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Swiss Watch Brand Summary

Armand Nicolet Armand Nicolet is a small company based in Tramelan, a town in the Jura Bernoise, Switzerland. The company was founded by Armand Nicolet a 19th century watchmaker, who was in his day a recognized personality in the watch industry. The company maintains a collection of historic pieces made using the companies privately owned movements. Armand Nicolet's masterpiece in 1901 was a chronograph with complete calendar and minute repeater. The company that bears his name is not a "brand", the watches are made by artisans in a small three-story atelier and each watch is shipped with its own printed timing report. Armand Nicolet focuses on pieces with complications, Complete Calendar, Regulator, Power Reserve, GMT, etc. using their own calibers based on ETA movements. The company remains a little known brand due to the small number of pieces manufactured and the limited availability in the U.S.
Audemars Piguet Founded in 1875 in LeBrassus, Switzerland and still owned by its founding family, Audemars Piguet is world-renowned for their commitment to quality manufacturing methods and innovative designs. Elegance and luxury are synonymous with this brand, both qualities ingrained in their designs with a focus on tradition. This company is perhaps single-handedly responsible for the resurgence in popularity of the mechanical watch in the late 1980s.
Avier AVIER watches. In the grand Swiss tradition, everything about AVIER is upscale...except the price. Automatic movements. Sapphire crystals. Screwed bracelets, rubber straps. Richly finished dials with delicately applied markers. The watch for watch connoisseurs who appreciate quality, fit, finish and value. The Avier watch is the result of the passion and experience of a true watch connoisseur -- Jeff Bernard -- who has been working exclusively with Swiss watches since 1990.
Baume Mercier The two Baume brothers setup their first watchmaking house in the Swiss Jura mountains in 1830. In 1918, William and Paul Mercier entered into a partnership. Years later, in 1999, Baume et Mercier joined the prestigious Richemont group, along with such notable brands as Cartier, Piaget, and Jaeger-LeCoultre. With such good company, it is no wonder Baume & Mercier is well established as a contemporary brand that is not afraid to take risks. They have been one of the fastest growing high-end brands in the United States in the past decade.
Styles Currently Stocked: Capeland : Catwalk : Classima : Diamant : Hampton : Riviera : All
Bedat Bedat & Co recently celebrated their 10th anniversary after a rapid rise to success under the Gucci groups management. Bedat was formed when Christian Bedat along with his mother Simone, left Raymond Weil in July of 1996. Simone Bedat helped found Raymond Weil in 1975, while her son was responsible for the popular Raymond Weil W1 line. Each watch Bedat makes is certified by the A.O.S.C. quality label certifying that each part is of Swiss origin. The 4 Bedat watch lines numbers refer to the shape of the watch. Number 1 refers to a square shaped case, number 3 tonneau, number 7 rectangular and number 8 is the cushion shape.
Styles Currently Stocked: Concept B3 : No. 3 : No. 33 : All
Bell & Ross  
Berne Berne Watch offers an incredible value in a good looking and well made divers watch with the hardy Swiss ETA 2824 automatic movement. There's no ancient history of deepwatchmaking roots, just a quality watch made to stand up to the rigors of diving with one of the most reliable movements ever to come out of Switzerland. You won't find a watch with the same features for less anywhere.
Styles Currently Stocked: Diver : All
Bertolucci A union of Swiss watch-making precision and Italian stylistic distinction, Bertolucci watches are produced in limited quantities with superior materials. These watches are crafted with the ultimate goal of displaying the company's complete dedication to the art of classical watch making, evidently achieved through their designs' impeccable construction. Italian engineer Remo Bertolucci founded the company in 1987 in the Neuch?tel region of Switzerland. The company is literally a marriage of Swiss watchmaking and Italian style as Remo Bertolucci married into an established Swiss watchmaking family. The brand ran into trouble in 1999 after their initial success with the Pulchra and Vir models. They were sold in 2005 to the Dickson Group, which manages a small empire of luxury boutiques.
Styles Currently Stocked: Doppia : Fascino : Poeme : Serena : Vir : All
BlancPain  
Styles Currently Stocked: Leman : Villeret : All
Boucheron Now part of the Gucci group, Boucheron traces its origins to Frederic Boucheron, the first jeweler to occupy a space in the Place Vendoôme in Paris. Louis Boucheron established the brand's international reputation, designing custom pieces for the Maharaja of Patiala and for the Shah of Iran. Since 1858 this brand has combined its culture of modern adornment with the skill and expertise of Swiss watchmakers to produce highly fashionable timepieces.
