/chinese/sector-006.htm
THE ECONOMIC & COMMERCIAL COUNSELLOR'S OFFICE OF CHINESE EMBASSY IN SWITZERLAND
Swiss watch manufacturing industry
When it comes to Switzerland, I am afraid that everyone will subconsciously think of watches. Indeed, watches have almost become a symbol of Switzerland, and this is what the Swiss are most proud of. Watches not only bring endless business opportunities to Switzerland, but also bring Mo Yan’s honor to Switzerland. In the hundreds of years of development of the world's watch industry, Swiss watches have climbed to the peak of glory; they have also fallen to the trough of decline. Relying on the Swiss people's character of striving for excellence and not falling behind others, Switzerland has always firmly placed the crown of the watch kingdom on its head.
The emergence of watches is a symbol of civilization and progress in human society. It has brought about earth-shaking changes in the entire world. Time is a unit of measurement, and a watch is a tool for dividing time. Today, with highly developed technology, no one can imagine what the world would be like without time scales and tools to measure time. From the appearance of the first watch, the creation and production of watches have been based on a simple and clever invention, which is the "spring", which can tighten and store energy, and can slowly release the energy to push the watch The internal operating device and hands achieve the function of displaying time. This spring device in the watch is called the mainspring.
The Swiss watch industry first appeared in Geneva in the mid-16th century. The watchmaking industry soon became popular in Geneva and became an emerging and independent craft. By the end of the 16th century, Geneva watchmaking was renowned for its quality. As the scale of the industry expanded, Geneva watchmakers decided to organize and regulate their industry, and created the Geneva Watchmaking Association in 1601, becoming the world's first watch industry association. At that time, there were more than 500 watch factories, which forced some people to move to less populated towns. The Jura Mountains north of Geneva have gradually become an ideal place for watchmakers to live and produce. In 1665, a man named Daniel Jeanrichard was born in the Jura Mountains. He later became a goldsmith and organized a watch production department. When he died in 1741, there were hundreds of watch shops in the Jura mountains of Neuchatel.
Early clocks were very expensive and were only luxury goods used by royal families to show their status. Their jewelry function was more than telling time. They were even tired of winding up clockwork multiple times a day, and early clocks were less accurate. It was not until the 16th and 17th centuries that the accuracy of time reporting was improved due to continuous improvements in watchmaking technology. A technological breakthrough occurred in 1675, which was the "balance" spring. This spring was used to adjust the imbalance caused by the fluctuation of the traditional main spring. The installation of this balance spring finally made the clock more accurate. Improved, the error is less than five minutes a day.
In the 18th and 19th centuries, watchmaking technology began to advance by leaps and bounds. The first double-hand clock appeared in 1690. In 1770, Abraham-Louis Perrelet created a "permanent" clock. This is the modern watch. Pioneer of self-winding watches. In 1776, the first clock with three hands was launched, defining the basic structure of modern watches. In 1842, Adrien Philippe invented the vertical winding clock. He was also one of the founders of the famous Patek Philippe watch company. At the same stage, the watchmaking industry began to produce complex timepieces and introduced special components such as permanent calendars and stopwatches.
A prominent figure in the 18th century, Abraham-Louis Breguet (1747-1823), is known as the greatest watchmaker. He was born in Neuchatel, Switzerland, but spent most of his life in Paris, France. Before the outbreak of the French Revolution, he was the top watchmaker, specializing in the production of aristocratic, precious and rare models, supplying royal family members and Noble merchant. His famous customers include Louis XVI's Queen Marie Antoinette, Napoleon and Josephine, and President George Washington of the United States.
When the French Revolution broke out, French society and its people were in a period of turmoil and chaos. Breguet's flourishing career seemed to be about to come to a halt. However, the extraordinary Breguet used his clever and mature communication skills to succeed. Soon he became friends with members of the new government, which added another group of new customers to him. One of Breguet's great inventions is the "tourbillon". This mechanical device can compensate for the errors caused by the clock in different horizontal positions, making the clock more accurate. The tourbillon device is a highly recommended invention and is only available today. Found in top-priced watches.
