BE-BA Precision Chronometer History

Fenndalton's post delves into the obscure history of BE-BA Precision, a confidential watch brand with roots in the Jura region of Switzerland. This article uncovers the brand's origins, tracing its evolution from Bernard Donzé's watchmaking counter to the establishment of Montres BD s.a. in 1947. Fenndalton provides rare commercial register details, offering a unique glimpse into a brand largely unknown even to seasoned collectors.

BE-BA Precision is, what we can call a confidential watch brand, further known thanks to the presentation of a similar model published on SteveG website.

Chronology
At the beginning, mister Bernard Donzé’ father possessed a watch-making counter, situated in the family farm, in les Breuleux (Jura, Switzerland). He died in 1947. This is when the entity " Montres BD s.a. " is created, probably to protect the quota of sketches (ébauches) attributed to the entity "Bernard Donzé".

The commercial register (extracted from the commercial register of the canton of Jura) gives us the following information:
Montres B.D s.a.
Registration: 22.08.1947
Radiation: 15.01.2003
Head office: Les Breuleux ( JU)
Number of the register of business(trade): CH-674.3.000

Registration Office: Canton of Jura

Aims:Fabrication, purchase and sale of watches and other articles of watchmaker's shop, as well as creation or management of stores of watch-making products

Registre du commerce
22/8/47. — Bernard Donzé, aux Breuleux, fabrication, achat et vente d'horlogerie. Cette raison individuelle est radiée par suite du décès du titulaire. L'actif et le passif sont repris par la société « montres B. D. S. A. », aux Breuleux.
22'8/47. — MONTRES B. D. S.A., aux Breuleux. Suivant acte authentique et statuts du 2 août 1947, il a été constitué, sous cette raison sociale, une société anonyme ayant pour but la fabrication et la vente de pièces d'horlogerie. Le capital social de 50.000 francs, entièrement libéré, est divisé en 50 actions nominatives de 1000 francs chacune. Il a été fait apport à la société de l'actif et du passif de la raison individuelle « Bernard Donzé », aux Breuleux, selon bilan au 25 juin 1947, accusant un actif de 73.661 fr. 50 (marchandises, machines, outils, mobilier, débiteurs, caisse, achalandage), et un passif de 18.978 fr. 65 (créanciers divers), soit un actif net de 54.682 fr. 84. Cet apport a été accepté pour le prix de 54.682 fr. 84, contre remise à l'apporteur, de 45 actions nominatives de 1000 francs chacune, entièrement libérées, et lai remise du solde par 9682 fr. 84 en espèces. La société est mise et subrogée dans tous les droits et obligations de la maison « Bernard Donzé », dont elle aura les profits et les charges, avec effet rétroactif au 25 juin 1947. Les publications de la société sont faites dans la « Feuille officielle suisse du commerce ». Les communications et convocations sont adressées aux actionnaires par avis personnel. La société est administrée par un conseil d'administration de 1 à 3 membres. Actuellement est seul membre Arnold Lohner, de Grindelwald, à Tramelan-Dessus. La société est engagée par la signature individuelle des administrateurs.
Source : Fédération Horlogère Suisse – 1947 (https://doc.rero.ch/record/22546/files/19471002.pdf )

Les Breuleux is a Swiss Jura village, located in the district of les Franches Montagnes (northeast of the massif of Jura). Several watch-making companies are implanted there, as Valgine and Show Cattin. We also find factories of watchcases such as Donzé-Baume,

M Donzé takes back " Montres BD s.a. " in 1952 and get back the quota of his father, around 4000 ébauches a year, who had been taken in hand, since 1947, by others until he can relaunch his own activity.
For the anecdote, he built an annex to the family farm in 1957 and settled down there to live and work with his wife. The accommodation (housing) keeps the spirit of the watch-making farmers because it is at the same time the place of life and work with workshop and office.

He made all his professional life in this company. He stops his activity at the beginning of year 2000’s, dissolves the company in 2001 and this one will be radiated in 2003.

Peseux 260 and  Montres BD s.a.

Peseux 260 was specifically designed for the competitions of chronometry, and was built only in very limited quantity (circulate on the Web, about * 3000 movements made), and always in an extremely raised quality level.

The brands Nicolet, Bucherer, Ulysse Nardin, Breguet, Girard Perregaux, DuBois, and Montres BD s.a used this calibre but also schoolwatches as showcase of the know-how of watch-making pupils.

" Montres BD s.a " cased a number of peseux 260 under various (brands): that of the company, its proper noun (Bernard Donzé) or some others such as Be-BA.

While Montres BD s.a. sold watches finished by quality for # CHF 40 at the same time, a movement Peseux was charged to him CHF 105, what was rather consequent

Below a commercial " Montre BD s.a. " from 1942:

All these watches (case, dial and hands) are always identical. The dial being simply stamped according to needs, in small series, in La Chaux-de-Fonds. This explains the presence of 5/6 brands for the same model.

Dials were marked at request, in the unity or in quite small series of some dials, at a craftsman of La Chaux-de-Fonds for a price rate of CHF 5 the dial. There are 5 different inscriptions for these watches:

- Montres Show BD s.a.

- Nemos: one brand of a watch-making family also situated in Breuleux: Antoine Semon / Semon Frères / Show Nemos.

And
- BE-BA Précision

BE-BA, it's nothing of other than Beck and Co to Basel (Beck and Co ., Be-Ba Bestecke.), a company specialized in the business(trade) with cutlery industry and main part silverware, today disappeared

The commercial register gives us the following information:
Beck and Co ., Be-Ba Bestecke
Address: Feldbergstrasse 113, CH-4005 Basel
Registration: 30.09.1950
Radiation: 03.06.2009
number of register: CH-270.2.000.067-9
Head office: Basel (BS-Basel Stadt), Canton of Basel-city

Montres BD s.a. made some watches for them with some 40 Peseux 260 received and cased. The order originates from 63 and they were cased over the next 15 years.

Thus it was not absolutely made in the 90s, as we can read it here or there, but well in the years 60/70. WatchCases were made from Donzé-Beaume, from now on property of Richemont, with plain caseback. Except one made especially at the request of M Donzé himself.

Only some copies, less than 10, were delivered but the company already proposed some clocks to his/her customers through its shops.

Besides that of Steve G, one was on sale at Uhrwald here is a few years,

The reference of the calibre is engraved with the unique number of the caseback of the watch (outside and inside), as well as on the platine next to the spiral.

Mine :

At last a few pictures

And finally on the wrist:

Best