Marie Perregaux (1831-1912) was a significant figure in the history of Swiss horology, primarily recognized as the co-founder of the luxury watch manufacture Girard-Perregaux. Born into a prominent family of watch merchants in Le Locle, Switzerland, her background was deeply rooted in the commercial and technical traditions of the Jura region’s watchmaking industry. Her father was Henri-Francois Perregaux, a militia captain and watchmaking merchant, and she grew up alongside several siblings who would also play roles in the global expansion of the watch trade.
In 1854, Marie married Constant Girard, a watchmaker who had established his own firm, Girard & Cie, two years prior in La Chaux-de-Fonds. Following their marriage, the couple combined their surnames to form the Girard-Perregaux Manufacture in 1856. This naming convention followed a common tradition in the Swiss watch industry of the era, but it also represented a strategic union of Girard’s technical expertise with the Perregaux family’s established commercial networks.
Marie Perregaux is often cited as one of the few women of her time to be formally credited as a founder of a major watchmaking house. While her husband focused on technical innovations, such as the development of the Tourbillon with Three Gold Bridges, Marie and her family were instrumental in the brand’s international strategy. Her brothers—Francois, Henri, and Jules—acted as emissaries for the company, establishing important markets in Japan and South America during the mid-19th century.
Throughout her life, the manufacture grew into a globally recognized enterprise, winning prestigious awards at various World Exhibitions. After the death of Constant Girard in 1903, the company continued under the leadership of their son, Constant Girard-Gallet. Marie Perregaux passed away in 1912 at the age of 81, leaving behind a legacy as a foundational pillar of one of Switzerland’s oldest and most respected horological institutions. Her name continues to be a central part of the brand’s identity more than 160 years after its inception.