Swiss watchmaking has just suffered a new and heavy loss in the person of Mr. Ariste Calame, President of the Board of Directors of the Zodiac factory, who died at Le Locale on Jan. 8th, 1955, in his 80th year.

The deceased as soon as he had finished his watchmaking school, began to participate immediately in active life, and took over, at the early age of 20, the small office his father owned at Le Locle. Under his direction the young undertaking developed rapidly and was not long in ranking amongst the best Swiss watchmaking factories.

During the last years of his life, Mr. Calame was able to help with the organization and the setting-up of the new Zodiac factory, constructed according to the latest technical principles and inaugurated in 1951.

The tenacity and the unwavering optimism with which Mr. A. Calame confronted every difficulty and every reverse he encountered were proverbial, and were particularly appreciated at the time of the grave crises through which Swiss watchmaking passed. A participant in the active fight against the anarchy which was prevalent in this industry, he became one of the founder Presidents of the Le Locle section of the F.H., and officiated on several occasions as President of the employers’ Association.

Admirably seconded for 55 years by his wife, of an exemplary honesty and probity, always close to his employees and instructing them by his example, Mr. Ariste Calame will leave a glowing souvenir to all those who were his friends or his collaborators.

The Journal Suisse d’Horlogerie offers its most sincere condolences to the family of the deceased and to the directors of the Zodiac factory.

*From :Journal Suisse d’Horlogerie et de Bijouterie, Feb. 1955, p.99, Obituary of Ariste Calame (JSH)