Aletta: Monsieur Duplain comes to mind immediately. He's retired now. He opened the door for us. There was his wife, his daughter and, if I recall correctly, seven coworkers. His dog wandered back and forth. The atelier was in his home. It was a special atmosphere. We explained that we had a little watch factory and we needed cases. The family invited us in. They were very kind and courteous. They listened carefully accepted us as customers. A most friendly and hospitable family! Peter: Do you remember, Aletta? There's an even better example of the openness and friendliness of individual manufacturers in La ChauxdeFonds. We had the list from the FŽdŽration Horlogre, but it specified only the names and the mŽtiers, without a word about the price range or other details. One day we visited someone in the center of town. I've unfortunately forgotten his name. We were invited inside. We explained why we had come and they showed us a few cases, but it soon became obvious that we'd come to the wrong place because their product spectrum included only very noble gold cases for highly exclusive brands. Aletta: Right. So they gave us the name of another maker outside La ChauxdeFonds. They really helped us because they understood that we were looking for something in a particular quality and at a particular price. Their recommendations suited us perfectly. We were delighted because we were still in a phase of trial and error in those days. Their understanding of our needs was enormously helpful. Step by step, we gradually drew closer to our goal. Did they freely show you everything without imposing any preconditions? Aletta: Surprisingly, yes. Many manufacturers were proud of the companies they worked for, but some covered the names when they showed us the items. We experienced widely diverse situations, but the receptions were always open and positive. Sometimes we found ourselves standing openmouthed, like children in a candy store. No Fields Found.