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Swiss watch manufacturers and their heritage
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Audemars Piguet
Founded 1875 in le Brassus
The Manufacture was established in a village at the heart of La Vallée-de-Joux in the Swiss Jura, by Jules-Louis Audemars and Edward-Auguste Piguet, two enterprising young men who combined their talent to develop and produce watches featuring rare complications. Already in these early days, an Audemars-Piguet watch was prized by admirers of fine mechanical timepieces. Through determination, imagination and discipline, they inscribed their name on the wider history of watchmaking. The company they established has never left the hands of the founding families.
Baume & Mercier
Founded in 1830 in the Swiss Jura mountain
Baume & Mercier, constantly in pursuit of the equilibrium symbolized by the Greek letter Phi – was awarded the highest international distinction of the time in the shape of the “Poinçon de Genève” quality hallmark. During the Roaring Twenties and throughout the Art Deco period, the brand established its style and left an indelible mark on watch design. Paul Mercier knew that it was essential for the brand to live in step with its time and embrace change. The firm grasped the importance of women’s emancipation and came to regard their desires as an unquenchable source of inspiration. Baume & Mercier unveiled innovatively shaped timepieces during the 1970s, such as the Galaxie and the Stardust, which won prestigious international awards including the Golden Rose of Baden-Baden. In 1973, Baume & Mercier brought out the Riviera, one of the world's first steel sports watches. In 1988, the firm joined the Vendôme group, now Richemont, and enriched its collection with a number of successful models which immediately established themselves as the brand’s flagship lines.
Breguet
Founded in 1775
Often referred to as the father of modern watchmaking, Abraham-Louis Breguet, founder of Breguet in Paris in 1775, invented so many watchmaking concepts in his quest for perfection, not the least of which was the tourbillon escapement (a cage that compensates for errors in timekeeping due to the effects of gravity). Today, Breguet, owned by the Swatch Group, continues to forge ahead with innovation and invention – regularly pushing the creative envelope for complicated high-horology minute repeaters, tourbillons, and more.
Bucherer
Founded 1888 in Lucerne, Switzerland
Founded in Lucerne, Switzerland, in 1888, Carl F. Bucherer regularly pays tribute in its timepieces to its rich watchmaking traditions, yet always with a visionary edge. Known for its exceptional Tourbillon Double Peripheral collection, its sporty yet classic Bicompax chronographs, and its state-of-the-art ScubaTec dive watches, the brand is sought after by collectors in all walks of life.
Blancpain
Founded by Jehan-Jacques Blancpain in Villeret, Switzerland in 1735
A watch brand with a truly rich history and perhaps even richer contemporary profile, Blancpain has been involved in diving and aviation since the early 20th century and continues to create watches geared for lovers of adventure. It also builds some of the most sophisticated and complicated watches in the world – offering watch lovers a glimpse at its esteemed horological prowess. Nestled in the Vallee’ de Joux, Switzerland, this innovative brand, owned by the Swatch Group, is highly dedicated to sustainability and Ocean Commitment.
Breitling
Founded in Grenchen, Switzerland in 1884 by Leon Breitling
Founded in Grenchen, Switzerland in 1884 by Leon Breitling, this company is known for its rugged, precision watches that go the distance both on land, in the sea, and in the air. In fact, during the 20th century, Breitling even had a division that built clocks for airplane cockpits. Known as the brand that makes instruments for professionals, Breitling’s most iconic watches include the Navitimer watch for pilots that features a slide-rule bezel, its SuperOcean watch for divers, and its Emergency watch with built-in dual-frequency emergency beacons that have already been credited with saving lives.
Cartier
Founded in 1847 in Paris by the jeweller Louis-François Cartier
Cartier was founded in 1847 in Paris by the jeweller Louis-François Cartier, who in 1899 handed over to his three sons. They would establish the company internationally, not least by making the Cartier name a favourite among the crowned heads of Europe. Named "King of Jewellers, Jeweller of Kings", the brand was quick to turn its attention to watches. Many have become modern-day icons, such as the Santos (1904), the first wristwatch actually ever created, the Tortue (1912) and the Tank (1919). They were followed by other noteworthy creations, including the Pasha, the Santos 100, the Ballon Bleu and the Calibre.The Cartier family retained ownership of the firm until 1964. It is now part of the Richemont Group.
