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

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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

Sicura Chronograph MG - A collection of serial numbers

Okay, this is nerdy. A collection of Sicura MG's where the unique serial number on the back can be seen. I have found these (updated March 2019):

Sicura MG Limited Edition "0029". The lowest number yet.

Sicura MG Limited Edition "0046"

Sicura MG Limited Edition "0262" (My watch)

Sicura MG Limited Edition "0357"

Sicura MG Limited Edition "0428"
(Sold at eBay auction June 2018 for 720 GBP)

Sicura MG Limited Edition "0528"

Sicura MG Limited Edition "0584"

Sicura MG Limited Edition "0602"

Sicura MG Limited Edition "0675"

Sicura MG Limited Edition "0683"

Sicura MG Limited Edition "0768"

Sicura MG Limited Edition "0814"

Sicura MG Limited Edition "0966"

Sicura MG Limited Edition "1172"

Sicura MG Limited Edition "1648"

Sicura MG Limited Edition - hard to see - but probably no. "1924"

Sicura MG Limited Edition "1932"

If you have a Sicura MG please leave a comment below with the serial number.

Read more about the Sicura MG here. And about the Sicura history here.

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Sicura Chronograph MG "Pilot"

In the Sicura brochure from 1975 this "Pilot" chronograph can be found:

Sicura "Pilot" fra eBay. Not the MG-version.

Also in 1975 British Leyland celebrated the 50th anniversary of MG with a special edition MGB GT. It was painted in british racing green with gold stripes. In total 750 Jubilee models were made. (Source).

To celebrate the anniversary MG approached Sicura and also had a special limited edition of the Sicura Pilot made. It has the MG logo on the dial. And on the backcase it says: MG, 50th Anniversary, CommemorativeWatch, 1925-1975 - together with a unique serial number on every watch. Read about the story of the Sicura brand here. And find a collection of MG serial numbers here.

My Sicura MG has the serial number 0262.

I bought mine for a very low 262 euros from a french seller on eBay. The watch has a very solid cushion case with a radial brushed finish on the upper surface. The dial has some fine details and a fine gold tone - maybe to match the gold stripes on the special edition MG. 

Sicura MG Valjoux - click on pictures to see them larger

Measurements:
Width w/o crown: 43,0 mm
Width with crown: 45,8 mm
Length: 45,1 mm
Depth: 13,4 mm
Lugs: 21,9 mm

The movement is a nice manual-wound Valjoux 7734. This is a higher quality and more expensive movement than what Sicura normally used. These Sicura MG watches seems to be selling for higher and higher prices on eBay. This is absolutely one of my favorite watches that gets a lot of wrist time. It has a very nice heft and still feels classy. Highly recommended.

Some photos borrowed from the Internet:

Sicura MG with the original bracelet. Source

Pictures showing the original box and papers:

"We certify that this watch has been manufactured entirely in our Factory by skilled watchmakers ..." Hmmm ... maybe a little bit exaggerated. The movement was bought from Valjoux.  

Letter to MG Car Club members that showed interest in the watch. The price was GBP 40.95 which is equivalent to GBP 330 in 2020. The letter is from Time Importers Ltd in London, the british importer of Sicura watches. Source 

Fun fact. It seems that MG in 1975 also made a commemorative watch with Le Jour, a brand commonly known as the brand under which French watchmaker Yema distributed watches to the US. So maybe this model was made only for the American market. It must be very rare and I have only seen this one specimen.

A Le Jour Chronograph with MG logo on the dial and engraving on the back: "Golden Anniversary commemorative watch 1925-1975" and the number 0005. Source 

CLICK HERE - AND READ THE STORY OF THE SICURA WATCH BRAND

The history of the Sicura watch brand

Sicura is one of the most important brands in the world of large, vintage and affordable watches.

Sicura originated from a company called "Joh. Gobber, Horlogerie" established in 1939. And then supposedly in 1951 the company was listed as "Sicura, Joh. Gobber" and finally the 2 May 1955 the company can be found in the Swiss Handelsregister as "Montres Sicura SA".

Ad from 1949 from Joh. Gobber with the Sicura brand on the watches.
Click to view this nice ad in hi-res. Source: eBay seller groovedetector1966

Watch ad from 1956 using the brand name Sicura

Sicura watch ad from 1959 promoting Sicura as "your specialist for calendar and bangle watches".