Breguet also created a clock that can run continuously for 60 hours without winding up. Another invention is a perpetual calendar device that can automatically adjust the month and year. Even leap months have long been Including this feature, this feature is also used by modern watches. Judging from the technology of the time, the above inventions were quite advanced.
After Breguet’s death, as the times changed, an unstoppable industrial revolution in watchmaking quietly came. The demand in the economy has increased significantly, and production has also skyrocketed. In 1825, the world's first steam train railway was born in Britain. Subsequently, new railways sprung up in Europe and America. People's demand for portable and accurate timing tools is increasing. Railways connect various places together, but also bring about the problem of time differences. Therefore, standard time zones first appeared in the United States, and then Europe and even the world have established time zone standard systems. People engaged in international trade and frequent travelers have improved their understanding of With the emphasis on time, the demand for watches is increasing day by day. In 1800, the world's total output reached 25 million, of which Swiss clocks accounted for two-thirds of the output, surpassing the United Kingdom and leading the world.
In the 19th century, factories in Switzerland and the United States mechanized the mass production of watches. The American Waltham Watch Company is one of the representatives. They became pioneers in the use of advanced and sophisticated mechanical watchmaking technology. The high-level achievements of American watches have even aroused the jealousy of their Swiss peers. However, Switzerland finally defeated the United States, its biggest competitor, with its more sophisticated and advanced machinery and technology, as well as experienced designers and workers. The most important point is that Swiss watchmaking technology provides a variety of functions and design styles. Swiss watch manufacturers are determined to move towards reform and innovation, improve product quality, and strive for technological excellence. For example, Patek Philippe named its watch series after European royal families, and launched Queen Victoria, Prince Albert and other timepieces with loud names and unique models, exclusively for the royal family. , wealthy businessmen buy.
When entering the 20th century, Switzerland introduced a new technology invented by two great watchmakers, Pierre Frederic Ingold and Georges-Auguste Leschot, which could quickly and accurately produce geared splints and main splints and invented The invention of replaceable internal parts paved the way for the scale and standardization of watch production.
By the beginning of the 20th century, Switzerland was already the leader in the world's watch industry. At this time, wristwatches became popular and gradually replaced pocket watches. In 1906, Cartier produced a wristwatch at the request of the famous aviator Alberto Santos-Dumont, so that he could easily use it while flying a spaceship. Look at the time. This innovation was so successful that Cartier officially produced the Santos-Dumont watch for the upper class in 1911. This was the first commercial model to be sold to the public.
When the First World War broke out in 1914, the military of various countries realized the importance of "hands-free" watches, which inspired the general public's eager demand for hand-worn watches. By the end of the 1920s, the production of wristwatches had greatly surpassed pocket watches. In addition to convenience, the ability to be exposed was one of Gu Rong's important considerations when purchasing a watch, which promoted a variety of exterior designs and Attracting customers: Square, egg-shaped, round, and even triangular designs have appeared one after another. Coupled with various special decorations, watches have become a dazzling commodity. In 1926, the first self-winding wristwatch was invented, and from 1960 onwards, the traditional round watch was generally accepted.
Switzerland's further improvement in wristwatches is to miniaturize the chronograph, calendar, tourbillon and automatic winding devices of pocket watches and install them on wristwatches.
The first electronic watch was produced in the United States, France and Switzerland in 1952. In 1967, the Electronic Watch Center in Neuchatel developed the first quartz wrist watch, and mass production began in 1970 under the names of different Swiss brands. Since then, new technologies have been rapidly developed.
In the 1970s, as space and computer technology drove people's interest in high technology, just like other emerging technology products, quartz technology began to dominate the watch industry, and people began to get tired of mechanical watches that needed to be wound every day. Articles, and some pessimistic people in the industry believe that mechanical watches are bound to decline. As a result, by the end of the 1970s, some entrepreneurs began to notice a strange phenomenon. Some old mechanical watches gradually disappeared from the market. Old watches that were ignored a year or two ago were already lying in the safes of collectors. inside. But the unknown fact is that the consumer market is adjusting itself, preparing conditions for the return of mechanical watches.
