Lot 335

J. M. Badollet & Cie.

A collection of 8 gold pocket watches
A fine hunting case pocket watch - lever chronometer for the American market

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The Swiss family Badollet produced several generations of fine watchmakers from the 17th to the 20th century. One branch of the family worked in Paris from 1712 until 1872; there were also offices in England and a maker called Paul Badollet worked in New York around 1798. Jean Jacques Badollet (1756-1829) founded the company J. J. Badollet in 1779 in Geneva. Jean Moise Badollet (1811-1854) was sole proprietor from 1828 until 1854 and traded under the name "J. M. Badollet"; from 1837 the company name was "J. M.Badollet & Cie". Around 1890 the company name changed back to the original "J. J. Badollet"; this was the time when the "Charmilles" pocket watch was produced after the patents of Potter. However, the venture was unsuccessful and the company was dissolved a year later in 1896. A year after that, Colomb & Balmer took over the premises in Geneva, keeping the trademarks of J. J. Badollet. From 1923 its name was "Geneva Watch Co., Successor to J.J. Badollet, micrometers".