We are delighted to have the opportunity to introduce you to the traditional house of Du Bois & Fils 1785 and to tell you something of its history.
In 1785, Philippe du Bois and his sons founded the watch company of Du Bois & Fils in the parent house in Le Locle, Switzerland. As a draper, Philippe had already established a good network of business contacts throughout Europe and even into America. These provided an excellent basis for the watch company in its early days. During the 19th Century bases were built up in countries such as Germany, Holland Spain and America, and Du Bois & Fils prospered. The Frankfurt branch was especially important because of the proximity to the trade fairs.
The watches which still exist from those early days show the definitive Du Bois House trend: Du Bois made elegant and decorative pocket watches with additional mechanisms in refined, clear-cut casings similar to the mode of the luxury watches from Geneva. On e very rare and exquisite Du Bois & Fils golden pocket watch with a mute pendulum dates back to around 1800. At the time, the suspended escapement with double degree escapement was quite a sensation. The most valuable timepiece of the era is a golden Minutetourbillion with a thermometer dial.