Certina
Founded in Grenchen in 1888 by Adolf and Alfred Kurth
In its 130th year of existence, the sports watch brand has built up a solid international reputation for the highest Swiss quality work. Resistance and reliability are crucial for Certina. The brand already chose the turtle as its personal symbol in the 60s. Even today, its characteristic silhouette can be found on almost every Certina timepiece and in the brand logo. It recalls the extreme resistance that characterizes all Certina watches.1936 Certina was the first company to produce a digital watch. It was driven by a spring movement. Rotating disks bearing inscribed numbers were used to display the time, instead of hands. The brand also has a social conscience and is involved with the Sea Turtle Conservancy (STC) by sponsoring one of the turtles in the worldwide race that enables the study and protection of sea turtles. Certina works to help raise funds, but also to raise awareness.
Chronosuisse
Founded in 1981 in Lucerne by Gerd-Rüdiger Lang
In the early days of Chronoswiss, remnants of mechanical movements from the manufacturer Enicar that were no longer produced were encased in watch cases and sold. Today's collection consists of mechanical watches and also includes limited editions. Characteristic features of the watches include the onion crown, the knurled bezel and screwed bracelet bars.Typical complications included the use of quarter-hour repeaters and the introduction of the first skeletonised automatic chronograph (Opus model). Using original tools from the 1940s, the Klassik Chronograph model was produced. The Orea model features an enamelled dial. Among the brand's most famous models to date is the Régulateur, the first mass-produced wristwatch with a regulator dial, introduced in 1987 and available from 1988. Over the decades, it developed into the brand's icon, which has been constantly refined. In 2016, Chronoswiss introduced the Flying Regulator, the first Regulator model with a multi-level dial.As of December 2006, the company was based in Karlsfeld near Munich. Chronoswiss produced less than 5000 watches per year in 2012 (estimated).[1] At the beginning of 2012, the previous owner family Lang[2] sold their shares in Chronoswiss Uhren GmbH to the Swiss entrepreneurial family Oliver and Eva Maria Ebstein, based in Lucerne on Lake Lucerne. The company's headquarters have since been relocated to Lucerne.[3] In August 2013, Chronoswiss announced that the Karlsfeld site would be completely abandoned.[4]The headquarters of the independent family business has been Lucerne since 2014. In addition to mechanical timepieces, the ateliers there also produce limited editions and custom-made watches, some of which are refined with historical crafts such as enamel or guilloche.
Claude Meylan
Founded in the 18th century in the Vallée de Joux
Nestled in the Vallee de Joux, the heart of Swiss watchmaking, Claude Meylan has roots dating back to the 18th century, when the Meylan family was known for its fine watchmaking. Today, the brand is inspired by its roots to create harmonious designs with skeletonized movements that offer a sense of art on the wrist. The brand likes to push the creative envelope when it comes to shapes and harmonious aesthetics.
Chopard
Founded in Geneva in 1860
Chopard dates back to its founding in 1860 by Louis-Ulysse Chopard. It creates fine Swiss watches that were able to achieve the Geneva Seal certification. Today, owned by the Scheufele family, the independent watch brand is a fully integrated manufacture in Neuchatel and creates its own movements and watches across categories that include Mille Miglia (vintage auto inspired), Happy Diamonds (with floating diamonds), and the L.U.C series of complicated watches. It is a pioneer in the world of sustainable and responsibly sourced gold and other materials.
Enicar
Founded in 1914 in La Chaux de Fonds
Enicar has always played an instrumental role in the development of mechanical watches. With its origin in 1854 as a family watchmaker, Enicar takes pride in its great heritage and constant quest to create reliable and high-performance timepieces with state-of-the-art technology, elegance and endurance.Founder Artiste Racine established the company 'Racine Watch Co.' in La Chaux de Fonds, Switzerland in 1914, when he ingeniously reversed the spelling of his own last name to become the timeless brand 'Enicar'. The name has since been recognized as a symbol of quality.
Eterna
Founded 1888 in Lucerne
The name Eterna is synonymous with timepieces of the highest quality, with Swiss watchmaking Tradition, and with an outstanding Spirit of innovation. The passionate desire to master horological challenges as well as to constantly improve existing Features has been driving Eterna since 1856. It is therefore no surprise that the Workshops in Grenchen have time and time again enriched and revolutionized the art of watchmaking. Today, Eterna is still characterised by this ingenious creativity. The current collections reflect the brand's respect for tradition, alongside Eterna's commitment to pioneering new designs and movement technologies.
