TW Steel was founded in 2005 by Ton and Jordy Cobelens in the Netherlands. Despite being a relatively young watch brand, the father and son team have built an impressive motorsport collaboration portfolio that belies their relatively short history. This was no beginner’s luck though, as Ton’s involvement in the watch industry stretches back to …
Oris SA was founded by Paul Cattin and Georges Christia in 1904 in the Swiss town of Hölstein, where the company is still based. The company name was named after a nearby brook, and started life as a manufacturer of pocket watches. In response to the growing wristwatch market, Oris began producing leather straps …
Certina was founded in 1888 by Adolf and Alfred Kurth in Grenchen, Switzerland. Originally a movement and supplies factory, Certina did not start producing complete watches until several years later. Their first brand name was Grana, named after the Latin name of Grenchen. The name Certina first came into use in the 1930s, and was …
Audemars Piguet Holding SA was founded in 1875 by Jules Louis Audemars and Edward Auguste Piguet in the Vallée de Joux. The name Audemars Piguet & Cie was acquired in 1881, and today the company is based in Le Brassus, Switzerland and still owned by the family. Before being known as the company that makes …
Universal Genève SA was founded in 1894 as Universal Watch by horology students Ulysse Perret and Numa-Emile Descombes, and is currently a subsidiary of Breitling. Originally based in Le Locle, Universal was relocated to Geneva in 1919 by Perret, where their headquarters resides to this day. World’s First Chronograph and Recent History Universal Genève …
Bell & Ross was founded in 1992 as a university project by Bruno Belamich and Carlos A. Rosillo. Early Bell & Ross watches were produced by Sinn, with the partnership ending in 2002 after Chanel became a minority shareholder. The company is currently based in Paris, and manufacturing done in La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland. Bell & …
Compagnie des Montres Longines, Francillon S.A. was founded in 1832 by Auguste Agassiz, and is based in Saint-Imier, Switzerland. Agassiz initially had two partners, Florian Morel and Henri Raiguel, who both retired from the watch industry by 1846. Longines’ flying hourglass logo is the oldest unchanged active trademark registered with WIPO. In 1993, the parent …
IWC Schaffhausen is a Swiss luxury watch manufacturer that was founded by American watchmaker and entrepreneur Florentine Ariosto Jones in 1868. Originally known as the International Watch Company, the company was transferred to the Rauschenbach family in 1880. Since 2000, IWC has been a subsidiary of the Swiss Richemont Group which also owns other …
The Richard Mille brand was first developed in 1999 in a partnership with Montres Valgine and Audemars Piguet, with the RM 001 Tourbillon introduced to the world at Baselworld in 2001. In addition to their distinctive design, lightweight construction, and shock resistance, Richard Mille is well known for their untraditional marketing prowess that has catapulted …
Breitling SA was founded in 1884 in Saint-Imier, Switzerland, by watchmaker and businessman Léon Breitling. The business was later run by Bretling’s son Gaston, and grandson Willy, before the Breitling name was purchased by Ernst Schneider of the Sicura Company in 1979. Today, Breitling is one of very few watch companies that enjoys mainstream brand …