The company was owned by a Théodore Sfaellos and when he died in the beginning of the 1960s Sicura was taken over by his son-in-law Ernest Frédéric Schneider.

Ernest Schneider at his desk

Ernest Schneider - the godfather of Sicura watches in the 60s and 70s

Ernest Schneider was born in 1921 and thus was around 40 years old when he took over Sicura. He had been in the Swiss Army since the age of 20 and ended as an officer in the 10th Brigade. Ernest Schneider became the driving force behind Sicuras growth and a maker of affordable watches that followed the latest trends. The watch cases were often brass plated metal with standard pin-lever movements to keep production cost and prices low.

Ernest Schneider was a pilot himself (yes, this a newer picture were Ernest wears a Breitling cap)

Ernest Schneider, owner and CEO for Sicura and later Breitling 

Sicura watch ads from 1970 and 1971

Sicura coat-of-arms on the backcase.

Sicura ad from 1974. In the 70s Sicura popularized watches with "digital" displays and simple mechanical movements. 

Sicura watch brochure from 1975. Download as pdf here.
This is very important in documenting original Sicura watches.

What we know from this fantastic brochure is that Sicura SA in 1975 had four watch assembly factories, one case factory and one jewel factory, employed 450 people and produced more than 1 million watches per year. In 1975 almost all the watches in the brochure had mechanical movements and a few had electromechanical - no quartz yet.

These ads from 1977 shows that Sicura later produced watches with quartz movements and LCD displays. Sicura also introduced the "Stunt Watch" with "Sicura Quartz" which is said to be sold into the 80s.

Sicura ad from 1977 with quartz watches. Sicura also used the brand "Sikato" for their watches with LCD-display.

Sicura ad from 1977 with a solar powered quartz watch with LCD

As a consequence of the quartz crisis the watch company Breitling suspended operations in 1978, laidoff all workers and sold their assets to the highest bidders - Sinn bought completed / partially completed watches and Ollech & Wajs bought the machinery and unassembled parts. And in April 1979 Ernest Schneider from Sicura signed an agreement with Willy Breitling to buy the right to the names "Breitling" and "Navitimer".

I think Ernest Schneider with Sicura had been better than most to navigate through the turbulent times and the quartz crisis in the 70s. He was a master in adapting and deliver what the consumers wanted - inexpensive fashion watches - check, affordable watches with digital displays - check, large colorful divers with lots of functions - check, quartz watches - check. When he saw the opportunity to buy one of the old, well esteemed watch brands this was an opportunity not to be missed.

Ernest Schneider, owner and CEO for Sicura and later Breitling

Ernest Schneider introduced new models and breathed new life into Breitling with succes and during a few years the brand Sicura was phased out and Sicura became Breitling. At 29 Nov 1993 Montres Sicura AG officially changed its name to Breitling AG. Ernest Schneider continued as President for Breitling until his death in 2015 at the remarkable age of 94. Ernest' son Theodore Schneider today is the owner and undisputed leader of Breitling.

Ernest Schneider with daughter Valérie Reboul-Schneider and son-in-law Rémy Reboul in front of château d'Estoublon which Ernest bought and Válerie and Rémy has turned into a renowned producer of quality olive oil, wine etc. But that's a totally different story.

Thanks to these super sources:
www.fhs.ch/eng/2015_05_28_02_Breitling.html
www.lagruyere.ch/nachrufe/ernest-schneider.html
www.moneyhouse.ch/u/breitling_ag_CH-254.3.000.140-4.htm
breitlingsource.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?f=11&t=16070
www.welt.de/print/die_welt/vermischtes/article119338772/Sei-nur-zufrieden-mit-Perfektion.html
www.sometimeago.com/the-smaller-watch-brands-sicura/
forum.tz-uk.com/showthread.php?204623-1975-Sicura-brochure-Retrotastic!
thedigitalwatch.com/articles-ads-media/media-n-z/media-n-z-vintage/
www.sometimeago.com/the-smaller-watch-brands-sicura/
70swatchesgallery.wordpress.com/2012/03/12/sicura-squared-box-brochure/
www.breitlingsource.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=23072

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