Born in 1931 in Lugnez, near Porrentruy, Simone Bédat began an apprenticeship at the Lang SA watch-case manufacturer at the age of fifteen and a half.
Three years later, she became head clerk of the sales department.
She stayed there for about a decade before joining the Camy watch company in Geneva, where she worked in close cooperation with a certain Raymond Weil who was to be appointed Managing Director.
On the owner’s death, they both left Camy and joined forces to create the Raymond Weil brand, in 1975.
The brand became the 5th leading Swiss watch exporter in 1989, with ex-factory sales amounting to 130 million francs. In 1995, Simone Bédat decided to sell her (24%) stake to Mr. Raymond Weil.
She left the firm in July 1996, along with her son, Christian, who had joined the company in 1990 and exercised various responsibilities, ultimately becoming art director.
She founded BEDAT & C° with her son in October 1996
Christian Bédat
Christian Bédat was born on July 21st 1964.
After graduating from the H.E.C. business school in Lausanne in 1987, he left for Hong Kong to work for Eco Swiss China Time, heading the production of Benetton watches by Bulova.
He stayed there two years.
In 1990, he joined Raymond Weil in Geneva, the company founded in 1975 by Mr. Raymond Weil and his mother Simone Bédat.
Until July 1996, he worked in the purchasing, production and sales departments and gradually took charge of the design department. His last collection was the W1.
In July 1996, he left the company with his mother.
On October 8th 1996, they jointly founded BEDAT & C°.
At the 1997 Basel Show, just six months after the brand was created, Christian Bédat presented its global concept along with two collections: N°3 and N°7, which were an immediate success.
Company founder Christian Bédat was also the creative talent behind the sophisticated BEDAT & C° watches.
Each BEDAT & C° watch was the fruit of his personal reflection, his knowledge of watchmaking history, his experience and his desires.
Following his departure, the new team is doing its utmost to cultivate his creative spirit and his taste for elegance through the new timepieces by BEDAT & C°.
