Ulysse Nardin and Favag S.A

Auktionen Dr. Crott, Frankfurt, 12 November 1994, lot 284.

Favag S.A., based in Neuchâtel, Switzerland, specialised in the production of high-precision timing instruments, including systems that integrated chronographs, clocks, and other timing systems. The company were pioneers in creating sophisticated devices for industrial, scientific, and sports timing applications during the early to mid-20th century. Their products were often used in settings where precise timing was crucial, such as laboratories, railways, and sports competitions. 

Favag developed a range of electrical circuit breaker modules, sometimes called chronoscope modules which were paired with mechanical split-seconds chronographs to capture and measure extremely precise intervals. These circuit breaker modules were often electromechanical, leveraging electrical pulses and switches to record split-second timing measurements. In such a system, the circuit breaker would momentarily interrupt or create a signal, which the paired chronograph would capture. This allowed operators to measure distinct time intervals down to fractions of a second—a key feature for industrial processes or competitive sports where timing accuracy is essential. The split-second functionality was especially valuable as it enabled the timing of multiple events from a single start signal, with the circuit breaker stopping the chronograph at different intervals. This innovation helped Favag gain a reputation for producing high-quality, specialized timing systems that were reliable, durable, and easy to integrate with other mechanical and electrical devices. To fully leverage the precision of the electrical module, highly accurate mechanical chronograph movements were essential —a specialty of Ulysse Nardin, making them particularly well-suited as suppliers for the mechanical timing element. 

Ulysse Nardin (1823-1876) was a key figure in Swiss chronometry of the 19th century and played a crucial role in advancing precision watchmaking in the Canton of Neuchâtel following the establishment of the Neuchâtel Observatory in 1858. Born in Le Locle, Nardin studied under Frédéric-William Dubois, a skilled watchmaker who pioneered marine chronometer production in the region. Nardin’s expertise earned him widespread recognition and he received his first gold medal for chronometry at the 1862 Universal Exhibition in London. In 1868, Ulysse Nardin’s company won the top two prizes for pocket chronometers at the Neuchâtel Observatory. Dr. Hirsch, Director of the Observatory, highlighted these exceptional timepieces in his report to the State Council, praising their remarkable precision and craftsmanship saying, “They are true timekeepers, which would be of service even to astronomers and navigators.”[1] It was under an agreement with Dr. Hirsch that Ulysse Nardin developed their own electrical circuit breakers in the 1870s. Much later, in 1960, Ulysse Nardin would help Oscilloquartz SA (the research arm of Ebauches SA) develop a quartz chronometer.

[1] Eugnène Jaquet & Alfred Chapuis, Technique and History of the Swiss Watch, London: Hamlyn, 1970, p.179.