Courvoisier established strong export ties with Russia, producing pocket and travel watches engraved with “PETERSBOURG,” adorned with views of St. Petersburg and portraits of Russian emperors. The firm also continued supplying the court of the King of Prussia. Courvoisier Frères (1842–1854) In 1842, Louis’s three sons — Henri Louis, Frédéric Alexandre (Fritz), and Philippe Auguste — divided the family business. Fritz, politically liberal and active in the 1848 Neuchâtel revolution, founded his own firm. His brothers established the brand Courvoisier Frères. When La Chaux-de-Fonds commissioned a commemorative watch for King Friedrich Wilhelm IV, it was entrusted to Courvoisier Frères, affirming the company’s reputation as a high-end watchmaker. Revival and Expansion (1854–1915) After 1852, the firm passed to Henri Louis’s sons — Henri Édouard, Louis Philippe, and Jules Ferdinand Courvoisier. In 1880, the company formally resumed the name Courvoisier Frères. Emile-Jules Courvoisier married Henriette Gallet, daughter of Léon Gallet, briefly transforming the firm into Courvoisier-Gallet. During this period, the company introduced several sub-brands:— Mobilis (tourbillons),
— El Aguila (for export to Spain, Portugal, and South America),— Madix (military watches).In 1904, the firm patented the CH30754 tourbillon under the Mobilis brand — a model with a visible balance wheel, dubbed the "people′s tourbillon" due to its innovative layout. In 1915, the Madix watch was introduced with a reinforced case and radium lume dot, designed for officers and mountaineers. Decline and Dissolution (1915–1942) In the 20th century, Courvoisier focused on pocket watches and lost market share in the emerging wristwatch segment. In 1909, the firm’s assets transferred to L. Courvoisier & Cie. By 1928, it was reorganized as L. Courvoisier & Co., followed by the sale of its trademarks:— El Aguila → Engelhard Frères (1929)
— Aladdin → Timor Watch Co. (1934)
— Madix → Home Watch Co. (1942) Thus ended the story of one of Switzerland’s most distinguished watchmaking houses. LegacyThe legacy of Courvoisier Frères lives on in major museum collections:
▪ Musée International d’Horlogerie (La Chaux-de-Fonds)
▪ Patek Philippe Museum (Geneva)
▪ Topkapı Palace Museum (Istanbul)