Styles Currently Stocked: Solis : All
Breguet  
Breitling The Breitling name is almost synonymous with quality chronograph watches, for good reason. Breitling develops and finishes its own chronograph modules for its automatic watches to obtain the highest accuracy and all quartz watches feature a thermo compensated movement. This is the watch brand that is unofficially recognized as the watch for pilots and racetrack pit-crew members due to their incomparable chronograph timing accuracy. About 5% of Breitling's customers are pilots and several Breitlings have been to space including the Cosmonaute and Aerospace.
Styles Currently Stocked: Aerospace : Skyracer : Super Avenger : SuperOcean : All
Cartier Cartier, as part of the Richemont group, could easily refer to themselves as jewelers first, and watchmakers second. This can be attributed to their large line of rings, necklaces, purses and charms that carry the same characteristics as their watches: elegant and refined without being over-the-top. Don't get the wrong idea, however, because while Cartier watches are stylish, their functionality is akin to the caliber of other leading brands today.
Styles Currently Stocked: La Dona : Panther : Pasha : Rivoli : Roadster : Santos : All
Chaumet Chaumet traces its origins to the appointed jeweler of Napoleonic Empresses Josephine and Marie-Louise, Etienne Nitot. Joseph Chaumet officially established the House in the Vendome in 1907. Primarily a jewelry house of the finest quality, the watch collections of Chaumet reflect an artistic interpretation of timekeeping.
Styles Currently Stocked: Claw Lug : Khesis Classic : Mihewi : Rectangle : Square : All
Chopard  
Styles Currently Stocked: Casmir : Classique : Happy Diamond Heart : Imperiale : All
Chronoswiss  
Styles Currently Stocked: Timemaster : All
Concord  
Corum  
Styles Currently Stocked: $10 Coin Watch : Arcus : Bubble : Butterfly : Golden Bridge : Horizontal : Romulus : All
Daniel JeanRichard The Daniel JeanRichard brand was picked up in the early 90s by the parent company of Girard-Perregaux. The goal for Daniel JeanRichard was to provide an affordable, mechanical Swiss watch. Daniel JeanRichard has come out as an avante-garde brand, providing a contrast to traditions of Girard-Perregaux. DJR watches are consistently well-thought-out designs, with simplicity and durability in mind.
Styles Currently Stocked: Chronograph : TV Screen : All
De Laneau Delaneau strides an interesting niche of the Swiss watch industry, too small to be a member of the major Swiss manufacturers, yet too large to be an artisan brand. Their watches blend the art of jewelry with the precision of watchmaking. Tracing their own origin back 125 years, this Geneve watchmaker employs traditions of craftsmanship that go back centuries further. Enamel is hand ground, brushed and fired in as many as 20 layers to achieve the proper look. Ancient gem setting techniques such as serti close, serti millesgrains, serti grife, serti pave and serti miniature are practiced by expert gemsetters to achieve the highest light structure possible. DeLaneau series watches are usually of limited edition and often unique.
Ebel EBEL (Eguene Blum et Levy) was founded in 1911.  The company rose to significance primarily as a manufacturing and assembly plant for other watchmakers under the leadership of the family founders.   A partnership with Cartier helped launch the company into the modern era.  In 1972 Ebel launched a collection which cemented their high luxury status.   The Movado group acquired Ebel in 2003 from LVMH (Louis Vuitton, Moet & Hennessy).   The acquisition was intended to allow the Movado group to move further upmarket.  The 1911 line is a tribute to the founding of Ebel.  Particularly desirable 1911 models utilize the company's in-house Ebel calber 137 chronograph movement which is C.O.S.C. certified.
Styles Currently Stocked: Beluga : Classic Wave : Discovery : Sportwave : Tarawa : All
Epos Epos was founded in 1925 by Jean Aubert, a former engineer of Valjoux and Landeron. Today, Epos is known for its in-house innovations, complications developed by the son-in law of the founder and watch engineer in chief, Jean Fillon. The Jumping hour, power reserve, big date and regulator complications have been constructed on base calibers from Unitas or Peseux. These complicated models have lavishly hand-decorated movements, with crystal display backs.
Styles Currently Stocked: Sportive Triple-Date Moon Duograph : All
Franck Muller  
Fred Known as Fred Paris, The Fred Joaillier house joined LVMH (Moet Hennessy Luis Vitton) in 1995. Fred Samuel began the brand in 1936 and it has become a favorite avant-garde brand of international celebrities.
