====== Ernest Borel ======
**Ernest Borel** is a brand of [[Swiss]] watches dating to [[1856]] and re-launched today.

===== History =====
Ernest Borel traces their history to [[1856]] when Jules Borel began producing watches near [[Neuchâtel]], Switzerland. Borel and his brother-in-law, Paul Courvoisier, founded **Borel & Courvoisier Company** in [[1859]] and began exporting watches and clocks the following year. The company was actively producing watches for the export market and placed first in an [[1866]] Neuchâtel Observatory timing competition. In [[1876]], Ernest Borel won awards in Philadelphia and Paris, indicating their focus on export.

Jules Borel's son Ernest took over the company in [[1894]], renaming the company **Ernest Borel & Cie** in [[1898]]. The company adopted their "dancing lovers" logo at that time. In [[1903]], Ernest Borel began selling watches in China, opening a major market for the brand. Jean-Louis Borel took over from his father in [[1936]]. Until the revolution in [[1949]], Borel focused on the China market predominately.

With China closed, Ernest Borel returned to Europe and entered the United States in the 1950's. The company tried the "[[Incastar]]" balance system in [[ETA]] movements, but also produced watches with more ordinary ETA and [[FHF]] movements at that time. Many were chronometers, with Borel producing 4,172 watches certified by [[COSC]] in that period. Another popular product of the time is the so-called "cocktail watch", introduced in [[1953]] and featuring a moving kaleidoscope dial. The Rendez-Vous was an [[alarm watch]] with [[AS1930|Cal. AS 1930]], the "Dateoptic" had a dial-mounted magnifier for the date, and the Sea Gem was a water-resistant model.

By [[1968]], Ernest Borel production had fallen and the company was absorbed into [[ASUAG]]. It was placed in their [[Synchron]] group alongside [[Doxa]] and [[Cyma]] and the three brands were jointly marketed throughout the 1970's. By [[1980]], however, the brand was effectively defunct.

Ernest Borel and [[Doxa]] were taken over by [[Aubry Frères]] by [[1981]] and experienced a resurgence for a time. It was a well-known brand in the Americas and China, balancing their [[West End]] watch brand in the Middle East. The company was rising again in [[1992]], celebrating "135 years in business" despite changes in ownership.

===== Ernest Borel Today =====
The Ernest Borel brand was re-started in [[La Chaux-de-Fonds]], Switzerland in [[1997]] by a group of Chinese investors. It was relocated to [[Le Noirmont]] in [[2009]]. The company was listed on the Hong Kong stock exchange in [[2014]]. Today, the company focuses on China, Eastern Europe, and the United States markets.


{{tag>Watch_brands Watch_brands_Switzerland Synchron ASUAG Le_Noirmont}}