Ebel is a Swiss luxury watch company that was founded in 1911 at La Chaux-de-Fonds in the canton of Neuchâtel, Switzerland.
History
Eugène Blum and his wife Alice (née Lévy), founded Ebel in 1911. The brand name originates from the first letters of their names: Eugène Blum et Lévy.[1] According to the company catalogue of 2008, Eugène was responsible for the technical elements, while Alice was responsible for aesthetics and design. Little is known about her public identity as an artist and entrepreneur, nor about her private life in the family and in the Jewish community. The prize certificate for a patented ring watch in 1914 demonstrates the societal restrictions and lack of recognition for women at the time, being issued to “Messieurs Blum & Cie, Fabrique Ebel La Chaux-de-Fonds” (Gentlemen Blum & Co.).[2]
In 1929, their son Charles took over the management of the company. He built the sales network of the business by further expanding it into many foreign countries, including the United States. Under the direction of Blum's grandson Pierre-Alain, the company took a significant upturn since the beginning of the 1970s and produced wristwatches for Cartier