Our Story
From humble origins, MONCEAU grew to become a much-loved name in Swiss watchmaking. By the 1960s the MONCEAU name adorned the dials of watches around the world before quietly fading from existence only a decade later.
Now, more than 50 years after it disappeared, a new chapter is being written in the MONCEAU story.
The Origins of Monceau
MONCEAU's beginnings can be traced back to Lausanne in the early 1950s, where – like many of the famous watchmaking names we know today – it began life as the in-house brand of a family-owned clock, watch and jewellery boutique of the same name.
With the brand's avant garde designs proving to be popular
and finding a wider audience, by the mid 1960s production was increased. With the help of a distribution partner, MONCEAU watches became available outside of Switzerland.
Changing Times
It is unclear exactly when MONCEAU ceased production or why, but its demise in the late 1970s is likely to have been a result of what is now commonly referred to in the Swiss watch industry as "the quartz crisis".
This revolution in timekeeping technology, with the greater accuracy and convenience it brought, led to a slump in sales for mechanical watches and thus the closure of hundreds of traditional Swiss watchmaking ateliers.
By the end of the 1970s MONCEAU had been acquired by another watch and jewellery manufacturer in Fribourg, Switzerland. It continued to produce watches under the MONCEAU name – including many quartz-powered models – though this only appears to have lasted for a few short years before the name faded away.
A New Chapter
The rebirth of MONCEAU began in 2023 when life-long watch collector, watch industry commentator and designer, Simon Ryan stumbled upon a vintage MONCEAU watch.
Curiosity soon grew in to an obsession to learn more about the history of the brand and – with this discovery coinciding with early-stage plans to venture in to watchmaking – he became captivated with the idea of breathing new life in to the MONCEAU name.
The Model 01
The launch of the Model 01 marked the revival of the MONCEAU name and the culmination of more than two years of work to breathe new life in to this once much-loved brand.
Its integrated bracelet style design was inspired by one of the last watches to be made by MONCEAU before production ceased in the late 1970s, and combines this vintage case shape and proportions with modern design elements.