A FAMILY STORY LA MAISON DODANE accompanied all the great aerial adventures of the 20th century and continues to equip thousands of civilian and military pilots. Specialist in civil and military on-board chronometric instruments, the DODANE1857 house in La Rasse, at the bottom of the Doubs gorges. This renaissance, in complete independence, today constitutes a real challenge. At the beginning of the century, Alphonse DODANE was already convinced that the conquest of the air would be just as important as that of the road. It thus gives Maison DODANE its very particular character by orienting its traditional watchmaking activity towards the production of chronometric equipment equipping French combat aircraft.

Each of the following generations has distinguished itself in innovation, making Maison DODANE one of the oldest NATO approved suppliers. One can, among others, cite the development of altimetric chronographs allowing paratroopers the night jump with delayed opening, 100th of a second counters intended for the control of ejection seats used by aeronautics, wristwatches fitted to pilots. or even many on-board chronometers.

DODANE has rare watchmaking know-how and know-how, assets for a French family business which remains the integral masterpiece of its creations. DODANE watches are entirely designed in France with respect for centuries-old watchmaking traditions and all the parts that compose them come from the largest Swiss or French manufacturers.

The perpetual search for perfection and the desire to share the passion for fine watchmaking mechanics are the driving force behind DODANE's motivation, enabling it to design authentic timepieces with a strong character intended for the most passionate as well as for people wishing to acquire a watch. Steeped in history.

1857 1905 1917 1929 1983 2001-2021

1857

Dodane manufactory wasfounded in 1857 and rapidly

became known in the world ofwatchmaking for its research

etho.

Five generations have succeeded the time when

Alphonse Dodane, as well as his father-in-law François-

Xavier Joubert, had the idea of creating a watchmaking facility

and ebauche workshop in the heart of the Doubs gorges, in La

Rasse, on the edge of the Swissborder, in order to make use of

the hydraulic power that theriver offered.

1905

In order to take advantage of its electricity and railroad, the

facility was transferred to Morteau in France’s Haut Doubs region.

It was here that Alphonse Gabriel Dodane took the reins from his

father at the dawn of the first world war.

He gave the House of Dodane its very special character

by diversifying its activity in traditional watchmaking.

He was convinced that the conquest of

the skies would be every bit as important as that of the road.

1917

Since ballistic science was still in its infancy, the projectiles

dropped from the first bombers had the singularity of landing

far from their targets.

Alphonse Gabriel Dodane supplied

the necessary correction by developing a reverse chronograph

with a very innovative design.

This invention forever changed the future of the Company,

which specialized thereafter in onboard chronographs for the

combat aircraft produced by the Dassault plants.

1929

The third generation of the Dodane family settled in Besançon,
where Raymond Dodane carried on the traditions of
complex watch fabrication.

He made the Company one of the longest-standing authorized

suppliers to NATO and was awarded with RAQ 2 certification

by the Industrial Supervision Department of the French Armoury.

1983

Laurent and Michel succeeded their father Raymond in directing the
Company and produced up to 100,000 watches, distributed on all five continents.
The House of Dodane was the only French company to have been
certified for the fabrication of altimetric chronographs permitting
parachutists to do night jumps withdelayed openings.
The Companyalso created the 1/100th second timer for the control of the ejection seats used by Aerospatiale.

The manufacture of Dodane was also a supplier to many civil airlines and military force, both in France and abroad, as well as to the Aéropostale, the French national department of education, and post and telecommunications offices.

The Company’s mastery electronic technology led to its selection by the German Army, in 1983, to develop a totally new and revolutionary onboard chronographic instrument : the TYPE 211.

This integrated chronograph is installed in the instrument panel of many differents types of military and civil aircraft and helicopter.

Before folding, the company contended with and withstood the rise of quartz movement within the watch market until 1994.

2001-2021

Associated with their historical partners, Laurent and Cédric Dodane, the fifth generation, is rapidly repositioning itself in the niche markets left vacant.

Ensuring the continuity of the former entity for the maintenance and sale of military on-board chronographs, the company quickly became a NATO-referenced supplier again. Drawing on its family know-how, the company subsequently launched the design of a wristwatch based on a legendary chronograph: the TYPE 21.

Used by civilian and military pilots, TYPES 211, 21 and 23 are recognized as irreplaceable instruments due to their reliability.

Cédric Dodane and all the family members who make up the company want above all to design authentic timekeepers intended for the most passionate.

The perpetual search for perfection is the driving force behind the passion of the Dodanes who attempt, in complete independence, to perpetuate five generations of watchmaking know-how.

Dodane 1857 is an independent craft company within the same family. The privileged relationships that are sometimes complete with co-contractors from Franc-Comtois and Switzerland allow the company to personalize all of its models.

Cédric Dodane thus confirms his commitment to enhancing the French watchmaking heritage by highlighting Made In France throughout his range.

In 2007, Maison DODANE 1857 supported the Armor Aéro Passion Association and from 2009, with the fourth reissue of the legendary TYPE 21 chronograph, it was equipping the pilots of the CARTOUCHE DORE, acrobatic patrol of the Air Force, then the ALPHAJET SOLODISPLAY presenter pilots.

In 2010, La Maison Dodane was approached by the French Air Force, via SIRPA, along with several other brands to offer a dedicated watch that would be a form of corporate object, recreating the mythical symbol of belonging that was TYPE 21.

After having equipped 750 members of the Air Force with the dedicated TYPE 23, Maison DODANE is offering a civilian version of this military chronograph, which has already been tested in airspace.