====== Paul Buhré ======

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

**Paul Buhré** is a historic watch brand established in [[1815]] and produced through [[1987]].

===== Paul Buhré in Russia and Le Locle =====
Montres Paul Buhré traces its roots to [[1815]], when Paul Léopold Robert opened a watch and clock store in St. Petersburg, Russia. His son, Paul Buhré, was a skilled watchmaker and gained renown for the watches supplied to the Imperial Court of Russia. It is for this reason that the Paul Buhré company would use the two-headed eagle as their symbol. Paul Buhré maintained retail outlets in St. Petersburg and Moscow, supplying the railways and Russian government.

In [[1880]], Paul Girard-Gabus, an established watchmaker in [[Le Locle]], Switzerland, opened a dedicated workshop there for Paul Buhré. It is likely that Girard-Gabus had already been involved in producing watches for Buhré in Le Locle even before this date, but his workshop at Rue Progrès 47 took on the name of the famous watchmaker exclusively by [[1883]]. Girard-Gabus eventually took over the firm along with his partner, Georges Pfund. In [[1896]], Paul Buhré was awarded a gold medal at the international exhibition in Geneva. The firm continued to grow in Switzerland, entering and winning 500 chronometry prizes (including 209 first prizes) at [[Neuchâtel]] and other competitions.

Buhré continued to grow in Le Locle, even as the St. Petersburg and Moscow locations were overcome by the Russian Revolution. Girard Frères moved the company to Rue Progrès 25 and 27 by [[1902]], and the office was briefly located at Plateau du Stand by [[1908]]. As Buhré became more successful, the firm needed a dedicated factory. This, by [[1913]], Buhrè moved into a large building on the same street as [[Tissot]] and competitor [[Robert Cart]], Rue Beau-Site 17. By [[1916]], Girard Frères gave way to Alexandre Girard, and the company was incorporated as **Paul Buhrè S.A.** by [[1920]].

Between [[1928]] and [[1930]], Paul Buhré and [[H. Barbezat-Bôle]] had merged. This smaller company was a specialist in complicated watches, including repeaters, and represented a consolidation of high-end watchmakers in Le Locle. The company would remain known officially as Paul Buhré et H. Barbezat-Bôle S.A. through [[1945]]. By [[1947]], the firm was reorganized as Manufacture des Montres Paul Buhré S.A. and relocated briefly to Rue des Envers 46 in [[1949]] before moving into a modern building at Avenue College 11 the following year.

In the 1950s, Paul Buhré produced fine wristwatches and deck chronometers in [[Le Locle]]. The company introduced a [[mystery dial]] watch in [[1958]] known as the Fantôme which used a disk behind 12 triangular apertures to show the time. By the end of the decade, Paul Buhré was represented by the same company as prestigious brands, [[Nicolet]] and [[Piaget]]. The brand followed the [[ultra-thin]] watch trend of the 1950s and 1960s with the Rotodator models, first shown in [[1960]].

===== Paul Buhré and Dixi =====
In [[1963]], Paul Buhré was purchased by watch tooling supplier [[Dixi]] of [[Le Locle]] along with the brand [[Erguel]]. By [[1969]], Erguel would be considered a brand of Paul Buhré rather than a separate company. Paul Buhré introduced a new range of luxury watches and jewelry that year, and was also known for traditional clocks.

Paul Buhré absorbed [[Robert Cart]] in [[1970]], including a large number of ultra-thin movements from [[F. Piguet]]. After acquiring [[H. Moser & Cie.|Henry Moser & Co.]] in [[1974]], many of these were used in luxury dress watches under the Paul Buhré and Moser brands. Their thinnest movement measured just 1.7 mm, enabling the company to compete with [[Audemars Piguet]] and [[Piaget]] in this market.

Paul Castella, head of Dixi, took close control of Paul Buhré in the 1970s, naming himself Managing Director by [[1975]]. The company had purchased the tooling and plans of historic cast bronze decorative clocks from [[Passerat]] of France in [[1968]] and now focused on manufacturing reproductions of these. This included re-creating the historic [[Neuchâtel movement]], a chiming clock movement from the 18th century. The company set up a modern production building above Le Locle in the 1970s at 38 Rue Georges-Perrenoud, complete with a funicular from the street. Paul Buhré acquired [[Luxor]], a [[1935]] maker of clocks and alarms, in [[1978]].

In [[1976]], the company acquired Geneva-based luxury fashion watch brand [[Jean Perret]], which had been established in [[1956]]. This would become a major brand for Paul Buhré for the next decade, focusing on high-grade quartz watches. The brand was sold in [[1985]] to John Buser and moved back to Geneva.

===== Dixi Focuses on Zenith =====
[[Dixi]] acquired [[Movado-Zenith-Mondia]] from the the American Zenith Radio Corporation in [[1978]]. Although separate from Paul Buhré, Zenith dramatically expanded the footprint of Dixi in Le Locle. Paul Buhré acquired the historic [[Zodiac]] brand in [[1978]], continuing production of sports watches under this brand.

In the 1980s, Paul Buhré represented the top of the pyramid, producing luxury jewelry watches under the theme of "prestige and tradition." Zenith continued production of sports watches under the Zodiac brand. One of the last novel products of the company was a triple-dial luxury watch using three quartz movements.

As Zenith rose, Paul Buhré and Zodiac were de-emphasized. Paul Buhré S.A. and Montres Erguel S.A. disappeared from the local business directory after [[1987]]. Zodiac integrated with Zenith in [[1982]] but failed to gain new traction. On October 29, [[1988]], Paul Buhré (along with [[H. Moser & Cie.]], [[Jean Perret]], [[Luxor]], [[Terrasse]], and [[Zodiac]]) was officially dissolved and integrated into Zenith. These brands were officially abandoned in [[1989]]. [[Zodiac]] would be re-launched in [[1990]], [[H. Moser & Cie.|Moser]] in [[2002]], and the rest would be mostly forgotten.


{{tag>Watch_brands Watch_brands_Switzerland Le_Locle}}