====== Leonidas ======

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

{{wst>image_cr|Leonidas|Logo}}

**Leonidas** is a Swiss watch company.

===== History =====
The **Leonidas Watch Factory** traces its origins to [[1841]] in [[Saint-Imier]], was merged with [[Heuer]] in [[1964]], and the brand was retired after the company became [[TAG Heuer]] in [[1985]]. It was a large-scale producer of [[chronograph]]s and [[stop watch]]es and is associated with the [[Bourquin]] and [[Jeanneret]] families and [[Beau-Site]] area of the town. The brand was typically written as "Léonidas" through the 1930s, though the acute e was rarely used after this.

====Julien Bourquin====

The Leonidas company traces its roots to the year [[1841]], when Julien Bourquin began selling watches in [[Saint-Imier]]. Bourquin is listed in Indicateur Davoine as early as [[1842]] in the town, along with Calame (no longer listed after [[1844]]) and Fs-H. Bourquin (noted as "Maison à Londres" and appears to relocate to [[La Chaux-de-Fonds]] soon after). Bourquin Frères appears in [[1847]] and [[1848]], and Julien continued to be listed alone beyond this date. In [[1867]], Bourquin's production is noted as "fabricant ... et aroenterie et bijouterie" (maker of watches, silverware, and jewelry) and his address is shown specifically at Grand Rue 6. Julien Bourquin appears to have died in the 1880s.

====Ferdinand Bourquin====

Ferdinand Bourquin is listed as successor to Julien Bourquin in [[1886]]. He had worked in Russia, selling watches to the aristocracy there and establishing the Bourquin name alongside those of [[Paul Buhré]], [[H. Moser & Cie.]], and [[Breguet]]. Once he took over, Julien expanded the family business with workshops in Poland and Russia and the establishment of new brands, **La Populaire** and **Léonidas**.

The first advertisement for Ferdinand Bourquin appears in [[1895]] and declares this is "Ancienne Maison Julien Bourquin Fondée en 1841", leaving little doubt to the continuity. Bourquin lists La Populaire as his brand at this time, and specifies that he specializes in anchor watches of beauty and quality in 13, 16, and 19 ligne sizes, along with [[chronograph]]s and [[stop watch]]es.

In [[1901]], Ferdinand Bourquin relocated to Rue des Roses 2, a growing factory also used by [[Ernest Degoumois]] at that time and the future home of the [[Fluckiger]] dial company. Bourquin was constructing his own workshop in the Beau-Site area across town but he died of a heart attack on March 5, [[1905]], before the new factory opened.

====Léonidas Watch Factory====

The **Léonidas** name first appears in [[1902]] in an advertisement for Ferdinand Bourquin's Fabrique d'Horlogerie Beau-Site. It is clear that this brand is used primarily on precision 18 ligne anchor watches, a higher-end product for the company that also produced stopwatches and cheaper patented chronographs as well as a variety of La Populaire watches. 

In [[1903]], Leonidas is advertised being solely represented by J.-H. Jeanneret, and the company is shown to produce chronographs, stop watches, and extra-thin watches. It appears that Jeanneret had purchased a share of the company at this time, though this is not well documented. Leonidas no longer advertises in La Fédération Horlogère after [[1904]] but the company undoubtedly continued in operation. The company secured design patents in [[1907]] and [[1908]] under the name, "Leonidas Watch Factory, Vve Ferdinand Bourquin" suggesting that Bourquin's widow was still in control of the company at that time. A [[1909]] patent shows only "Leonidas Watch Factory", and the other patents were reassigned that year as well, suggesting a change of ownership.

The mounting social trouble in Russia placed sales pressure on companies like Leonidas that focused on the market. But a more serious crisis grew in [[1910]] as their bank, Banque Populaire de Bienne, faced a shortfall and was no longer able to extend credit. Leonidas boss Jules Javet attempted to continue production but was soon arrested on charges of embezzlement and fraud. Although he was ultimately exonerated, the company was liquidated in [[1911]] at a substantial loss.

