====== Armand Nicolet ======
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**Armand Nicolet** is a Swiss watch manufacturer named for a putative 19th century watchmaker of the same name.

===== Alcide Nicolet =====
Today's Armand Nicolet brand claims that the watchmaker Armand Nicolet founded his workshop in Tramelan in [[1875]] and handed the business to his son Willy Nicolet after his death in [[1939]]. But there is no evidence of a watchmaker named Armand Nicolet active at that early date, with the likely namesake of the company first listed in [[Indicateur Davoine]] over 50 years later.

The most likely ancestor is **Alcide Nicolet**, who produced cylinder escapements in [[Tramelan|Tramelan-Dessus]] from 1886 through 1893. He is listed as a producer of Remonteurs in [[1894]] and of complete watches in [[1895]]. Alcide is the only member of the Nicolet family listed as producing watches in Tramelan ([[Tramelan|Dessus or Dessous]]) between [[1886]] (when cylinder escapement maker Samuel Nicolet is last seen) and [[1916]], when [[Achille Nicolet]] first appears.

Alcide Nicolet was born in [[1853]] and married Adele Vuilleumier in [[1875]]. The couple had 13 children, 10 of whom survived to adulthood. Among them are Achille Nicolet, born [[1877]], Paul Armand Nicolet, born in [[1884]] and likely the namesake of the modern company, Charles Albert Nicolet, born [[1890]]. This large family is the reason the Nicolet name is so closely associated with Tramelan, and the source of so many watchmakers of that name after the turn of the century.

[[Achille Nicolet]] is the next watchmaker in this family, appearing in Tramelan-Dessus in [[1916]]. He is joined by [[Charles Nicolet]] in [[1918]], after Alcide Nicolet disappears. These are likely Alcide's sons, and another firm, **Nicolet Frères**, appears in Tramelan-Dessus in [[1928]] which could have included some of the other children of the family.

===== Armand Nicolet =====
We do locate a watchmaker named **Armand Nicolet** in Tramelan-Dessus in [[1933]], however, and this is the most likely predecessor for today's Armand Nicolet company. Located at Méval 11, Armand Nicolet produced wrist and pocket watches using the **Telda** and **Verneta** brands and continued in operation for many years. This Nicolet is likely to be related to Achille Nicolet, who was located just down the street at Méval 8 and continued in operation through [[1938]].

The **Verneta** brand was previously used by the [[Verneta|Verneta Watch Co.]] of [[Porrentruy]]. Operated by Girardin & Wetterwald, Verneta produced anchor and cylinder watches by [[1908]] in steel, gold, or silver. It used the Verneta and Blanda brands. In [[1916]], Ariste Girardin is listed as the maker of Verneta Watch Co. watches, still in Porrentruy, and now also using the Neologa brand. This company disappears after this.

Armand Nicolet of Tramelan begins using the Verneta brand in [[1933]] and continues through [[1969]]. They also use the Telda brand for all of these years. In [[1938]], Nicolet begins using the **Delta** brand as well and adds **ADO Watch** from [[1940]] through [[1951]]. ADO is listed as a trademark of [[Fernand Nicolet]] from [[1956]] through [[1966]], a separate firm perhaps run by Armand's son.

The company is renamed Les Fils d'Armand Nicolet in [[1940]]. The firm also begins using the name **Montres Telda** that year. According to the company's history, Armand Nicolet died in [[1939]] and his son Willy Nicolet took over the business that year. This corresponds with the name change.

In [[1954]], the company relocates from Méval 11 to Méval 20. The company continues through the 1960s and is last listed in [[1969]].

===== Rolando Braga =====
At the beginning of the 1990s, Rolando Braga, an entrepreneur from Italy, cooperated with Willy Nicolet. From this meeting of Italian design and Swiss know-how a successful collaboration emerged. Willy Nicolet died [[1992]], and Rolando Braga took over the management. He carried out a reorganization of existing businesses. The production was maintained at Armand Nicolet Tramelan (Nicolet SA) and the Marketing & Design (Nicolet MD) was settled in Brescia, Italy. Both companies are added together in [[1993]] to a holding NH SA.

===== Video =====
  * [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BwLRCA1nDog|Armand Nicolet]], 5:25 (YouTube)

===== Address =====
NICOLET M.D. S.r.l.\\ Masterpieces Diffusion\\ Via della Piazza 15/A\\ I-25127 Brescia\\ Tel. +39 030 3772892\\ Fax +39 030 3772893

Manufacture Nicolet SA\\ Factory\\ Rue Meval 20\\ CH-2720 Tramelan\\ Tel. +41 (0)32 4876514\\ Fax +41 (0)32 4876515

===== Weblinks =====
  * [[http://www.armandnicolet.com/|Armand Nicolet]] - official site


{{tag>Watch_videos Watch_brands Watch_brands_Switzerland Jura_triangle}}