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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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. brand with your customers. Describe a product, share announcements, or welcome customers to your store.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.