History of Ebel

It was against a setting of social and cultural transformation at the change of the 20th century that Eug่ne Blum and his wife Alice Levy, established Ebel in 1911. The name is a contraction of the first letters of their names - Eugene Blum et Levy. Three years later the company was awarded a gold medal at the Swiss National Exhibition. This gained the notice of the more reputable brands in Switzerland, and as a result, Ebels confidential label business was to become their bread and butter for the next 70 years.

They unrelentingly produced Ebel signature pieces on a small scale basis. Alice Levy Blum ran the day by day procedures of the company, only sporadically concerned with the creative phases of designing the models and assortments offered. Her husband controlled the promoting of the products, becoming a world traveler and company salesman in the custom of Francois Constantin and Antoine Norbert de Patek. With the bestowal of a Certificate of Excellence in 1929, Ebels status was additionally improved. That year Charles-Eugene Blum united with the family business, and along with watchmaker Marcel Reuche, instituted a strict method of production regulations that succeeded over increased orders from the top names in the industry, comprising Vacheron Constantin.

Well know as it was, the Ebel brand was not so highly acclaimed outside of its local. Ebels signature pieces from the 20s, 30s, and on throughout the 60s showed solid, if unremarkable, design and production superiority. In this way it persisted, until the advent of Pierre-Alain Blum, son of Charles-Eugene and grandson of company originators Eugene and Alice. By all reports, Pierre-Alain was a hesitant successor with a defiant and unconventional characteristic. He proclaimed at 15, that he wanted to study mechanics, then electricity at technical school. A few years later he resolved a technical prospect was not for him, and left for America. After years of sound work, he was presented with a partnership at Lucian Picard in New York.

By 1969 he was offered a partnership in the company. When Pierre-Alain eagerly noted to his father about the offer, Charles-Eugene requested that he go home, to help with the family business. After primarily refusing, he at length changed his mind, and went back. He came upon many hardships in this primary era. His prospect was to come.

An inopportune misfortune required the senior Blum to remove from vigorous running of the family ventures, and Pierre-Alain was propelled into the senior administration role. He brought ever mounting income and proceeds to the company - 30% expansion in the first year; another 30% the year after that, and 60% the year after that. By 1975, hed purchased the company from his father. What ensued was one of the major success stories of the Swiss Watch industry, a history that paralleled the roller coaster ride of that industry as it was overcome by the challenge of quartz.

1 9 1 1: Ebel brand created by Eug่ne and Alice Blum. Origin of name Ebel: Eug่ne Blum Et Levy.

191 2: Launch of the first Ebel wrist watch.

191 4: Gold Medal at the Swiss national Exhibition in Bern.

191 8: Ebel supplies Lipp watches.

192 5: Ebel wins the "Grand Prix" at the Decorative Arts Exhibition in Paris.

192 9: Diploma of honour at Barcelona Exhibition. Charles Blum joins the company.Launch of the baguette movement for Ebel watches.

193 0: First Basel Fair.

193 1: Western Electric creates a new precision testing instrument .