The migratory and entrepreneurial history of the DuBois family in Le Locle is revealed to the public with rich detail and previously unexplored sources, including original period photographs. Founders of Switzerland's first watchmaking company in 1785, descendants of this family entered the colonial gold market in South Africa during the 19th century. Applying capitalist predatory strategies in a market marked by brutal exploitation and racism, the DuBois family amassed millions before fleeing South Africa under an international arrest warrant for fraud. This story, unveiled for the first time, exposes the transnational connections between the business world, Christian missions, and the state, including Switzerland, as well as the integration of peripheral regions like Le Locle into the larger history of empires.