History & Workshop Let yourself be carried away by the history of our eyewear and discover the quality of our craftsmanship. 1878 Clément Gouverneur established his factory in Morez, the heart of Jura and the capital of eyewear. Bordering Switzerland, this region carries a long watchmaking and lapidary tradition. He had a profound desire to apply this tradition of luxury and precision handcraft to the eyewear industry. he quickly diversifies his production by manufacturing seamless nose pliers. 1905 When his son-in-law arrived in 1905, the company changed its name and became "Gouverneur Audigier". Teaming up with his son in law Maxime Audigier, they continued inventing and marked the evolution of eyewwear with a ground breaking process for fashionning strong, flexible and refined wire temples. The machine built to create these inimitable "branches cordées" could only be operated by unmarried ladies, having no husband to reveal its secret to. Clement Gouverneur named this piece of machinery "demoiselle", in reference to its operator. 1914 In 1914, events forced leaders to diversify. They twist and twist everything that looks like spiral wire, such as corset clips, hair clips and "rough ones", a small stab-sensitive detonator for hand grenades. After the Great War, the factory continued its manufacture of pince-nez and temples. 1930 In 1930, Emile Boisseau joined the company and the 3 protagonists team up to launch a company that will produce elegant and contemporary eyewear, blending the prestigious handcraft tradition of the region with technological innovation to create, practical, comfortable and stylish designs. Innovation to serve comfort and elegance... « A frame manufacturer that really crafts its own designs… A good idea, isn’t it? »1974 Françoise Morel-Mottet, passionate about art and travel, followed in the footsteps of her great-grandfather Clement Gouverneur and grandfather Camille Gouverneur and propelled the company to an international level, whilst preserving its traditional know-how. 2014 Native of Jura, Philippe Girod acquired the company in 2014, carrying the same motivation as its founders. He revamped the collections, adding touch of avant-garde to authentic design to created modern/classic styles positioning the company as a leading luxury and precision eyewear brand. Nowadays Nutturing our creators' legacy, we are still today, at Gouverneur Audigier, producing exclusive eyewear mixing the latest technologies with our inherited expertise. Come to discover your future frame made by passionate craftsmen, at one of our optician's shop and benefit from his advice to customize it. |