9 th ▁century . ▁ ▁In ▁the ▁late ▁ 1 9 th ▁century ▁the ▁Grande ▁Fab rique ▁was ▁built ▁in ▁M out ier ▁and ▁by ▁ 1 8 8 0 ▁employed ▁about ▁ 5 0 0 ▁workers . ▁ ▁A ▁number ▁of ▁watch m akers ▁opened ▁fact ories ▁in ▁the ▁town , ▁of ▁which ▁Lé on ▁L év y ▁& ▁Fr ères ▁and ▁Louis ▁Schw ab ▁were ▁some ▁of ▁the ▁largest . ▁ ▁However , ▁many ▁of ▁M out ier ' s ▁independent ▁watch m akers ▁went ▁bank rupt ▁and ▁were ▁forced ▁to ▁close ▁during ▁the ▁Great ▁De pression . ▁ ▁Those ▁that ▁surv ived ▁this ▁period ▁were ▁generally ▁absor bed ▁by ▁E TA ▁SA ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 5 0 s . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 8 8 3 ▁Nicolas ▁J unker ▁founded ▁the ▁J unker ▁& ▁C ie ▁company ▁to ▁manufact ure ▁automatic ▁l ath es ▁with ▁a ▁move able ▁head stock . ▁ ▁After ▁a ▁bank rupt cy ▁and ▁several ▁name ▁changes ▁the ▁company ▁became ▁Us ines ▁T orn os , ▁Fab rique ▁de ▁machines ▁M out ier ▁SA ▁in ▁ 1 9 1 8 . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 6 8 ▁T orn os ▁bought ▁the ▁P éter mann ▁SA ▁company ▁to ▁become ▁T orn os ▁P éter mann . ▁ ▁They ▁then ▁merged ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 4 ▁with ▁Be ch ler ▁SA ▁to ▁become ▁M out ier ▁Mach ines ▁Hold ing , ▁which ▁became ▁T orn os - Be ch ler ▁SA ▁in ▁