F. P. Journe Watches
Founded in 1981 in Lucerne by Gerd-Rüdiger Lang
It was nearly 40 years ago that Francois-Paul Journe unveiled his first pocket watch to the world (in 1983). Meticulously handcrafted with splendid attention to chronometry and detail, the watch left an indelible benchmark standard in the eyes of collectors. Since then, F.P.Journe continues to be one of the most sought-after watch brands by collectors around the world. The F.P.Journe Haute Horology timepieces are exclusive, complex masterpieces.
Favre-Leuba
Founded 1737 in Le Locle
One of the oldest Swiss watch brands, Favre-Leuba was founded in 1737 in LeLocle, Switzerland. When the Quartz Crises compelled the family to sell the brand in 1985, it changed hands multiple times. Today, though, Favre-Leuba is actively creating sports watches designed to weather the elements and has a host of adventure ambassadors on its roster.
Fortis
Fortis was founded in 1912 by one Walter Vogt in Grenchen, a trained watchmaker formerly employed by Eterna.
Independent watch brand Fortis was founded in 1912 and specializes in sports watches for air, land, and sea. In fact, Fortis has gone into space on the wrist of astronauts as far back as the Gemini project in 1962 and as recently as 1992 with the Cosmonauts. Its Space collections include the Official Cosmonauts, Stratoliner, and Spacematic. Fortis also creates pilot and dive watches.
Franck Muller
Founded 1992 in Geneva
Founded in 1991 by young watchmaker Franck Muller and Vartan Sirmakes, this Swiss watch brand was dedicated to creating original complicated movements. Today, the brand operates Watchland in a restored 20th-century mansion in Genthod, a canton of Geneva, where its watchmakers work. Franck Muller is known for its Crazy Hours watches, the Cintre Curvex, and the tonneau-shaped Vanguard.
Frédérique Constant
Founded in 1775 by Abraham-Louis Breguet, a Swiss watchmaker born to Huguenot parents in Neuchâtel
The Frederique Constant brand was founded in 1988 by Peter Stas and Aletta Bax, a husband and wife team who wanted to create top-quality watches that also delivered reasonable and fair prices. Frederique Constant’s quality and affordable prices for complications (at one point introducing an $80,000 tourbillon at an age where that was unheard of) quickly put it on the map. The brand, today under the ownership of the Citizen Group, is a fully integrated Manufacture with dozens of calibers and patents.
Girard-Perregaux
Founded in 1856 in La Chaux-de-Fonds
Based in La Chaux-de-Fonds, Girard-Perregaux has roots dating back to 1791, when watchmaker Jean-Francois Bautte created his first timepieces in Geneva. However, via a circuitous route, the Girard-Perregaux brand name was officially established in 1856 in La Chaux-de-Fonds. Today, it is owned by the Sowind Group, a subsidiary of the Kering Group. It is most known for its famed Tourbillon with Three Gold Bridges, whose design was patented in 1884. This model continues to be an icon for the brand.
Grovana
Founded in 1924
The history of Grovana Uhrenfabrik AG goes back to 1924, when it was founded by the Gröflin brothers and still bore their name. In 1970, businessman Werner Bitterli acquired the watch factory, giving it its current name Grovana Uhrenfabrik AG. Just one year later, Werner Bitterli launched the first Grovana watch collection. Hard years follow, as the Swiss watch industry slides into its biggest crisis. Fewer and fewer mechanical watches are in demand. Bitterli relies on analog quartz models, with which he celebrates great success. In 2000, Grovana signs a license agreement for the production and worldwide distribution of Revue Thommen watches and thus begins production of the exclusive manufacture movements. Nothing stands in the way of the expansion of the factory building in Tenniken.
IWC
Founded in 1868
Swiss watch brand IWC Schaffhausen has the unique history of being founded by an American in 1868. Florentine Ariosto Jones of Boston sailed to Switzerland to find a place to produce the watches of his dreams. He established the first true production facility for watchmaking, harnessing the power of the Rhine River. Today, IWC is owned by the Richemont Group and is known for its complications, pilot’s watches, Aquatimer dive watches, and the beloved Portugieser and Portofino collections.
Jaeger-LeCoultre
Founded in 1833
Nestled in the mountains of Le Sentier, Switzerland, Jaeger-LeCoultre was founded in 1833 by Antoine LeCoultre, who was renowned for a host of watchmaking innovations. The brand, owned today by the Richemont Group, is well-known for its famed Reverso watch that was invented in the early 1930s for polo players. It features a case that swivels out from a holder and reverses on itself. It is also known for its high complications, Master Control watches, and more.
