Eberhard & Co.: history, models and value

Founded

1887

Founder(s)

Georges-Lucien Eberhard

Headquarters

Biel/Bienne

Owner / group

Independent

Eberhard & Co.: origins and founding

Eberhard & Co. was founded in 1887 in La Chaux-de-Fonds, one of the centers of Swiss watchmaking. The founder, Georges-Lucien Eberhard, was 22 years old. The company first made pocket watches and soon filed patents, for example in 1894 for a setting system and in 1905 for a way of reading hours and minutes.

By 1907 Eberhard had grown into one of the larger Swiss watch manufactures. That year it opened a five-story headquarters on Rue Léopold-Robert, the main avenue of La Chaux-de-Fonds.

Founders and family

In 1919 the founder's sons Georges and Maurice took over. Looking for export markets, they built connections to the Italian Navy, the start of a long relationship with Italy. Georges-Lucien Eberhard died in 1926. After his son Georges died in 1942, Maurice ran the company alone. In 1962 a car accident in Italy killed André Montandon and Maurice's daughter, and the family decided to sell. The business passed to the Italian businessman Palmiro Monti; sources date the sale between 1969 and 1972.

Eberhard & Co. history and milestones

• 1919: a single-button wrist chronograph, described by the brand as the most advanced of its time.
• 1921: the "Calotte Patrouille", a cover that protected the movement from dust and moisture.
• 1935: a two-pusher chronograph that could be stopped and restarted without resetting.
• 1940s: the Extra-Fort chronograph.
• 1947: the first women's watch and the start of jewelry collections.
• 1950s: the Scafograf dive watches, followed by the Contograf in the 1960s.
• 1978: the registered office moved to Biel/Bienne.
• 1984: the Frecce Tricolori Chronomaster, linked to the Frecce Tricolori, the Italian aerobatic team.
• 1992: the Tazio Nuvolari collection, named after the Italian racing driver.
• 1996–1997: the Grande Taille collection and the 8 Jours, a manual-wind watch that runs for eight days.
• 2001: the Chrono 4, with four counters in one row.
• 2017: 130 years of production, marked by the Chrono 4 130 limited to 130 pieces.

Famous Eberhard & Co. models

• Chrono 4: the brand's best-known modern watch, easy to recognise by the four small dials lined up across the middle.
• Tazio Nuvolari: sporty chronographs, including the Nuvolari Legend in 39.5 mm and 43 mm.
• Extra-Fort: a 1940s chronograph with a sliding pusher, later reissued.
• Scafograf: the dive watch line, introduced in the 1950s. The Scafograf 300 returned in 2016 and won the sports watch prize at the Grand Prix d'Horlogerie de Genève that year.
• 8 Jours: the eight-day manual-wind watch.
• Contograf: a 1960s chronograph line.

Movements and technique

Eberhard built its name on chronograph mechanisms and patents in the first half of the 20th century. Modern models use Swiss mechanical movements: the Scafograf 300, for example, has the self-winding ETA 2824-2 with about 40 hours of power reserve. The 8 Jours uses a patented device for its eight-day reserve.

Eberhard & Co. today

Eberhard & Co. is independent and has its registered office in Biel/Bienne. Barbara Monti is listed as CEO and Mario Peserico as managing director. The brand makes mechanical watches, mostly chronographs and sports watches, in the mid-to-upper price range.

Eberhard & Co. prices on the pre-owned market

The Chrono 4 is the model most often traded and the easiest to price. Vintage chronographs from the 1930s to 1960s, especially Extra-Fort and early Scafograf or Contograf pieces, attract collectors when the dial is original and the chronograph works properly. Gold cases, limited editions such as the Chrono 4 130, and full sets with box and papers help. Heavily polished cases, redials and missing service records pull values down.

How to recognise a genuine Eberhard & Co.

Check that the dial, hands and case style fit the period of the watch and the model. On vintage chronographs, look out for refinished dials and replaced pushers or movements. On modern pieces, compare the dial printing, caseback engravings and counter layout with official photos, and ask for the original warranty card. More general advice is in our guide on how to spot a fake watch.

What is your Eberhard & Co. worth?

For a quick, no-cost idea of the value, upload photos of the dial, caseback and any papers to get a free watch value estimate. If you need a formal valuation for an estate or insurance, you can request a written watch appraisal.

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