Swiss watchmaker Emile Chouriet has added a new model to its flagship Prince collection. Gold Prince, a timepiece highlighted with precious gold accents, has been given a glamorous new look through the combination of steel and gold, and the fitting of a finely engine-turned dial in an imposing rectangular case. The watch runs on an ETA 2836 automatic movement.
But who exactly is Emile Chouriet? The Chouriet website will have you believe that the firm has over 300 years of history in Geneva, with an excellent reputation for creating fine watches.
The official Emile Chouriet version
According to the company website Emile Chouriet left France in 1685 to escape religious persecution and set up shop in Geneva that same year. He began decorating superb pocket watches called ‘onions’. The ‘Les Ailes du Temps’ logo which adorns every Chouriet watch, represents the relationship between time and the wristwatch and Emile Chouriet, the great name in watch decoration, who will always be synonymous with the brand.
But although Emile Chouriet may have escaped religious persecution 300 years ago, today he is the subject of some circumspection and even persecution in the sometimes cynical environs of the watch forums.
The watch forum version
One angry watch forum pundit writes:
I would contend that Emile Chouriet is a bullshit Chinese brand produced (not sure where–presumably China) using Swiss movements. The history and the “since 1685” is pure fabrication. The brand is a cynical attempt to sell a “European luxury” item to Chinese consumers by convincing them of a non-existent pedigree…in China this is a common trick in numerous industries.
An Emile Chouriet is just one step above a counterfeit in my book, as the provenance is smoke and mirrors. The printed ads imply a long European heritage that is simply non-existent. Get a Sea-Gull–at least they’re not pretending to be anything other than what they are.
Here is what my research turned up: the stylized “Emile Chouriet” trademark is registered in the PRC to Fiyta (HK) Co. Ltd. (飞亚达(香港)有限公司). In 2009/2010, Fiyta (HK) Co. Ltd. purchased 100% of the Swiss entity Montres Chouriet SA from the Hong Kong-registered company Citylion International Limited (城亨國際有限公司) for HKD 9 million. Fiyta is one of China’s larger watch companies and makes the Chinese space watch.
FHS listing
On the other hand, Emile Chouriet is listed in the FHS website as a genuine Swiss watch brand – but then as has been suggested, could it merely be a flag of convenience? Curiouser and curiouser. Is Emile Chouriet a long established Swiss watch brand or is, as the company registration declares, Montres Chouriet SA a Swiss company registered in Geneve in 1998?
Does anyone know the truth?
Can you give a true version of events? We’d love to hear from you.
