History
La Chaux-de-Fonds, 1947 Mr. Willy Lebet launched his own company watches. La Chaux-de-Fonds, is the cradle of the Swiss watch industry and saw, like its neighbor Le Locle, several watch companies flourish in the 19th and 20th century. La Chaux-de-Fonds is the highest town in Europe and has a long winter and until recently, its population lived mainly in the watch industry. In the early 50's, moved his company to Lebet The Neuveville, a small village only 25 km from La Chaux-de-Fonds. Soon he recorded Catena ® brand and in 1959, his son Claude Lebet resumed command of the company.
At that time, the company specializes in assembling mechanical watch movement is growing rapidly. In 1964, the company moved to Bulle, to find a workforce more important and necessary. Bulle is the principal city of Gruyere, famous for its cheese and chocolate, and Catena ® is positioned in the third row of the most famous Swiss products, cheese, chocolate and watches. At that time, mechanical watches still prevail and some manufacturers dare to think outside the box, producing a particularly original shows, Catena ®.
This project dissent Catena ® in light asserting itself through design and lines of very specific exceptions. Thus was born the famous including "Spaceman" inspired by the flying saucers, big topic of conversation then. This meeting and a great success on most world markets. And there is even a Spaceman "(1972-1978) at the Museum of Modern Art in New York. This success encouraged the team of Catena ® and the dynamic owner, Claude Lebet, to engage even further in the production of watches and consider a real brand strategy.
Since then, much snow fell on the Moléson beautiful mountain overlooking the factory. Catena ® Collection expands with quartz watches, so that replace most mechanical models.
A tragic accident robs the company of his head and confronts problems of management and the loss of his marketing genius aggravates the situation in a context of many changes in world markets. Nevertheless, Catena ® develops and successfully launched several new models, both with exceptional and exclusive features, retaining its original name and designs, yet he lacks the strength and vision of Claude Lebet.
In 1993, Eric Aubert buys Catena ®, and gives very fast all the benefits of his long experience in the watch industry. Aubert Eric was born in Le Locle and, as his wife, Frances, most of his ancestors were either watch or teachers. This makes Frances and Eric are the fourth generation of two families of clockmakers and teachers. They have two son, the fifth generation, Alban teacher in sport and Dimitri, a senior executive in a famous watch brand. Eric Aubert knows that it must make radical changes to reposition Catena ®, proceeding step by step to enable all active markets to become familiar with the new strategy.
Early in this new century Catena ® capitalizes mainly focused on design, declined in many versions, is the beginning of the era Horseshoe.
It is a great turning point in the saga of Catena ® brand which is fully involved with happiness in the Timing Equestrian. In addition to growing sales in existing markets, the model Horseshoe has the merit of having opened up new horizons. Catena ® in a short time, greatly increased awareness of equestrian and its market potential in developing highly motivated.
The meeting with Peter Muzas in February 2007 is crucial and Call Ways ®, fully in this movement, became the exclusive distributor of a new industry-exclusive, Catena ® Horse, well positioned in several areas of focus of the Swiss brand. The Saga Catena is running ..
Horse Time ... It's Time to Ride a Swiss Watch!
