EXCELSIOR PARK – a major manufacturer of chronographs.

The industrialization of watchmaking came to Switzerland in the late 19th century and is embodied by the huge Longines factory on the Suze River in Saint-Imier. But steam power came first, enabling the construction of factories across Europe, including Usine du Parc, the ancestor of Excelsior Park. This is the story of the ups and downs of steam power in Saint-Imier and the unique stopwatches produced there. It is also the story of the end of steam and the Excelsior Park factory and the reasons for its demise. Usine du Parc was not the largest or newest factory in Saint-Imier. Indeed, the factory building is mostly forgotten today. But “Le Parc” was certainly one of the most important watchmaking concerns ever established in this small town. The complex, which dates back to the mid-19th century, focused on the use of steam power, which attracted Albert Jeanneret and his brothers to establish a watchmaking company there around 1889.
The company eventually adopted the Excelsior Park brand and was one of the most recognizable and significant manufacturers of chronograph mechanisms. Henri Jeanneret-Brehm died on August 4, 1932 at the age of 76. He had been suffering from a painful disease for a long time. However, the company remained in the hands of the family. In his place, Robert-Henri Jeanneret managed the factory before passing it on to his son, Robert-Edmond Jeanneret, grandson of Jules-Frédéric. From 1918 to 1983, Excelsior Park produced a range of stopwatches, branded watches and watch movements for Gallet, Girard-Perregaux and Zenith. The company was quite successful, but their main competitor (especially in business with Zenith) was Martel and their close partner Universal. Excelsior Park encountered many difficulties and almost ceased operations in 1975 when the American market, which accounted for as much as half of their sales, shifted to cheaper Asian and electronic watches. Nevertheless, production at Saint-Imier continued until March 31, 1983, when the company sent all employees home and halted production. Although companies such as Gallet and Revue Thommen were able to buy some of the remaining inventory, the brand and factory remained unredeemed. The company was finally liquidated on December 12, 1985, shortly after the death of fourth-generation chairman Robert-Edmond Jeanneret. The company’s name went to the Flume Company of Germany, which, however, was unable to revive it.