====Constant Jeanneret-Droz' Montre Junior====

Watchmaker Constant Jeanneret-Droz, one of the three sons of the [[Excelsior Park]] founder [[Jules Frédéric Jeanneret]], established **Manufacture Junior** by [[1902]]. The company sold anti-magnetic watches, likely based on [[Moeris|Fritz Moeri's patent]] along with electrically illuminated and powered clocks. Manufacture Junior was legally known as "Jeanneret-Droz", as seen in design patents from [[1903]] and [[1904]]. Junior was located at Rue du Pont 16, across the railroad tracks from the large [[Usine du Parc]] and [[Moeris|Usine Fritz Moeri]] factories.

Junior licensed a patent for winding and time setting mechanism from Charles Perrin-Debrot of Saint-Imier that year, suggesting that they were manufacturing their own watches and not just re-selling [[Moeris|Moeri's watches]]. In addition to Manufacture Junior, Constant Jeanneret-Droz also became a wholesaler for [[chronograph]] movements produced by [[Jaeger-LeCoultre|LeCoultre]] in [[Le Sentier]], a curious activity for a Saint-Imier company.

Junior's product line expanded by [[1907]] to include higher-quality 17 and 19 ligne watches and American-style 16 ligne movements in addition to the 19 ligne anti-magnetic movement. The company also boasted of producing steel, silver, and gold cases with excellent quality.

In [[1911]], Constant Jeanneret-Droz purchased the assets of the Leonidas Watch Factory. He had intended to buy the factory as part of a consortium but outbid his own group when it became clear that no other buyers would drive up the price. He almost immediately turned management of the company over to his son Charles Jeanneret, who would run the factory for decades.

Jeanneret merged Leonidas with the **Junior** brand, and this appears to have displaced La Populaire as the lower-priced brand. They produced precision anchor watches in both normal and ultra-thin models and specialized in chronographs and stop watches and also produced 1 and 8 day automobile dashboard watches, which was a trend at the time. We see the first advertisements for a Leonidas wristwatch in [[1916]]. The Junior brand is last seen in advertisements in [[1919]], though the name would be taken up by [[Helvetia]] in the 1930s.

====Leonidas and Berna====

In [[1930]], Charles Jeanneret purchased [[Berna]] out of bankruptcy, with the latter taking residence along with [[High Life]] at Beau-Site 8. Berna at that time specialized in stop watches and chronographs as well, and was differentiated by their patented parts container which was encased inside the movement. This combination was initially publicized as "Leonidas et Berna" but the two companies were advertised independently after [[1932]]. It is likely that Berna was the junior brand to Leonidas, just as Junior and La Popular had been in previous decades.

Leonidas worked with ebauche manufacturers [[Valjoux]], [[Venus]], [[ETA]], and others and produced high-end watches for men and ladies, complicated watches ([[chronograph]]s and [[full calendar]]s), and precision timers and [[stopwatch]]es. After World War II, Leonidas emerged as a fine watch brand, but this quickly faded and the company re-focused on the mainstream market. By the 1960s, Leonidas was focused on mass-market chronographs, stopwatches, and simple watches. The company had become the leading Swiss stopwatch company in America, leaving little space in the market for other brands.

====Heuer-Leonidas====

Young Jack W. Heuer saw Leonidas's business as complementary to [[Heuer|his family firm]]. He acquired the company, and on January 1, [[1964]] the combined firm became **Heuer-Leonidas**. [[Berna]] remained in the hands of the Jeanneret family, and Leonidas became the junior brand to Heuer through the 1970s.

Heuer-Leonidas faced difficulties in the late 1970s and a stake was acquired in [[1982]] by [[Nouvelle Lemania]]. [[TAG]] invested in [[1985]] and it became [[TAG Heuer]]. The Leonidas brand was retired around this time.

=====Leonidas Watch Today=====
{{wst>image_cl|Leonidas|Biarritz Sport}}

A new Leonidas Watch company was established in [[2015]], selling retro-themed watches reminiscent of the Heuer-Leonidas line. As a commitment to the brand history it was promised never to use a movement powered by a battery.

=====External Links=====
  * [[https://grail-watch.com/2022/04/05/the-rise-and-fall-of-leonidas-and-the-beau-site-factory/|The Rise and Fall of Leonidas and the Beau-Site Factory]]

  * [[https://www.leonidaswatch.com/|Leonidas]], official website

{{tag>Watch_brands Watch_brands_Switzerland Saint-Imier}}