Styles Currently Stocked: Chronograph : All
Gerald Genta  
Styles Currently Stocked: Solo : Solo Bi-Retro : All
Girard-Perregaux One of the few genuine Swiss 'manufactures', Girard Perregaux has supplied leading Swiss brands such as Cartier, Vacheron Constantin, Piaget and Ebel with its thin calibers 3000 and 3100. When making their own watches the company often uses their own calibers though they will also use a painstakingly reworked A. Schild or ETA movement. Girard-Perregaux has proven themselves to be a master of technically demanding pieces. The company holds multiple Tourbillion calibers, including the famed Three Gold Bridges originally created by Constant Girard-Perregaux in 1889. The longstanding relationship between Ferrari and Girard-Perregaux recently came to an end, but the company has channeled its love of racing chronographs to the new Laureato EVO3 and its passion for the race to the America's Cup and the BMW Oracle Team. Sea Hawks featuring the BMW Oracle logo as well as extremely rare Tourbillion models of the Sea Hawk have been produced in celebration of the union.
Styles Currently Stocked: 'F' : Laureato : Rattrapante Chronograph : Richeville : Sea Hawk II : Vintage : All
Glashutte Original The tiny town of Glashutte in Germany saw a revival of their historic watchmaking industry after the reunification of Germany. Glashutte Original is the successor to a number of smaller manufacturers that were forced to conglomerate after World War II. Glashutte Original has an extensive facility, where they produce and finish parts in-house for their manufacture movements. Traditional elements of Glashutte watchmaking include a three-quarter plate, swan-neck fine adjustment, Glashutte ribbing, and double sunburst decoration. These features along with a low production of only a few thousand pieces per year make the watches desirable to collectors of fine timepieces.
Styles Currently Stocked: Karree : All
Graham Graham is part of the British Masters, a combination of English and Swiss watchmaking heritage, which also includes Arnold & Son. George Graham is considered to be the father of the chronograph, so it is no surprise that the only watches produced by this brand are chronographs. In the tradition of British sports racing, they are predominantly left-hand chronographs, which allow for better use while driving. These oversized wrist-machines combine well-designed column-wheel chronograph movements with lever activated controls to achieve a completely unique timepiece.
Styles Currently Stocked: Chronofighter Oversize : Chronofighter R.A.C. : All
Hublot Hublot is an infant brand among the centuries-old Swiss giants with which it competes, yet within years of its founding in 1980 became known as the watch of European royalty. Within months of its introduction the Hublot had caught the eye of the King of Greece, quickly followed by the King of Spain, the King of Sweden and the Prince of Monaco. Few brands can claim such a speedy successful rise as Hublot. Hardly a watch enthusiast can be found today without at least one rubber-strapped watch in their personal collection - they are standard equipment on sport watches, but at the time the Hublot (French for porthole) was introduced, rubber was not to be found on a fine timepiece. The rubber strap is specially made to not crack or stain, it is chemically fused with steel for strength and mixed with a rare and potent vanilla to eliminate the odor associated with rubber. The brand is evolving into a brand of fusion after being taken over by the former principal of Blancpain. New elements and materials are being brought together to form pieces such as the Big Bang. We are proud to offer many pieces from the classic Hublot line, luxurious, but not flashy, comfortable, but not dressed-down.
-- Read more about The Story of Hublot
Styles Currently Stocked: GMT : All
IWC Schaffhausen  
Styles Currently Stocked: Pilot's : All
Jaeger-LeCoultre Part of the Richmont group's Haute Horlogerie division, Jaeger Le Coultre is a fully fledged Manufacture, whose in-house movements grace not only their own prestigious timepieces, but often lend their prestige to other high-end brands. Antoine LeCoultre founded the brand in 1833 but it was not until 1866 that his son would transform the workshop into a manufacture. Paris watchmaker Edmond Jaeger did not join his name to the company until 1903. He brought with him ultra-thin movement calibers as well as a prestigious customer for the movements, Cartier. Today, the company is well known for a number of achievements, including the Reverso, the Memovox automatic alarm watch and the Atmos clock.
Styles Currently Stocked: Master : All
Mauboussin Mauboussin is similar in stature in Europe to what Cartier or Tiffany is here in the states. They are known primarily for their exquisite and expensive jewelry. Mauboussin watches are very well made and use high- grade Swiss movements. Since 1827, the House of Mauboussin has been a family-run business. In 1994, Mauboussin launched its first watch lines. Mauboussin is the only remaining independent major French jeweler (Chaumet and Boucheron having been acquired by the Richemont Group and Gucci Group respectively). The company is opening showrooms in Taiwan, Singapore, Monaco, Japan, and Geneva.
Styles Currently Stocked: 'M' : Fouga : Marbore Chronograph : Sport : Ultra Thin : Ultra Thin Skeleton : All
Omega Established in 1848, Omega has become one of the most recognized watch brands in the world... And with good reason. The brand has long been known for quality and innovation and continues its tradition today.
Panerai Officine Panerai Firenze started suppling the Italian Navy with precision instruments such as calculators, fuses for torpedos, depth meters, and compasses in the 19th century. The demand for an extremely water proof time piece with luminous hands for legibility, led them into the world of horology. Over the past 145 years, the company has evolved from basic blunt instruments into one of the most sought after brands.
