Watchmaker Alcide Droz partners with Henri Perret in the Swiss watchmaking heartland of Saint-Imier to establish Droz & Perret, laying the cornerstone of what becomes Berna. The trademark is officially registered that same year, launching over 160 years of renowned Swiss horological craftsmanship.

Berna's predecessor earns a prestigious Silver Medal at the Exposition Universelle in Paris, an early testament to the exceptional quality and meticulous artistry of its timepieces.

The company completes construction of its modern factory strategically positioned near the railroad for efficient production and distribution. This facility becomes the powerhouse behind expanding output of fine watches and chronographs.

Securing another Silver Medal at the Melbourne International Exhibition, Berna's watches gain acclaim across continents, showcasing Swiss precision to Australian and international audiences.

Alcide Droz patents the groundbreaking L’Imperméable, featuring a screw-down crown and sealed joints for dust- and water-resistance in pocket watches. Demonstrated submerged with live fish at Zürich 1883, it earns a Silver Medal at Antwerp 1885 as a precursor to modern divers.

Droz & Perret was honored with a Silver Medal at the Amsterdam Exhibition of 1883.

Henri Perret departs; Alcide Droz & Fils pioneers bold designs that captivate collectors worldwide.

Alcide Droz collaborates with Georges-Arnold Charpié to found the West End Watch Co., importing Droz & Cie watches for sale under the Berna brand throughout British India. This venture establishes Berna as a key player in emerging global markets.

Following Alcide Droz's death, the firm reorganizes as Droz & Cie under his sons' leadership, solidifying the Berna branding that had emerged by the mid-1880s.

The Chicago World’s Columbian Exposition brought global recognition, with Droz & Cie receiving the prestigious gold medal.

Berna secures its first Gold Medal at the 1899 Swiss National Exhibition in Thun, building on earlier Silver Medals won at La Chaux-de-Fonds in 1881 and Zürich in 1883.

At the Paris Exposition of 1900, MM. Droz & Cie from Saint-Imier earned international recognition with a Gold Medal for their watchmaking excellence. The official review praised the manufacture as "synonymous with good and excellent mechanical watch manufacturing," noting their chronometers were "capable of competing with the best." The exhibition showcased their technical mastery—bronze watches backed by observatory certificates—alongside artistic cases featuring intricate guilloché engravings and enamel work. This prestigious award affirmed Droz & Cie's position among Switzerland's finest watchmakers at the turn of the century.

The firm officially adopts Fabrique d’Horlogerie Berna S.A. (Ancienne Maison Droz & Cie) and merges with Ernest Degoumois’ workshop.

Berna secures a Gold Medal at the Esposizione Internazionale in Milan, demonstrating Swiss dominance in timekeeping devices.

Berna patents the world's first yacht timer in 1913 (Swiss patent #65942), featuring a revolutionary 5-aperture system where a rotating colored disc reveals the countdown through five dial windows for the final five minutes of a regatta start—a design still used today.

Berna pocket chronometers claim 1st Prize at the Neuchâtel Observatory, while a Special Diploma arrives at the Tokyo International Exposition in 1914.

During World War One, Berna exported trench watches to the United States, equipping soldiers with reliable timekeeping amid the chaos of the trenches.

Amid World War I, Berna Watch Co. launched BDM Machines Suisses (Berna Département Machines). As war disrupted traditional markets, Berna adapted—bringing precision engineering to industrial manufacturing. From semi-automatic turret lathes to custom milling solutions, BDM produced machinery for Switzerland's wartime industry.

By the 1910s, Berna Watch Co. had established itself as a specialist in professional timing instruments for military and sports applications. The manufacture produced chronoscopes, chronographs, and specialized counters for army, aviation, and marine use, as well as athletic timing. These instruments served officers, navigators, aviators, and athletes who required reliable precision.

Berna introduces high-frequency stopwatches measuring 1/100 second, revolutionizing European industry by enabling precise Taylorist efficiency studies.

Securing three Second Prizes at the Neuchâtel Observatory competition honoring Abraham-Louis Breguet's centenary, Berna joins the chronometry elite with proven superiority in precision timekeeping.

Berna supplies the integrated pocket chronograph for the Konishiroku Type 89 Camera Gun, developed for the Japanese Imperial Army from 1929 to 1945. This innovative training device combines a machine gun with a camera, where the Berna chronograph records precise timing data directly onto 35mm film for gunnery analysis.

After a change in ownership the new Berna S.A. is established in the same factory complex as Léonidas, enabling shared production of chronographs, stopwatches, and specialized sports timing instruments.

By 1936, Berna had established itself with a diverse array of sports-related watches and complications.

Just two years after the world's first divers watch, Berna had already launched several diver models. By 1936, surviving records confirm Berna was already producing different kinds of divers watches from their Saint-Imier manufacture—making them pioneers in a field that would define modern watchmaking.

The Berna Watch Co. from Saint-Imier supplied high-precision movements for the legendary Beobachtungsuhr (B-Uhr) navigation watches, used by German Luftwaffe bomber navigators.

Berna and Léonidas operated side by side until Léonidas was acquired by Heuer. After the acquisition, Berna produced watches and components for Heuer-Leonidas, whose later models incorporated Berna’s earlier innovations — including the 5-dot yacht timer, patented by Berna in 1914 — a design concept still used in modern timepieces today.

Diving Watch Homage to L'Imperméable Berna launches its 200m waterproof diver with an under-crystal rotating bezel, shown underwater alongside fish. This pays homage to the original 1884 L'Imperméable, famously demonstrated submerged in a Zürich aquarium with live fish to prove its water resistance.

Following the passing of Charles Jeanneret, then head of Berna, the company was eventually dissolved.