Gruen
Founded in 1894
The Gruen Watch Company was formerly one of the largest watch manufacturers in the United States. It was in business from about 1894 to 1958 and was based in Cincinnati, Ohio. It was founded in 1908 by German-born watchmaker Dietrich Grün, who changed the spelling of his name to "Gruen" because the letter ü does not exist in English.In 1900 the corporate name became D. Gruen, Sons & Co. The new company became partially a Swiss company. The movements were no longer made in Glashütte, Germany, but in Switzerland again. 1903, a subsidiary was formed, “The Gruen Watch Manufacturing Company”, located in Biel/Bienne, Switzerland.In 1922 a consolidation took place where the D. Gruen, Sons & Co, Cincinnati, The Gruen Watch Manufacturing Co, Biel/Bienne and the Gruen National Watch Case Co, were merged into “The Gruen Watch Company”. 1923 the company moved into a new facility, in Biel/Bienne.In marketing and advertising, the Gruen Watch Company used 1876, and later, 1874, as its official founding date. The 1876 date is actually the founding date of the Columbus Watch Company, and the 1874 date is actually the year that Dietrich Gruen's first patent was issued.By the mid-twenties, Gruen’s sales had reached over five million dollars. In total sales, it had become the largest watch company in the U.S., as well as first in the average watch price.In 1930 Gruen introduced the Baguette watches.After the start of the Depression, 1930 an arrangement was made with Alpina, with the production of a dual branded Alpina/Gruen watch.In 1935, Gruen introduced the first Curvex wristwatches for men, the company's most famous design. Expanding on the then-current fashion for long, rectangular wristwatch shapes, these models were curved to wrap around the wearer's wrist. The biggest innovation of the design was the ability to produce a movement which followed the shape of the case, allowing the watch to be thinner and more curved. This, in turn, allowed the movement to be larger, more durable and more accurate than would have been possible if a smaller, flat movement was used. A year later, the company introduced Curvex models for women.During World War II, the Time Hill factory stopped making watches and instead worked exclusively for the U.S. military, manufacturing gauges and instruments for aircraft, ships and submarines. The company also made precision gauges used for delicate surgical instruments and for radios and other electronic equipment. During World War II, some watches were still manufactured at the Precision Factory in Switzerland and imported.It was during and shortly after World War II that many American watch companies began to lose market share to Swiss imports. Many American watch companies began to move manufacturing to Switzerland in the 1940s and 1950s, while Gruen, who had always manufactured watch movements in Germany or Switzerland, launched the '21' series of wristwatches (named for their 21-jewel movements) which were entirely made in the United States.The Gruen family sold their interest in the company in 1953, and the firm was broken up and sold in 1958. The watch manufacturing business moved to New York under new ownership, and manufacturing was done exclusively in Switzerland.The operation in Biel/Bienne closed its doors in 1977; their building was bought by their former supplier, J. Aegler and is now used in Rolex manufacturing.
Greubel Forsey
Founded in 2004
When Stephen Forsey and Robert Greubel launched their independent brand in 2004, they took the watch collecting world by storm. Easily one of the most innovative brands when it comes to mechanics, Greubel Forsey also regularly takes excellence in watchmaking to the highest level – turning out masterpieces that are rigorously developed and meticulously executed. It produces just about 100 watches per year.
H. Moser & Cie Watches
Founded in 1848
In 1828, Swiss-born Heinrich Moser founded the original H. Moser & Cie company in St. Petersburg, Russia. After returning home to Schaffhausen, Switzerland in 1848, he established his company there. In the early 2000s, the brand name was resurrected, and, today, it is independently owned and family-run by the MELB Holding Group, owned by the Meylan family. Every watch is made in-house in Schaffhausen and each is hand finished and hand-assembled to exacting standards. H. Moser is known as a luxury brand that thinks outside of the proverbial box in terms of design and color.
Hamilton Watches
Founded in 1892
This Swiss manufacture actually has American roots. It was first incorporated in 1892 in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, and produced its first watches in 1893. Hamilton went from building pocket watches to wristwatches and was famously in many a big-screen movie throughout the 1950s and ‘60s. Today, owned by the Swatch Group, it continues to be actively involved in the world of film (and even sponsors the Behind the Camera awards), aviation, and more. Its best-known lines include the iconic Ventura, the Jazzmaster, and the Khaki.
Hublot
Founded in 1980
Originally founded in 1980 by Italian designer Carlo Crocco, Hublot was one of the first watch brands on the market to equip its luxury gold watches with rubber straps. The concept turned heads, something Hublot continues to do to this day with its innovative watches and Fusion concept. Today, Hublot is based in Nyon, Switzerland, and is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the LVMH Group. It has an extensive research and development laboratory on sight and is known for its inventive materials and designs. Of particular note are the Big Bang collection and the MP series.
