Be on time with class and elegance
A few years ago, many people believed that watches were going to disappear from our wrists, driven away by the popularity and ubiquity of our cell phones. Fortunately for lovers of beautiful timepieces, this is not the case. Luxury watches, among others, represent an ever-growing market. After all, a watch is a beautiful, chic, and useful fashion accessory, always within reach of our eyes. This is not the case with the telephone, which is often hidden in a pocket or a purse.
In addition, the watch is one of the most popular jewelleries for men. If your partner doesn't wear a chain or bracelet, there's still a good chance that he will be convinced by a sporty and elegant looking chronograph. The major watchmaking houses offer very beautiful models that allow these gentlemen to stand out and show off their good taste and sense of fashion.
At La Perle Rare, you will find watches for all tastes and all occasions. Today we present to you two of our most beautiful brands: Herbelin and Tissot.
Herbelin: family, tradition, freedom and independence
You are most likely familiar with Michel Herbelin watches. The company is celebrating its 75th anniversary this year and will henceforth be simply called Herbelin. Herbelin offers many collections for men and women, most of them inspired by the maritime world. These watches made in France with Swiss movements, mechanical or quartz, are sold in around fifty countries.
For Herbelin, it all starts in Charquemont, a small village in France which is just a few kilometers from Switzerland, in the heart of the French Jura. This region is particularly renowned for its watchmaking industry. The young Michel Herbelin was destined to take over from his parents at the head of the family business. Despite this clear path, he decided instead to focus on watchmaking. After a few years, however, he was quite disappointed with the quality of the watches produced in the factory where he worked. This is what motivates him to find his own company to offer timepieces that meet his criteria of excellence. Thus in 1947 was born Impec, as impeccable. Michel Herbelin clearly announces that he is sure of the quality of the products he sells.
His first collections were born in his parents' house. He designs and manufactures them using parts from suppliers close to Charquemont, in France and Switzerland. In 1965, Impec became Michel Herbelin.
For 40 years, Michel Herbelin will remain at the head of his company. His sons Jean-Claude and Pierre-Michel would take over during the 1980s. Quartz watches invaded the market around this time and many thought that French watchmaking was going to lose its skin. But no, the Michel Herbelin house took up the challenge and even saw in it the opportunity to be even more creative. Thus in 1988 the emblematic Newport Yacht Club model was launched. This model inspired by the world of the navy, reminiscent of the portholes of the great transatlantic liners, is undoubtedly the best known of the French brand.
It is now the turn of the third generation to take the reins of the company. They are four to take up the challenge of lasting in the world of luxury and quality watchmaking. Maxime and Mathieu Herbelin, Cédric Gomez-Montiel and Benjamin Theurillat took over in 2020. To celebrate 75 years of excellence of Michel Herbelin watches, they are launching a special edition of the famous Newport model: the Newport Slim Skeleton. This is a magnificent mechanical winding watch, not automatic, for an extremely thin case. All in transparency, it lets you admire the cogs of its mechanism. The watch has been redesigned, redesigned but it remains visibly inspired by the maritime world. The design is minimalist, with no more inscriptions on the bezel. It also sports the new Herbelin logo.
The Herbelin company, born 75 years ago on the top floor of Michel Herbelin's parents' house, remains resolutely French. Its watches are still all assembled in France at Charquemont. However, for reasons of competitiveness, Herbelin timepieces are essentially driven by Swiss movements: indeed, an equivalent French movement would cost nearly €6,000! Staying in France allows Herbelin to remain free and independent while respecting the tradition of French watchmaking. The company continues to offer again and again innovative collections and models designed to last.
At the La perle rare jewelry store, we of course offer you watches from the Newport collection, but not only that one. We surely have the Herbelin watch that suits you.
Tissot: almost 170 years of history
Tissot watches are probably the most famous Swiss watches around the world. In the category of mid-range and high-end watches, one in four watches leaving Switzerland is a Tissot.
The history of Tissot began in 1853, in Le Locle, a small village in the Swiss Jura, the true cradle of traditional watchmaking. At that time, nearly half of the villagers were involved in the watch industry. Among them, the founders of Tissot: Charles-Félicien Tissot and his son, Charles-Émile. It is largely thanks to the latter that Tissot takes on so much stature. Thus, Charles-Émile quickly realized that the transmission of the knowledge of craftsmen-watchmakers was not guaranteed. He, therefore, became involved in politics and actively campaigned for the creation of watchmaking schools. He even becomes an inspector of those same schools when they finally become a reality.
Charles-Émile travels a lot. He took the opportunity to make Tissot watches known throughout Europe, as far as Russia. Russian soldiers and aristocrats thus became among Tissot's best customers.
The small counter founded by the Tissots became a real factory around 1916. However, the Bolshevik revolution of 1917 put an end to a period of prosperity. Never mind, Tissot is undeterred and continues to work hard to develop the brand and find other outlets. Thus, during the 1920s, the increasingly present electricity everywhere posed problems for watches. Indeed, the magnetic fields disrupt the timepieces of the time. Tissot found the solution in 1930 by creating the world's first non-magnetic wristwatch.
Although Tissot ceased to be a family business during the 1920s by joining forces with Omega, another major Swiss brand, it lost none of its identity. Its motto is and remains: “Innovators by tradition”. Thus, after the invention of the first non-magnetic watch, the Swiss company will continue to be at the forefront of technology.
In 1965, Tissot created a collection inspired by motor racing with the PR 516. The letters PR stand for “particularly robust”. The perforated strap of this timepiece is reminiscent of the racing car steering wheel of the time. It will soon be widely copied. Even today, Tissot and sport often go hand in hand: Tissot is the official timekeeper of the Moto Grand Prix and of the NBA.
In 1985, Tissot will be the first company to offer watches whose case is made of stone: granite, basalt, jasper, etc.
And it was in 1999 that Tissot created its flagship model, the first touch screen watch: the T-Touch. This watch is truly revolutionary for its time. With a simple touch, you have access to a multitude of functions including a compass, an altimeter, a chronograph and even a thermometer! However, Tissot does not renounce tradition in this model: in addition to a small digital screen, the T-Touch still has hands like any luxury watch. In the same way, it has only two pushers and a crown, like any self-respecting chronograph. The latest version of this technological timepiece is the T-Touch Solar Connect. This elegant and sporty watch, respectful of the environment, will follow you in all your activities, in the city as in the countryside. It has all the functions of a T-Touch Expert in addition to connecting to your phone and allowing you, for example, to receive your notifications, your alarms, or your appointment reminders. In addition, its photovoltaic sensors avoid having to recharge your watch for a long time by plugging it in. It recharges easily, without thinking about it, thanks to the energy of light.
You can of course get the latest version of this beautiful technological object that is the T-Touch from us, at La Perle Rare.
Whatever your tastes, whatever your style, you will surely find a timepiece in your image. Herbelin and Tissot offer you classic models and others that are trendier, but always designed to last. And if you're looking for a resolutely sporty watch, you won't be disappointed either. In summary, whether you opt for one or the other, your class and elegance will certainly be noticed. And thanks to the precision and reliability of Swiss movements, you'll always be on time.
Perle Rare