Quartz watches represented by Japan had a huge impact on the Swiss watch industry. In the mid-1970s, many people believed that the Swiss watch industry was in the final stage of its death struggle. As the watch industry in various countries turns to electronic timekeeping technology, it seems that only the Swiss watch industry has not caught up with this train and feels the serious threat of a comprehensive recession. In the 25 years since its crisis, the Swiss watch industry has fundamentally restructured itself and regained its pre-crisis position in the 1970s.
Times make heroes, and the same applies to the Swiss watchmaking industry. In 1978, the Swiss watch industry came under tremendous pressure from Japanese competition. Dr. Ernst Thomke actively researched countermeasures. He asked technicians to develop a quartz watch that was better and slimmer than Japanese watches. Six months later, the watch movement department of Swiss Microelectronics Group (SMH Group) produced a watch prototype that was only 2 mm thick, making it the thinnest quartz watch in the world at the time. The final model produced even reduced 51 parts. The watch movement was hidden in a waterproof plastic case. It was shockproof, durable, low-cost, and most importantly, low-priced. They called it Swatch ( Swatch), once the Swatch watch was launched, it became popular all over the world and became a product suitable for all ages. Since then, it has become the best-selling watch in the world until today. In 1998, Swiss Microelectronics simply changed the name of the group to Swatch Group.
In the 1980s, the craze for collecting antique watches broke out all over the world, and famous auction houses even set up departments to handle this emerging business. People began to appreciate the craftsmanship of mechanical watches, study the unique inventions, designs and personal styles of different watchmakers, the development and history of watches, etc. Prices of famous brands and old models with special functions are rising day by day, and the arrival of a new generation of mechanical watches is just around the corner.
By the end of the 1980s, Swiss watch factories began to produce a series of high-priced mechanical watches, which were widely welcomed. This trend gradually grew, and some mechanical watches with complex structures were recognized again. Companies such as Rolex and Patek Philippe have always adhered to the purpose of producing only mechanical watches. After the baptism of the quartz watch craze, mechanical watch sales rebounded and regained their former distinguished status. Just as Blancpain watches boast: "Since 1735, there has never been a Blancpain quartz watch in the world. Why should there be one in the future?"
In order to gain a firm foothold in the market competition and defeat its competitors, the Swiss watchmaking industry has adopted continuous technological innovation, learned from each other's strengths, and launched a series of new technological products. In 1979, Ebauches Company/ETA Company produced the world's thinnest watch, only 0.98 mm; in 1982, Longines produced a high-precision analog quartz watch; in 1988, Swiss Le Phare Jean d'Eve Company produced the first An automatic quartz watch that does not require batteries and is powered by the movement of the wrist; in 1988, ETA produced the world's most complex quartz astronomical chronograph movement; in 1991, Ronda developed a lithium-iodine battery that can be used for 20 years Quartz movement; in 1992, IWC produced the world's most complex mechanical watch, with a total of 750 parts and 21 functions.
At this point, the exports of the Swiss watchmaking industry have shown a steady upward trend, growing from 4.3 billion Swiss francs in 1985 to 8 billion Swiss francs in 1997.
Among them, finished watches account for the largest part, accounting for about 90% of the total export value. The other 10% are movements, watch cases, alarm clocks, large and small clocks, etc. The number of plastic products exceeds that of steel products, but in terms of export value, steel products account for more than half of exports.
In the past few years, 91% of Swiss watch production has been electronic watches, and only 9% has been mechanical watches. But the export value of the product is another story entirely: mechanical watches account for 48% of the total sales value, almost equally with electronic watches. A common phenomenon is that Swiss mechanical watches are often decorated with precious metals or gems and are sold to upper-class consumer groups. The correctness of this theory can be seen from the average price of exported watches: the average price of each Swiss watch is 235 Swiss francs, while the price of Japanese watches is 23 Swiss francs, and the price of Hong Kong watches is 9 Swiss francs. The export price of Swiss watches is nearly 4 times higher than the world average price of watches (54 Swiss francs). From this comparison, the value of Swiss watches can be clearly seen.
