Journalist Shigeru Sugawara, who has been covering the watch industry for over 30 years, writes a series on webChronos titled "Swiss Time Travel: Reminiscing on the 1990s." The fifth installment chronicles his interview with Ebel, a leading brand in La Chaux-de-Fonds. What words made the biggest impression on Sugawara during his three visits to the company's headquarters? Also, be sure to check out the mysterious chronograph he encountered there.
Text by Shigeru Sugawara
[Article published on January 6, 2025]
Looking back at Ebel from the watchmaking city of La Chaux-de-Fonds
The Swiss watch industry developed in Geneva and on the open plains in the Jura Mountains. La Chaux-de-Fonds is one such area. From the mid-1990s to the early 2000s, I often visited the area for overnight stays and interviews during watch exhibitions held in Basel and Geneva. After being destroyed by a major fire at the end of the 18th century, the city was systematically redeveloped and rebuilt as a watchmaking city, earning it UNESCO World Heritage status. Today, the area is home to numerous factories, including Cartier, and has been completely reborn as a modern watchmaking city. The two most representative brands of La Chaux-de-Fonds in the 1990s were Girard-Perregaux and Ebel. Girard-Perregaux established its factory here in 1852, while Ebel established its factory there in 1911. This article will begin with a look back at Ebel.
Architects of Time and the Chronograph
I've known about Ebel since Ginza Wako was its distributor, but when I was working as an editor for a jewelry magazine, I had the impression that it was a stylish watch for high-end clients. In Europe and the United States, it was more popular than Rolex, and many celebrities were loyal customers. In the 1990s, import trading company Nippon SiberHegner (now DKSH) began handling the brand, and its recognition in Japan increased dramatically. Speaking of Ebel, the brand is famous for its slogan, "THE ARCHITECTS OF TIME." This simple yet meaningful phrase conveys the worldview of Ebel, which specializes in modern, luxurious watches based on the concept of sporty elegance.
Looking at some old documents I had on hand, I discovered that the instantly recognizable, iconic design, with its smooth curves and accented screws, began with the 1977 "Sport Classic" and continued through the following mechanical chronographs: the "Sport Chronograph" (1982, El Primero Caliber 400), the "Perpetual Calendar Chronograph" (1983*, El Primero-based Caliber 136), and the "Le Modulor" (1995, Lemania-co-developed Caliber 137). Looking back, it's fair to say that Ebel, which released these stylishly designed models in the 1980s, a time when quartz was at its peak and mechanical watches, let alone mechanical chronographs, were not doing so well, made them a unique presence in the Swiss watch industry. (Note: Released in 1984.)
Three visits to Ebel headquarters
Wanting to see firsthand how Ebel (many at the Basel Fair and headquarters pronounce EBEL as "I-BELL") watches are made, I visited the factory for the first time in the spring of 1994. It was the day after I'd finished covering Basel '94 and touring the famous International Watchmaking Museum in La Chaux-de-Fonds. When I asked to photograph the movements and uniquely shaped cases at the factory, the guide said, "Please only photograph the areas we've authorized." Ebel also worked for a famous Parisian jewelry brand. As Franco Cologni's book on "TANK" clearly notes, they produced quartz movements for Cartier until the late 1990s. Naturally, I wasn't allowed to see the factory, but I ended up being given publicity photos (35mm reversible film at the time) and documents.
Villa Turk
After the factory tour, we were guided to a building nearby the company headquarters. It was the 1910s Villa Turck, designed by the famous architect Le Corbusier. It was a symbolic building for Ebel, the "architect of the time." Ebel purchased this elegant historic building, one of the landmarks of La Chaux-de-Fonds, in 1986 and used it as a private guest house. I was fortunate enough to have the opportunity to stay at Villa Turck twice, in 1995 and 1996. The time I spent relaxing in the elegant villa was particularly special.
Renewal of the chronograph movement
My third visit to Ebel's headquarters in 1996 was for an in-depth look at the new movement used in the latest chronograph, "Le Modulor," unveiled at Basel '95. I was assisted by François Girardet and Jean-Claude Delapres from the technical department, along with Ben Schoder, the designer responsible for creating the aesthetic aesthetic of Ebel watches. As mentioned earlier, the movement used in Ebel's "Sport Chronograph," dating back to the 1980s, is a Zenith El Primero Caliber 400 adapted to the company's specifications. The Rolex "Daytona" from the same era was also a modified Caliber 400, so it's fair to say the two movements are similar. However, Ebel was not satisfied with the outdated structure remaining in the El Primero, designed in the 1960s, and had been working on developing a new movement for many years.
One statement by Girardet that remains vivid in my memory is, "The column wheel is outdated!" (I wonder how it sounds now?) He proudly boasts that he had completed the compact, high-performance chronograph movement, Cal. 137, through thorough component reduction and integration. It also boasts the high precision of a COSC-certified chronometer. Incidentally, I should also mention that it was developed in collaboration with Lemania. Equipped with the Cal. 137, an exceptionally excellent automatic chronograph movement at the time, and further refining the overall design, the Le Modulor was later renamed the 1911 Chronograph and gained popularity. However, following various changes in the brand's ownership, I was shocked to learn that the Cal. 137 movement was sold to Ulysse Nardin in 2012. Who would have thought that chronograph was finished!
An encounter with the mysterious chronograph "De Berccy"
Finally, let me add one more bonus memory of La Chaux-de-Fonds. It's an episode from when I interviewed Ebel in 1996. I came across this chronograph in a small shop while strolling through the backstreets of the town. Displayed among rows of ceramics and tin toys, the three chronographs featured tastefully designed cases and dials with intricate detail. Even the automatic movements visible through the casebacks were engraved and gold-plated—a truly captivating display that caught the eye of any watch lover. As one would expect from a city of watchmaking, if one were to assemble their favorite parts using the many workshops in the town, it's possible to create a truly special watch. In that sense, this chronograph could be said to be the epitome of La Chaux-de-Fonds.
An elderly man was working at a workbench in the back of the shop. His name on his business card was pronounced Bertzki, or something along those lines, and he listed himself as a watch specialist. I later discovered, while covering Derby & Schaldenbrand in Basel, that this mysterious watchmaker was Derby's master watchmaker. The gold-plated movement was very similar to the Derby's. After seeing the latest chronographs at Ebel, I thought the completely contrasting vintage-style chronograph would be nice, so I immediately decided to buy one. It cost 900 Swiss francs (about 80,000 yen at the time), so it was excellent value for money. Thirty years later, this memorable chronograph was a great purchase, and it's still in use today. I enjoy wearing it occasionally.
Profile of Shigeru Sugawara
Born in 1954. Watch journalist. In the 1980s, he covered France and Italy for fashion and jewelry magazines. Since the 1990s, he has focused on watches, covering the annual watch fair held in Switzerland for over 25 years. He has written and published numerous articles in watch magazines such as "Chronos Japan" and general magazines. He also translates books on watches.
