Omologato is a British watch brand founded in 2015 by designer Shami Kalra and is based in Windsor, England. Inspired by cars and motorsport, the brand also has direct involvement in racing via their partnerships with racing series, teams, and circuits from around the world. Early Omologato Models Early timepieces included Grand Prix nods right …
Wyler was founded in 1896 by brothers Paul and Alfred Wyler in Bienne, Switzerland. Meanwhile in Varese, Italy, Innocent Binda opened a watch repair shop in 1906 and relocated to Milan in 1926. Binda began importing and marketing Wyler watches in Italy under the Wyler Veteta brand in 1930, with some early timepieces using …
Movado was founded in 1881 by Achille Ditesheim in La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland. The Ditesheims were a family of watchmakers who owned several companies in the area, and in 1892 Achille and his brothers combined their businesses to form L.A. & I. Ditesheim, Fabricants. Shortly after the turn of the 20th century, the company was …
Cabestan was founded in 2003 by Swiss designer and watchmaker Jean-François Ruchonnet, who has previously worked for Chopard and also designed for brands like Breguet, De Grisogono, and TAG Heuer. The brand Cabestan was named after the capstan from yachts. Partnership with Ferrari Shortly after the end of Ferrari‘s contract with Panerai, a new …
Zenith SA was originally started in 1865 by Georges Favre-Jacot in Le Locle, Switzerland as George Farve-Jacot & Co. Inspired by the success of other companies selling reliable and affordable watches through mass production, Favre-Jacot became the first manufacturer to build in-house movements. His “Zenith” movement won the Grand Prix at the 1900 Paris …
Cartier International SNC was founded in 1847 by French businessman, jeweler, and watchmaker Louis-François Cartier in Paris. The founder’s grandson, Louis Cartier, designed the now-famous Cartier Tank in 1919 that was inspired by thanks used in World War I. Movements and Change of Ownership Shortly after, Cartier formed a joint-stock company with Edward Jaeger …
The history of Girard-Perregaux SA extends back to the late 18th century when watchmaker Jean-François Bautte signed his first watches in 1791. Bautte is credited with creating a manufacturing company in Geneva that consolidated all facets of watchmaking under one roof for the first time in history. The Birth of the Girard-Perregaux Name Girard-Perregaux was …
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 …
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 …
Hublot is a Swiss luxury watchmaker founded in 1980 by Carlo Crocco. The company was named after the French word for “porthole”, which serves as a visual design reference across many of their models. Hublot is notable for being the first to pair a rubber strap with precious metals in their luxury sports watch. Today, …