Swiss watch sales are spread all over the world. 95% of the products of the Swiss watch industry are exported overseas. In 1997, in terms of value, 39% of the exported products were sold to Asia and Oceania, and 36% were sold to Europe. , 15% is sold to North America, 6% is sold to the Middle East, 3% is sold to Latin America, and 1% is sold to Africa.
List of Swiss watch exports to China and Hong Kong
Unit: Swiss francs
Years
Total value of exports to China
Total value of exports to Hong Kong
1993
29,839,559
1,320,549,647
1994
55,644,314
1,506,213,418
1995
32,248,252
1,422,029,790
1996
7,485,106
1,324,324,761
1997
48,493,873
1,390,268,758
According to the figures published by the Swiss Watch Association: 1998 The total annual Swiss watch production is 33.9 million pieces, with an output value of 8.236 billion Swiss francs. The total watch export value is 7.571 billion Swiss francs, far exceeding its competitors Hong Kong (922 million Swiss francs), Japan (661 million Swiss francs), and Germany ( 390 million Swiss francs), etc., ranking first in the world. The main sales markets for Swiss watches are: the United States (16%), Hong Kong (12.9%), Japan (9.3%), Italy (9.3%), Germany (8.5%), France (6.1%) and other countries and regions. Including the export of components and clocks, the total export value of the Swiss watch industry in 1998 was 8.422 billion Swiss francs, accounting for 7.3% of the total export value of all Swiss industries, making it the third largest export industry in Switzerland.
There are currently nearly 600 companies in the Swiss watch industry with about 34,000 employees. Most companies are small and medium-sized producers, employing an average of around 60 people. Most companies only produce finished watches, and spare parts are supplied by professional manufacturers. There are also some companies that, in addition to finished watches, also produce spare parts by themselves. However, in the past few years, the number of such companies has been on a downward trend. The reason is that the styles they provide can only be produced in small batches and are not profitable. Comparable to mass production companies.
Product diversification is the cornerstone of the success of the Swiss watch industry. As the world economy continues to grow and the purchasing power of some regions continues to increase, the Swiss watch industry's thinking on products has been at the forefront of the times. The challenge for the Swiss watch industry in the future is to meet consumer expectations and provide a full range of reliable products.
The famous brand strategy is another winning formula for Swiss watches. Swiss watch brands have stable quality, reliable performance and unique characteristics. None of the world-renowned brands has given up on the "Swiss Made" logo. Famous brands and the "Swiss Made" logo support each other and provide consumers with the best quality assurance.
In the Swiss watch industry, in addition to the brand, the place of production of the watch manufacturer has also become an important symbol: either "Swiss Made" is marked on the watch, or more accurately the geographical location The location is described as Geneva.
The brand name attracts the attention of buyers, and indicating the country of origin is more convincing and prevents manufacturers from other countries from copying products.
Swiss watches are one of the most counterfeited products in the world, which is of course the price of success. There are many ways to piracy, including stealing brands, stealing watches, stealing quality certification marks on metals, stealing the words "Swiss Made" or country of origin, and even stealing some technical words such as precision clocks. Counterfeit products cause serious damage to the Swiss watch industry, not only reducing its revenue but also adversely affecting the entire brand. Not surprisingly, the Swiss watch industry as a whole makes great efforts to combat these practices in order to protect the value of its products and consumer confidence.
Protecting the "Swiss Made" mark and fighting counterfeiters is one of the main tasks of the Swiss Watch Association. This struggle requires the use of national laws and international agreements, including bilateral agreements between Switzerland and several European countries, and the multilateral agreement-TRIP Agreement formulated by the World Intellectual Property Organization and the World Trade Organization. The Swiss legislative body has set an example and exercised its protection responsibilities through legal weapons. The newly enacted "Trademarks and Indications of Origin Protection Law" on August 28, 1992 strengthened civil and criminal penalties. Swiss Customs implements stricter supervision on import, export and re-export goods.