Styles Currently Stocked: Luminor : All
Patek Philippe  
Styles Currently Stocked: Nautilus : Neptune : Perpetual-Moon : Travel Time : All
Perrelet The Perrelet name is reknowned for the invention the automatic winding mechanism by Abraham Louis Perrelet and the split-second chronograph by his son Louis-Frederic. Abraham Louis Perrelet was a talented inventor and watchmaker who completed his final masterpiece at the ripe age of 96. Louis-Frederic Perrelet was a watchmaker to three Kings of France and studied under Breguet. Their influence appears present in the company's current line, relaunched in 2005 with heavily decorated rotors, complex mechanisms and an impressive eye for detail.
Piaget  
Styles Currently Stocked: Dancer : Polo : Protocol : Tanagra : All
Revue Thommen Revue Thommen is probably better known for its production of navigation instruments for the commercial and military aviation industry than of its watches. Founded originally as a watchmaker in 1853, the company branched out into aircraft instruments in the 1920s as the need for precision device manufacturers grew. A small portion of the company has always been dedicated to producing fine timepieces and until 1961 about a hundred different G.T. (Gedeon Thommen) movements were in production. This number has shrunk significantly and the company's collection now includes several pieces using ETA movements.
Styles Currently Stocked: Airspeed Chronograph
Roger Dubuis Roger Dubuis is a growing young Manufacture, begun in 1995 with the partnership of Roger Dubuis and Carlos Dias. Dubuis, a talented watchmaker, founded his own atelier in 1980 after 14 years of developing complications for Patek Philippe. He took commissions to design new complications for major brands for several years before finally drawing designer Carlos Dias away from Franck Muller to launch his own brand. Roger Dubuis was born in Geneva and all of his watches, strongly associated with that culture, are submitted to the quality hallmark of the Poinon de Genve as well as receiving chronometer certification. Looking at the off-beat models designed by Carlos Dias one can easily lose sight of the watchmaking prowess involved. The limited edition pieces and flamboyant designs are all based on a foundation of solid watchmaking skill and in-house complications.

Roger Dubuis's movement component production facility has recently been purchased by the Richemont group to support the increased demand for high end movements. The agreement also includes distribution by the Richemont Group of the Roger Dubuis brand in the U.S. and other key markets.

Roger Dubuis will remain an independent brand and Richemont will supply Roger Dubuis with components from the facility.

Rolex  
TAG Heuer A legend in sports timing and official timekeeper of the Indy Racing League. While the company was founded in 1860, the legend of Heuer was born during the Olympic Games of the 1920s. The games were measured by the Mikrograph, designed by the son of the company's founder, it was capable of measuring 100ths of a second with its balance beating at 360,000 oscillations per hour. In 1985, Heuer joined Group TAG (Techniques of Avant-garde). Several models honor the company's long history of sponsoring teams and timing the worlds most famous races - The Monaco Grand Prix, the Carrera Pan-Americana and the Formula One Italian Grand Prix.

TAG Heuer continues to move this brand upmarket, introducing Chronometer certified movements in many models including the Link Calibre 6 and the recently announced Calibre 8 movement for the Grand Carrera GMT as well as an upgraded Calibre 17 RS movement for the Grand Carrera Chronograph. A Zenith designed Calibre 36 Chronograph movement, also Chronometer certified, is available in both the Link and Monza model line.

Styles Currently Stocked: 6000 : Aquaracer : Autavia Chronograph : Formula : Golf Watch : Link : Monaco : Monza : Targa Florio : All
Tutima The Tutima Military Air Force Chronograph is largely responsible for the popularity the brand enjoys today. The adoption by German Air Force NATO pilots over Breitling and IWC was quite a coup for this former ebauche manufacturer turned watchmaker. Tutima nearly didn't survive World War II and the quartz shock of the 1980s. Today Tutima manufactures exclusively in Germany using movements from Switzerland.
Ulysse Nardin  
Styles Currently Stocked: Chronosplit Berlin : Marine : All
Universal Geneve  
Styles Currently Stocked: Okeanos Compax Chronograph : All
Zodiac Founded in 1882, Zodiac came to fame in 1953 with the introduction of the Seawolf, an immensely popular military diver's watch. Other Zodiac revolutions include the Astrographic with its mystery dial and the asymmetrical Olympos. Originally family-owned, the company has since passed through many hands, including a former principal of Tag Heuer. Zodiac's extensive line of Swiss-made fashion watches is now managed by Fossil, a company responsible for licensing brands for some of the most prestigious companies in the world, including Emporio Armani, DKNY, Diesel and Burberry.
Styles Currently Stocked: (All) : Ambassadeur : Bellevue 14 : Calame