The history of the Elix watch brand

Not much has been written on the net about Elix, an old, french watch brand. Luckily I found this very interesting article with a lot of facts.

Article about Mougin Piquard and their watch brand Elix.

Click here to open a pdf with the article in french and a Google translation to english.

The Mougin-family began the production of watches under the brand name "Elix" in 1852 in Besancon in France. Besancon is just near the border to Switzerland and home to some of the most wellknown french watch brands, like Lip (est. 1800), Yema (est. 1948) and Maty (est. 1952).

In 1927 the company were taken over by Ernest Mougin and Paul Piquard. It is said that they continued the production of Elix watches and also used their own names "Mougin Piquard". I have however not been able to find any vintage watches bearing their names.

Elix pocket watch, probably from the 50s

Elix watch from the 60s

Elix diver from the 60s
Looks very much like a 36mm Super Compressor.
From another angle it seems to have crosshatched crowns.

At some point the next generation has taken over and the management were Jean-François Piquard, President and CEO, Jean-Claude Mougin, CEO, and Philippe Piquard, Commercial Director.

Mougin Piquard "Elix" ad from 1975.
Each watch model had an unique number.

In 1968 they produced 30 000 watches per year. In 1975 they moved to a new, larger location in Besancon and had opened an office in Paris.

The sales increased and in 1979 the production had reached 110 000 watches. Mougin Piquard S.A. employed 40 people, participated in the la Foire de Bâle (now Baselworld) and issued an annual catalog. It must have been happy and prosperous times.

The factory at 1, rue des Cras, Besancon. As seen in 2015.

The shop in Paris at 24, rue Pastourelle. As seen in 2009.

Promotional item, Elix watch brand

Elix chronograph from the 70s

One watch maker that worked for Mougin Piquard in 1970s tells that it was easy to get a job at one or another factory in Besancon, but in 1980 it was all over and the quartz revolution changed everything.

According to Mikrolisk a new company "Mougin & Piquard SA" were registred in Bienne in Switzerland in november 1980. From then on the brand "Elix" seems to have disappeared and a lot of "Mougin Piquard" watches with quartz movements can be found.

Mougin Piquard quartz watch from the 80s

Mougin & Piquard still exists and sells "vintage-inspired timepieces perfected with a century of watchmaking expertise"... The new Mougin & Piquard is located in Bienne at the same address as - and probably owned by - Roventa-Henex, makers of private labels watches.

Thanks to these sources:
http://www.passion51.com/t2514-une-montre-a-gousset-elix
https://encheres.catawiki.eu/kavels/3337531-mougin-piquard-montre-gousset-ann-es-1980-avec-sa-chaine
https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Histoire_de_l%27horlogerie_%C3%A0_Besan%C3%A7on#Tribaudeau
http://forumamontres.forumactif.com/t86140p210-la-vintage-du-jour
http://forum.horlogerie-suisse.com/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=10335

CLICK HERE - GO TO THE NEWEST POST ON THIS BLOG ABOUT LARGE VINTAGE WATCHES

My collection of large vintage watches

Just to sum up

(width w/o crown x length x height x lug width)

1. Lancia Worldtime - 43,7 x 43,7 x 15,2 x 19,3
About Lancia Worldtime
History of Lancia
Watches with same chunky case

2. Cordura Sea-Gull (from Sicura) - 41,7 x 45,2 x 14 x 20,2
About Cordura Sea-Gull
History of Sicura

3. Orient World Diver - 42,1 x 46 x 15,3 x 19

4. Tissot Seastar T.12 - 42,1 x 50 x 14,3 x 21,8

5. Coriental Calendar - 42 x 47,5 x 12,9 x 22
About Coriental Calendar
History of Coriental

6. Sicura Chronograph MG - 43 x 45,1 x 13,4 x 21,9

About Sicura MG
History of Sicura
Collection of serial numbers

7. Ogival Worldtime - 43,1 x 45,8 x 14,3 x 18,8

8. Seiko 6138-0017 "Ufo” - 44 x 46,2 x 15,8 x 18

9. Seiko 6138-3002 “Big Pilot” - 41,9 x 47 x 15,9 x 18,2

10. Wittnauer 2000 – 42,1 x 45 x 11,7 x 18,6
About Wittnauer 2000
History of the Wittnauer brand

11. Arios Tauchkalkulator world time – 44,3 x 49 x 13 x 25,9
About Arios (Arvos) Tauchkalkulator
History of the Arios brand 

12. Elix 3025 Valjoux Chronograph – 44,2 x 43,2 x 12,9 x 22
About Elix 3025 Chrono
History of the Elix brand

13. Inventic Internal Bezel – 42 x 47,1 x 14 x 21,8
History of the Inventic brand

14. Mortima SuperDatomatic hexagonal -  42,1 x 44,8 x 13,0 x 18,7
All the Mortima large divers

History of the Mortima brand

More history and articles about Mortima

15. Lucerne Swiss Jump Hour - 42,3 x 40,3 x 11,3 x 23,8

16. Stellaris Electronic "Racing Diver" - 42,0 x 45,4 x 12,8 x 19,0

17. Interpol Submarin (from Oberon) - 41,8 x 46,1 x 11,5 x 18,0

18. Buler Super-Nova - 42,0 x 42,5 x 10,8 x 24,2

19. Expert racing (from Brac) - 41,5 x 44,7 x 10,7 x 21,2

20. Citizen Diver 51-1811 - 42,9 x 45,8 x 13,8 x 18,1

21. Ondex Diver XL - 51,1 x 46,9 x 12,0 x 20,0

 

22. Olimpic Automatico - 43,8 x 43,2 x 14,0 x 19,4

23. Omax 5 Crystal - 42,9 x 46,9 x 14,6 x 19,0