Jaquet Droz
Founded in 1721
Jaquet Droz takes its name and inspiration from the 18th-century watchmaker Pierre Jaquet-Droz, who also was renowned for his incredible automatons and mechanical singing birds. Today, the brand is owned and operated by the Swatch Group, and it continues the tradition of automaton watches with moving parts on the dial. Jaquet Droz also offers complicated watches, hand-painted works of art, and sophisticated regulator watches.
Longines
Founded in 1832
With a rich watchmaking tradition, Longines is one of the most well-known watch brands around the world. Founded in 1832 in Saint-Imier, Switzerland, the brand is under the auspices today of the Swatch Group. With a tagline of “Elegance is an Attitude,” Longines creates sophisticated watches for men and women. Its best-selling collections include the Conquest, Heritage, Spirit and Master lines. It is highly involved in the Equestrian world, as well as gymnastics, Alpine Skiing and other realms.
Louis Erard
Founded in 1893
Outwardly billing itself as the “Made in Switzerland Value Proposition” brand, Louis Erard was originally founded in 1893 by watchmaker Louis Erard. It created fine Swiss watches over the years but then had a lull in the late 1990s. It was purchased by a private investor in 2003 and has since revived as a maker of mechanical watches with timeless design and high-quality movements. Despite the affordable prices of these watches, each is finely finished so that the brand and the watch owner can take pride in the traditional Swiss craftsmanship. It offers watches with power reserve, regulators, chronographs, and even moon phase displays.
Movado
Founded in 1881
Founded in 1881 in La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland, Movado has grown to be one of the most important affordable brands in the world. It has many claims to fame, including the iconic Museum dial watch – with a single dot at 12:00 – that was created by designer George Horowitz in the Bauhaus style. The design, found in museums around the world, continues to be a best seller for Movado. Other important collections include the Movado Connect smartwatch, the Heritage Series, the Esperanza, and the Movado Bold.
Maurice Lacroix
Founded in 1975
Today under the parent company of DKSH Holdings, Maurice Lacroix was originally founded in 1975. By 1980, the brand had acquired a case manufacture and went on to become incredibly successful. Its Masterpiece collection of mechanical watches, including chronographs and jump hours, might well be its most sought-after lines thanks the mechanical wizardry shown on the dial side. Other important collections include the Aikon classic look, and the Pontos.
Omega
Founded in 1975
Originally founded in La Chaux-de-Fonds in 1848, but using another name, Omega SA has grown to be one of the world’s most well-known and beloved watch brands. It formally adopted the name Omega in 1903 as Omega Watch & Co., but its watches have been distinctive from the start. From its Seamaster watches that have made diving records, to its Speedmaster watches that have gone into Space as part of the NASA program, Omega is about offering top-quality, high-performance watches that even James Bond wears.
Oris
Founded in 1904
Just over a century old, the Oris watch brand was founded in Hölstein, Switzerland, in 1904. The brand was known for its top-notch mechanical watches and, since the early part of the 20th century, for its pilot and aviation watches with signature oversized onion crowns. Today, Oris builds superb mechanical watches for diving, aviation, and motorsports, as well as classic contemporary pieces that have a cult-like following. The independently owned brand is all about thinking outside of the box with its marketing and communications efforts, as well.
Patek Philippe
Founded in 1839
Easily one of the most venerable watch brands in the world, Patek Philippe was founded in Geneva in 1839. It was acquired by the Stern family in 1932 and remains an independent family-owned company to this day. It is known as the benchmark standard for high complications and is renowned for its pioneering in new technology, its master of the rare handcrafts, and more. Patek Philippe’s beloved collections include the classic Calatrava, the sporty Aquanaut and Nautilus lines, the feminine Twenty-4, and the incredible complications and grand complications.
Piaget
Founded in 1874
Piaget, the prestigious practitioner of Haute Horlogerie, is one of the oldest watch manufacturers in Switzerland. It was founded in 1874 by Georges Édouard Piaget in his family home located in La Côte-aux-Fées, in the canton of Neuchâtel. Similar to other companies in the Swiss Jura, it began its life as a movement manufacturer. Its reputation for high quality led the company to supply several prestigious watch companies with its revered movements.
