Background
Constant Girard was born in 1825, in La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland.
Constant Girard
Constant Girard was born in 1825, in La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland.
Constant Girard founded the Girard & Cie firm in 1852. Two years later he married Marie Perregaux and they founded in 1856 the watch manufacturing company. The Girard-Perregaux Manufacture was born from the marriage of their two names.
Constant Girard was particularly acclaimed for his research into escapement systems, notably the tourbillon escapement. The quality and beauty of his creations were rewarded by a number of prizes and distinctions at national and international competitions, and also at Universal Exhibitions. In 1867, he presented a tourbillon which was a prize winner at the Paris Universal Exhibition. The culmination came in 1889, when his famous Tourbillon with three gold Bridges, established as the icon of the Girard-Perregaux firm, won a gold medal at the Paris Universal Exhibition.
In 1880, he received his first major contract for 2,000 wristwatches, ordered by Emperor Wilhelm I for German naval officers. The glass was shielded by a grille to protect it from shocks. Two thousand watches were produced, making this model the first major commercial wristwatch ever developed. However, the idea, which was revolutionary at the time, failed to catch on immediately. Indeed, it would not be until the beginning of the following century that the wristwatch would achieve its familiar popular success.
Nurtured and developed by the Girard-Perregaux family, the Manufacture gained recognition well beyond Europe. It was among the first to introduce the Swiss watch in America, where Constant Girard-Perregaux, along with his brothers-in-law Henri (1828-1893) and Jules Perregaux (1838-1903), set up offices.
During his life, Girard-Perregaux was equally active in the social, political, and economic life of La Chaux-de-Fonds.
Girard married Marie Perregaux (1831-1912), born to a family of important watch merchants from Le Locle.