How to determine "Swiss Made" is a very interesting and controversial topic. Watches made in Switzerland bear the title "Swiss Made" (or its abbreviation "Swiss"), which is more than just a trademark indicating the nationality of the manufacturer or seller. This label (in legal terms, a "mark of origin") enjoys a high reputation around the world.
For decades, "Made in Switzerland" has established a high-quality image in people's minds. It not only represents credible technical quality (accuracy, reliability, waterproof, heat resistance), but also is synonymous with beauty (elegance and novel design). It is the crystallization of traditional craftsmanship and modern technology.
Relevant Swiss laws and regulations provide a relatively detailed analysis of "Made in Switzerland". In the "Regulations on the Use of the 'Swiss' Logo on Watches", the requirements that must be met for watches that can use "Swiss Made" are specified in detail. The basic principle of this regulation is: judging the quality of a Swiss watch depends on how many processes are completed in Switzerland. Even if some foreign components are sometimes used, the movement and overall assembly of the watch, as well as the final inspection of the movement and finished watch, must be completed in Switzerland. Parts made in Switzerland must also account for more than 50%.
——Conditions of use:
According to Article 1 of the Swiss "Regulations on the Use of the 'Swiss' Logo for Watches", "Swiss" can only be used on the outside if the following three conditions are met. made", "Swiss" or other expressions containing the word "Swiss", that is:
The movement is made in Switzerland;
The assembly is completed in Switzerland;
< p>Final inspection by the producer is done in Switzerland.——Swiss movement:
According to Article 2 of the "Regulations on the Use of the 'Swiss' Logo for Watches", the definition of Swiss movement is:
The assembly of the movement is completed in Switzerland;
The final inspection of the movement is completed in Switzerland;
In addition to the assembly price, the price of the Swiss original parts in the movement accounts for at least 50% of the total original price. above.
If the movement is made in Switzerland and the entire watch is not assembled in Switzerland, the "Swiss" logo can only appear on one component of the movement. Only the words "mouvement suisse" or "Swiss movement" are allowed on the appearance of the watch. Article 3 of the "Regulations on the Use of the 'Swiss' Logo in Watches" stipulates that the word "movement" must be spelled out completely instead of using an abbreviation, and must use the same font, size and color as the previous word "Swiss".
——Scope of use of the "Swiss" logo:
According to Article 5 of the "Regulations on the Use of the 'Swiss' Logo in Watches", the "Swiss" logo is not used on watches except for watches. Brands with this logo can also use this logo on sales, promotions, publicity, advertising, instructions, invoices and business correspondence.
——Watch strap
Only if the watch and strap are made in Switzerland, the strap can be marked "Swiss Made". Only watch straps whose main processes are completed in Switzerland and achieve more than 50% of their value are considered Swiss-made.
If a Swiss-made watch strap is used on a non-Swiss watch, the watch strap can only be clearly marked as Swiss-made, for example: "Swiss watch strap" (bracelet suisse).
——Watch box
The conditions for use of the "Swiss case" logo on the watch box are:
The main process is in Switzerland Complete;
Assembly and inspection are completed in Switzerland;
At least 50% of the production value is completed in Switzerland.
If the box is marked "Swiss watch box" and contains a non-Swiss watch, the movement of the watch or the origin mark of the entire watch must be affixed to the outer shell of the watch.
——"Swiss Quartz" logo
This logo is often used by foreign manufacturers on surfaces to indicate that the movement used is Swiss-made. . According to the "Regulations on the Use of the 'Swiss' Logo on Watches", only Swiss-origin watches have the right to use this logo.
——“Swiss parts” mark
This mark can be used when the original parts used in the watch movement are made in Switzerland and the assembly is completed abroad. But it can only appear on the movement and cannot be used on the outside of the watch under any circumstances.
In protecting this mark of origin, the main roles played by the Swiss Watch Association are: 1. To explain the scope of use of this mark in accordance with the authorization of the Federal Parliament; 2. To intervene and stop infringement of use , to protect the reputation and quality image of the "Swiss Made" mark.
