====== Couleru-Meuri ======

{{wst>author|[[Foskett, Stephen|Stephen Foskett]] ([[https://grail-watch.com/|Grail Watch]])}}

**Couleru-Meuri** was a watchmaker located in [[La Chaux-de-Fonds]] from [[1880]] through the 1920s.

===== History =====
Charles Couleru-Meuri located his workshop at 9 Rue Neuve as early as [[1880]], though some sources date the start of the company to as early as [[1848]]. He produced high-end and complicated pocket watches, specializing in [[moon phase indicator]]s and [[ultra-thin]] models.

Couleru-Meuri received a third-class medal at the International Watch Exhibition at [[La Chaux-de-Fonds]] in [[1881]], the first of many accolades. The company was recognized for its [[calendar]] watch movements at [[Zürich]] in [[1883]] and received medals at Antwerp in [[1885]] and Paris in [[1889]] and [[1893]]. The company was also recognized at the World's Columbian Exhibition in Chicago in [[1893]].

In [[1894]] Couleru-Meuri relocated to a large factory at 18 Boulevard du Petit-Château, next to [[Léon Breitling]]'s workshop. By [[1901]], this was listed as 1 Rue(lle) Montbrillant as the road had been disconnected. This large factory was called [[Montbrillant Watch Manufactory]] by [[Breitling]] and remained closely associated with the production of [[complicated]] pocket watches and [[8-day]] clocks for decades even after Couleru-Meuri moved on. The company also diversified, introducing a line of cycling [[odometer]]s under the **Mascotte** brand by [[1884]].

Couleru-Meuri was well known for complicated watches, including those with a [[24 hour]] display, with [[calendar]] and [[moon phase indicator]], and special watches for the blind and [[stopwatch]]es. By [[1892]], Couleru-Meuri had patented a [[moon phase indicator]] with a concentric [[subdial]] pointer, and aggressively defended this design. The company also collected numerous other patents, including early [[chronograph]] indications, [[ultra-thin]] designs, and an [[8-day]] movement.

In [[1893]], the firm patented an unusual [[24 hour watch]] featuring a disc with alternating numbers 1-12 and apertures that would shift at noon to show the numbers 13-24. This was developed at the time but not produced in volume. A controversy arose in [[1913]] when a French firm, Adrien Castenceau, patented the same design without credit. Couleru-Meuri's patents 7197 and 7198

The Couleru-Meuri company appears to have been taken over by Hector Lévy of Paris in [[1901]]. The company then offered technical services to other watchmakers in La Chaux-de-Fonds, resisting the drive to mass production just as Charles Couleru-Meuri had done. The company also began working closely with the commercial distributor Gindrat-Delachaux, also of La Chaux-de-Fonds, at this time and many watches and patents are issued in the name of both. It retains the name, Charles Couleru-Meuri, through this time period, so it is likely that the eponymous watchmaker remained involved.

Couleru-Meuri reminded at Ruelle Montbrillant 1 through [[1908]], when he appears to have closed his business. The following year, Eugène is the proprietor of the Couleru-Meuri watchmaking business, now located at Rue Jaquet-Droz 47. Charles Couleru-Meuri appears to have lived a while longer, however, and his home address is listed at Rue de la Promenade 16 through [[1917]]. In [[1918]], the home is listed as belonging to Vve. Couleru-Meuri, suggesting that Charles died in [[1917]]. She is no longer listed after this year either.

===== Eugène Couleru =====
Charles' son Eugène Couleru was listed on many of the company's patents starting in [[1900]] and would soon open his own firm. Eugène's company, **Fabrique d'Horlogerie Octo, Eugène Couleru**, appears at Rue Jaquet-Droz 47 in [[1909]], just after the closure of his father's workshop at Montbrillant 1. Interestingly, he is listed in the [[Annuaires des Adresses]] as "Eugène Couleru" at his home address ("Ménagère") and as "Eugène Couleru-Meuri" for his business. The business remains listed as "Eugène Couleru-Meuri" until his father's death in [[1918]] and is listed as "Eugène Couleru" after this.

Eugène Couleru's company would take up the watchmaking business of Couleru-Meuri, and he is shown as the producer of "Octo" watches starting in [[1912]]. The workshop relocated from the central Rue Jaquet-Droz out to Rue de la Charrière 37 in [[1914]]. Couleru produced Octo watches for sale by the firm of [[Marc Dubois]], which by that time was owned by [[Ernest Tolck]]. But Couleru did not continue his father's tradition of [[chronometry]] and [[complication]]s. Eugène Couleru is listed as registering "Fabrique Octo" in [[1920]], and was still associated with the Octo brand by [[1927]].

But Couleru's new firm did not fare well and was nearly bankrupt in [[1926]]. That year, the Couleru workshop became a home-based business at Rue des Tourelles, coincidentally quite close to the Montbrillant factory used by his father. In April [[1927]], Couleru removed the name "Octo" from his firm's name, with the rights having been taken up by [[Ernest Tolck]]. Eugène Couleru moved back to the center of town at Rue de la Serre in [[1929]], and his last appearance in [[Indicateur Davoine]] is [[1930]]. This would mark the end of Eugène's business, and perhaps was the year of his death, as he is no longer listed in the La Chaux-de-Fonds directory.

===== Montres Octo =====
  *Main Article [[Octo]]

By [[1904]], Couleru-Meuri was producing [[8-day]] clocks under the **[[Octo]]** brand based on their [[1903]] patent 10370. These were advertised as "[[anti-magnetic|non magnétique]]" and featured an [[open heart|opening in the dial]] with a [[power reserve indicator|pointer at 6 00 showing power remaining]]. The patent No. 28536-37 is listed. Couleru's longtime partner Gindrat-Delachaux, also sold 8-day clocks and watches based on the movement since [[1904]]. [[Breitling]] also produced 8-day watches in [[Montbrillant Watch Manufactory|the same factory]] at that time, and these likely used Couleru-Meuri movements.

The "Octo" brand was registered by Eugène Couleru in [[1920]]. But by this date it was also used by [[Marc Dubois]], which had been taken over by [[Ernest Tolck]] in [[1916]]. Tolck/Dubois continued production of 8-day clocks "pour automobiles et voitures" under the "Octo" name. By [[1927]], [[Ernest Tolck]] had taken over the Octo brand, officially registering the company as **Fabrique Octo**.

The Couleru patent, 10370, expired in [[1919]], but Tolck (Montres Octo) registered new patents, 38361 and 44829 for long-duration movements. Another patent, 141602, was registered in [[1930]] as the production of Octo watches continued, and 44829 was renewed in [[1934]] and [[1939]].

Octo S.à.r.l. (later called Octo SA) was established in [[Bienne]] as a successor to Tolck in [[1941]]. It continued to offer 8-day watches under the Octo brand through the 1960s, along with a line of standard watches. Octo was exclusively distributed by [[Chung Nam]] by [[1970]] and the company owned the brand by [[1993]].

The final reminder of Couleru-Meuri and Montres Octo is the sign which is still visible on the [[Montbrillant Watch Manufactory]] It specifies "8 Jours", a reference to the tenant from [[1894]]!

===== See Also =====
  * [[Montbrillant Watch Manufactory]]


{{tag>Watch_brands_Switzerland La_Chaux-de-Fonds Montbrillant_Watch_Manufactory}}