Geneva, 13th February 2008
Baume & Mercier's history has been marked by a series of profitable associations: charismatic men who have worked together in total harmony, driven by a single aim: to manufacture watches of the highest quality.
Founding alliance in 1830: Louis Victor and Pierre Joseph Célestin Baume created and registered the " Frères Baume " trading entity in the village of Les Bois in the Swiss Jura. Anxious to employ only skilled watchmakers, they trained each one and in so doing helped to establish the profession in their region. Visionaries as to how the watch would evolve in general and uncompromising in their demand for fine quality traditional watches, they decided to set up business in a major European capital. They chose London and in 1851 founded Baume Brothers. After successfully developing the company on the English, Scottish and Irish markets they broke new ground as far afield as Australia and New Zealand. Early 1880s, the second generation of Baumes: once again, a two-man leadership was at the helm of Baume: Louis Victor's son, Alcide Eugene headed the Swiss firm while Alcide's brother, Arthur Joseph managed the London branch.
In 1912, the "two-headed" management system that had already proved its worth at Baume was repeated and Baume & Mercier was born of the encounter of two men: William Baume, third son of Alcide Eugène and grandson of Louis-Victor, and Paul Mercier. Of Russian origin, the elegant and enthusiastic Paul Tchereditchenko (known as Mercier) possessed an insatiable appetite for life, business and the arts. His circle of friends included numerous painters and writers. William, on the contrary, was a man of moderation and rigorous discipline who was fiercely attached to his family's name and reputation. Making the most of William's technical expertise and Paul's sharp business insight, the well-balanced association was concretized on 26 November 1918 and the " Baume & Mercier Genève " trademark was registered on 27 August 1920. Throughout the 1920s and 1930s, Baume & Mercier imposed itself on five continents. Unfortunately, poor health obliged William Baume to retire from the company soon after. |
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