Bovet A watchmaking dynasty founded by Edouard, Frédéric, Alphonse, Gustave, Charles-Henri, and Caroline Bovet, of Fleurier. In 1814, Edouard, Alphonse and Frédéric went to work in London, then the center of Europe's watch trade. His employer, the Magniac company, sent him to Canton, the only Chinese port then open to Western trade. In 1822, along with his two brothers in London, Alphonse and Frédéric, and his third brother Gustave, in Fleurier, Edouard founded a partnership for the China watch trade in Canton. Business boomed, and the company quickly transferred production to Fleurier. In 1824, Edouard's fourth brother, Charles- Henri, became a partner in the family company, joining Edouard in Macao. In 1831, Edouard Bovet took part in the abortive Republican revolt against the King of Prussia. As the King's troops occupied the Val-de-Travers, he fled to Besançon in France, where he continued Fleurier watch production, along with other exiled watchmakers. In 1836, Gustave Bovet?s son Louis joined his uncle Charles-Henri in Canton. Frédéric Bovet returned from London to Fleurier in 1840, managing the watchmaking workshops. The business then employed nearly 175 people. 1840, the Bovet brothers reestablished Bovet Frères et Cie, in Fleurier. 1849, Edouard Bovet died in Fleurier. 1855, Bovet Frères et Cie won a gold medal at the Paris International Exhibition in the luxury watches category. 1856, Charles Bovet, youngest son of Alphonse, took on the management of the business. 1864, the Bovet family sold the Bovet watch production to their manufacturing inspectors in Fleurier, Jules Jéquier and Ernest Bobillier, soon joined by Ami Leuba. The articles of association maintain the Bovet group: Maison Bovet and Bovet Bros. in London, F. and A. Bovet in Canton, and Bovet Frères et Cie in Fleurier. 1888, Bovet Frères is founded by Alexis Landry who served his apprenticeship in Fritz Bovet?s workshop in Fleurier, producing ebauches for Chinese watches and silver cases. Then Alexis Landry formed a partnership with Albert and Jean Bovet, specializing in complicated watches and chronographs. 1901, the Bovet trademark is acquired at auction by César and Charles Leuba, sons of Ami Leuba. 1918, Jacques Ullmann & Co. of La Chaux-de-Fonds buy the Bovet brand from Leuba Brothers. 1932, Jacques Ullmann & Co. closes. 1936, the Bovet brothers register several patents, in particular for ?la montre chevalet? and the ?chronographe monoratrappante?. 1948, the Favre-Leuba watchmaking company took over the company and acquired the first production plant. Around 1950, Favre-Leuba gave up the Bovet and Bovet Frères brands; the Fleurier plant specialized exclusively in high-precision and complicated Favre Leuba watches. 1966 Favre-Leuba sold the Fleurier plant to a watchmaking group and in 1989 Parmigiani acquired the Bovet name. 1990, A limited company registered as Bovet Fleurier S.A. is formed, using the Bovet trademark. 1994, Roger Guye and a partner bought Bovet Fleurier S.A. and opened a branch in Geneva. 2001, Pascal Raffy became the majority shareholder and President. Ever since, Bovet timepieces are widely available in the world's major destinations. Eager to maintain its historical roots in the Far East, the company has subsidiaries in Hong Kong and Japan, and delivers its collection to carefully selected distributors in Singapore, Taiwan, the Middle East, Turkey, Russia, the United States, London and Geneva.