Founded in 1911 in Le Locle Switzerland by Georges Pellaton-Steudler, Martel Watch Co. was a specialty maker of repetition and chronograph movements and watches.

By 1916, the Martel Watch Co. had been established in Ponts-de-Martel, though the Le Locle office remained active as well through the 1920s.

As early as 1917, Martel began specializing in chronograph movements, working with Universal for what the company boasted was the world's first wrist chronograph.

These were based on mono-pusher movements with the chronograph pusher integrated into the crown as on pocket chronographs.

In 1932, Universal launched what they claimed was the world's first two-pusher wrist watch chronograph. With its dual-subdial design and pushers at the 2 o’clock and 4 o’clock position, these remain the template for all future chronograph watches. They were powered by the Universal 281 movement manufactured by Martel.

The next great advancement for Martel, with partners Universal and Zenith, was the introduction of a wrist watch chronograph with a calendar complication.

In the 1950s, Martel began marketing watches with their own brand name, both time-only and chronograph models.
One notable model in the mid 1950s was the Martel Victorious, an automatic movement with date in a waterproof case.