For Chinese consumers, "Rolex" is the best Swiss watch. In fact, this is not the case. Among the many watch brands in Switzerland, many watches are by no means lower than "Rolex" in terms of value and manufacturing technology. They are just not as well-known as "Rolex" among consumers around the world.
In different markets around the world, each brand has different recognition and fame, and Swiss manufacturers all have one or more brands. Therefore, it is difficult to make a list of "famous" brands, and even if it is listed, it cannot guarantee an objective scale. Luxury watches may have a more special status in the Swiss and world watch industry. Those brands produced in Geneva and Vallee de Joux are one such example.
According to materials provided by the Swiss Watchmaking Association, under normal circumstances, the Swiss market customarily divides watches into four grades based on selling prices:
1. The export price of cheap watches is between Below 100 Swiss francs
2. The export price of mid-range watches is between 101 Swiss francs and 500 Swiss francs
3. The export price of high-end watches is between 501 Swiss francs and 1,500 Swiss francs
4. The export price of luxury watches is more than 1,500 Swiss francs
In fact, each brand of watches has its own positioning in the market. Of course, it does not rule out that some brands want to compete with the market. Demand or advertising needs and other factors produce some products that are not consistent with their market positioning. For example, manufacturers that produce high-end watches or luxury watches sometimes also produce some cheaper products, and some manufacturers that produce low-end or mid-range watches sometimes also produce some luxury watches. surface.
In order to have a better understanding of Swiss watch brands, we will briefly introduce the development history of some of the more common watch brands and watch factories on the market as follows (Bulomba, Radar, Omega, Longines , Tissot and other brands, please also see the introduction of Swatch Group in this chapter):
CHOPARD (Chopard)
In 1860, Louis-Ulysse Chopard established a watchmaking company in the Jura Mountains of Switzerland. A small-scale watchmaking factory until 1920, his son launched a branch business of diamond-decorated watches and moved to Geneva. Later, the Scheufele family from Germany acquired Chopard and created their main series "Happy Diamonds", which contains seven freely flowing diamonds under the crystal surface. In recent years, a men's watch series has been launched and named L.U.C. , in memory of company founder L.U. Chopard.
Today, Chopard is one of the brightest jewels in Switzerland.
PIAGET (Piaget Watch)
It was founded by Oeorges Piaget in 1874, and the current helmsman of the company, Yves Piaget, is still a member of his family. Piaget's "Haute Joaillerie" model is famous for its novel design and ultra-thin watch body. Piaget's purpose is to pursue perfection in quality rather than quantity first. Therefore, all products are produced in small quantities to make their image more noble and rare. In 1980 it became a member of the Richemont Group, a famous Swiss luxury goods company.
CARTIER
Since Louis-Francois Cartier acquired his workshop from the famous Parisian jeweler Adolphe Picard in 1847, Cartier’s name has almost become a symbol of luxury and magnificent jewelry. synonymous with. In 1904, his friend Dumont requested an accurate watch to be made for him, so Cartier teamed up with another Swiss friend, Le Coultre, to design and manufacture an accurate chronometer. Later, he invented the Tank design and used the highest quality watch movement parts from Switzerland. Since then, Cartier has embarked on the road to success in the watch industry.
PATEK PHILIPPE
Patek Philippe is one of the most distinguished brands in Swiss watches. The company was founded in Geneva in 1839. The founder Antoine de Pradwdzic met a French watchmaker. Adrien Patek, and collaborate to create watches with meticulous craftsmanship. In total, they have won more than 500 awards. Customers also include many royal families. In 1932, the Stem family took over the company and continued its watch development direction. The Calatrava series launched in 1932 is still the most popular design, and the Patek Philippe brand still stands today.
AUDEMARS PIGUET (Audemars Piguet)
When Jutes Audemars and Edward Piguet founded the Audemars Piguet company in Le Brassus in 1875, they were only 24 and 22 years old respectively. Their stated mission is to create the most exquisite watches in the world, and their family members are still on the board of directors. Since its establishment, the company has been focusing on developing precision watches. In 1972, Audemars Piguet launched the Royal Oak model, which became the successful flagship of its product line.