Parmigiani Fleurier
Founded in 1996
It was in 1976 that young watchmaker Michel Parmigiani opened his workshop and began restoring vintage clocks and watches. Two decades later, in 1996, the Parmigiani Fleurier brand was founded, with help from the Sandoz Family Foundation, which owns 90 percent of the brand. Michel’s dream was to create top-notch hand-made watches of distinction. Today Parmigiani’s collections include the Kalpa, Tonda, and Toric lines that offer sporty-inspired chronographs, high complications, and more.
Rado
Founded in 1917
Founded in 1917 in Legnau, Switzerland (and originally begun as Schlup & Co.), Rado has always been a cutting-edge Avant-Garde brand. It began using the Rado name in 1957, and over the years, the brand has experimented with many different materials for its watches. Rado was the first to introduce a “scratch-proof” watch, the DiaStar 1, in 1962 that took the world by storm. In the ensuing decades, it introduced colored versions of the DiaStar, and by the mid-1980s became the first watch brand to create high-tech ceramic bracelet watches. Since then, the “master of materials” has regularly surprised and delighted watch lovers with sophisticated metals, bold colors, and contemporary aesthetics.
Raymond Weil
Founded in
Founded in 1976 in Geneva by Raymond Weil, this Swiss watch brand continues to be family-run and operated. Initially, the brand released watch collections named for operas and music, including Maestro, Tango, Toccata, and more. Today, the company continues to craft fine watches in these and other collections with meticulous attention to dial details and case finishes. Predominantly, the Raymond Weil watches are powered by quartz movements.
Richard Mille
Founded in 2001
True adventurers and watch enthusiasts can’t get enough of luxury watch brand Richard Mille, founded by Richard Mille in 2001 with the concept of creating ultra-high-end high-tech watches. His timepieces use the most advanced materials, some never before seen in the watch world, and highly sophisticated mechanics. Richard Mille insists that his brand ambassadors (tennis players, golfers, racecar drivers, and more) wear their watches in play – showcasing the fact that they can withstand any forces incurred. The Richard Mille collection runs the gamut from adventure watches, to dive watches and high complications – all with daring colors and three-dimensional architecture.
Rolex
Founded in 1905
It would take a book, and maybe even multiple books, to sum up, Rolex. This Swiss watch brand, founded in 1905 by Hans Wilsdorf, has been the most recognized watch name around the world for decades. The brand created the first water-resistant watch in the early 1920s, which it later named the Oyster, and went on to unveil many firsts in the watch world. It is regularly the partner of choice for explorers, adventurers, and divers, and has set world records. Rolex is best known for its Oyster Perpetual collection, the Cosmograph Daytona, and the Sea- and Sky-Dweller watches.
Rotary
Founded in 1895
Rotary Watches Ltd was established at La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland, by Moise Dreyfuss in 1895. By the 1920s family members Georges and Sylvain Dreyfuss began importing Rotary watches to Britain, which was to become the company's most successful market. In 1940 Rotary became the official watch supplier for the British Army.Coinciding as this did with the Second World War and the drafting of huge numbers into the army, the move put a Rotary watch in almost every household in Britain, leaving a lasting impression of the brand in the UK. More recently, Rotary Watches was elected as one of the UK's "superbrands" in 2006 and has retained its place in successive years. The “winged wheel” Rotary logo was first introduced in 1925 and has since undergone only minor changes in appearance. In addition to its traditional brand, the company also produces watches under the more exclusive "Dreyfuss & Co" name.
Tissot
Founded in 1853
Founded by a father and son in 1853, Tissot produces quartz, mechanical, and even T-Touch watches whose functions are activated by touching the bezel. A leader in the affordable Swiss watch category, Tissot is owned by the Swatch Group. It is well known for the Rock watch that it unveiled in the 1980s, whose case was made of rock from the Swiss Alps. Today, Tissot’s best-selling lines include the aforementioned T-Touch, the Seastar Chronograph, the SuperSport Chronograph, and an impressive Heritage line – with most watches retailing for well under $1,000.
Vulcain
Founded in 1895
Founded in 1858 by the Ditisheim brothers, Vulcain watches were one of the most innovative brands of its time and of the 20th century. It won awards at the world’s fairs and is credited with inventing the first-ever mechanical alarm movement. Called the Cricket, the alarm watch has made history books as the “President’s watch” since so many American presidents owned and wore one, including Dwight D. Eisenhower, Harry Trumann, Richard Nixon, and Lyndon Johnson. Today, the Vulcain collections include the 50S alarm watches, the Prestige collection, the First Lady line for women, and more, but it is always the alarm function that captures the hearts of collectors.