Watchmaker Arthur Pequegnat was born in Switzerland in 1851. Arthur immigrated to Berlin, Ontario Canada in 1874 with his wife, mom and dad, and brothers and sisters, a grand total of 18 family members.

By the late 1870’s Arthur was operating a jewellery store and watch repair in Southern Ontario. By the middle 1880’s Arthur and his brother Paul were operating a shop in Berlin, Ontario. After about ten years the brothers went their own way, both operating successful jewellery shops in Southern Ontario.

In 1897 Arthur expanded his Berlin Jewellery shop to include the manufacture of Bicycles. However, By 1904, with the decrease in the demand for Bicycles, Arthur began to re-focus on the clock industry, by manufacturing his own clock movements at his Berlin Bicycle Manufacturing plant. At first the wooden clock cases were made by local Furniture Makers, however in time he manufactured his own clock cases.

It’s interesting to note that Berlin, Ontario was re-named Kitchener Ontario in 1916, due to anti-German backlash during WW I. This becomes a use-full tool when dating Pequegnat clocks as Labels, Movements or Dials marked “Berlin” date the clock to 1916 or earlier and those marked “Kitchener” are 1916 or later.

Arthur died in 1927, however, with family members in control, the company continued to operate until 1941.