BAUME&MERCIER
In 1542, when the watch manufacturing industry was still in its infancy, the Baume family had already set up a factory in the Jura region of Switzerland. Later generations officially registered a company in 1834 to manufacture complete clocks. Until 1918, Baume cooperated with Mercier to establish a new watch manufacturing factory in Geneva. In 1950, Piaget became the majority shareholder until 1988, when the company was acquired by Canier. To this day, Baume & Mercier watches continue to introduce their unique fashion designs to the market, which are welcomed by consumers.
GUCCI
The Severin Group, founded by Severin Wundennann in 1972, moved its headquarters to Lengnau, Switzerland in 1989. From its founding until 1997, Severin had a worldwide license to manufacture and distribute Gucci watches. After 1997, Gucci took back this franchise and operated on its own. Its statement was based on the popularity of the same brand of fashion and its successful marketing strategy. It called itself the third largest watch manufacturer in Switzerland and launched the top model G3OO in 1997. , to celebrate reaching this number of global distributors.
ROLEX
Rolex is considered the most successful and highly respected Swiss watch. The founder, Hans Wilsdorf, registered the Rolex trademark in 1908 at the age of 24 and moved to Geneva from England.
In 1920, Rolex received the first official quality appraisal certificate. Its famous waterproof "Oyster" watch was launched and instantly became the top sales list of Swiss luxury watches.
VACHERON CONSTANTIN
Vacheron Constantin is known as the oldest watch manufacturer in the world. In 1755, Jean-Marc Vacheron set up his workshop in Geneva. In 1920 they produced the Grand Complication watch, equipped with the world's thinnest automatic operating device. In 1990, Vacheron Constantin began to develop new watches. It is also one of the few manufacturers that produces its own movements. Together with Piaget, it is a member of Vendome, a subsidiary of the Richemont Group.
BREGUET (Breguet)
Abraham and Louis Breguet are recognized as the greatest watchmakers. Dating back to 1775, Breguet has become famous for its many inventions and contributions to the watch manufacturing industry. Their customers included royal families and wealthy businessmen from various European countries at that time. With the passage of time, the company's ownership has also undergone many changes. It is now owned by Olyp Company, but it still retains the glorious tradition of the past and produces a variety of sophisticated mechanical watches.
BUCHERER
Bucherer is the largest watch and jewelry agent in Switzerland. At the same time, the brand Bucherer is actually a successful and large-scale brand. Watch factory. The men's and women's watches they produce range from high-quality and low-priced low-end watch models to a series of sophisticated and meticulous high-end mechanical watches, all of which are at the forefront of Swiss watchmaking technology. All Bucherer watches have one common feature, which is value for money.
CORUM
In 1955, Rene Bannwart, Gastone and Simone Ries founded the Corum Watch Company. Their products are known for their original and unique designs. Prestigious. One of the milestones of Corum is the launch of the "Coin" series. The first model is the American "Double Eagle", with a case split in two and an ultra-thin movement inside. The most famous series of Corum watches is the “Admiral’s Cup”. Its dodecahedron case represents the twelve hours and uses the twelve pennants representing the international maritime symbol L-12 as the time scale.
EBEL (Ebel Watch)
In 1911, Eugen Blum established the company. Ebel was named after the first letters of his and his wife’s names, Eugen Blum Et Levy. In 1970, after Pierre-Ain Blum, a master familiar with the sales business, acquired Ebel, he launched the extremely successful "Sports" series, writing a much-talked-about success story for the modern Swiss watch industry. Since then, the sports series has also launched a number of improved models. Under the novel idea of ??"Architect of Time", EBEL's series of products have a unique charm.
IWC (IWC)
In 1860, an American set up a watchmaking factory in Schaffhausen, the northernmost city in Switzerland, making full use of local skilled craftsmen and low wages. Since then, IWC has occupied a seat in the watchmaking industry. It was one of the first factories to supply watches and nautical timepieces to navies around the world. In 1978, a large number of advanced German VDO production processes were introduced. In 1985, Da Vinci created a mechanical perpetual calendar watch with an astonishing performance of 514 years, setting another new standard for watches.
FRANCK MULLER (