Villa Turque and the watch brand Ebel have more in common than just their shared location in La Chaux-de-Fonds. In 1986, the company acquired the famous building, which serves as the brand’s residence. Villa Ebels has been a source of inspiration ever since.
It’s a house that everyone would love to call home: the Villa Turque in La Chaux-de-Fonds. Why? The list of reasons is long, but let’s start from the beginning. Behind the building is one of the most famous architects Switzerland has to offer: Le Corbusier. The architect found inspiration for his design on his trip to the Orient. After all, it was the Byzantine appearance of the building that prompted the inhabitants of La Chaux-de-Fonds to christen it “La Villa Turque”, meaning “the Turkish villa”. With its central location on the Rue du Doubs, it is considered the maestro’s most famous work in his birthplace. And rightly so – since its completion in 1917, the building has impressed both from the outside and the inside. The yellow brick façade conceals an impressive entrance hall and light-flooded rooms with high ceilings. The interplay of light and shadow inside the villa is thanks to the large windows that open outwards, from which you can peer into the garden.
A villa as an anniversary gift
Today, it is home to the watch brand Ebel – or rather its PR department. The company acquired Villa Turque in 1986 to mark the 75th anniversary of the brand. Why a watch brand would treat itself to a villa as an anniversary gift is perhaps not entirely obvious at first glance. But the reason for the acquisition is far more than a simple “because we can” and goes back to the origins of the brand: Ebel was founded in 1911 by Eugene Blum and Alice Lévy. She loved elegance, he appreciated functionality. Merging these two characteristics in its watches is still considered a core value of the brand today. And the beauty and simultaneous functionality of the Villa Turque reflects this principle in an unparalleled way. Through its acquisition, the villa gives the company an opportunity to constantly remind itself of its proven ideal and at the same time to be inspired by this impressive building for new creations.
You can find out more about the watch brand and its relationship with Villa Turque here. We report on Ebel’s timeless creations here. And architecture fans can quench their thirst for more unique buildings here and here.
