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Rolex Datejust 41 126334 Unworn Steel 41mm Automatic
Promoted
Rolex Datejust 41
41mm Fluted Silver Index Dial Oyster 126334 Unworn 2022+
C$18,118
+ C$560 for shipping
Rolex Yacht-Master 40 126621 Unworn Gold/Steel 40mm Automatic
Promoted
Rolex Yacht-Master 40
Two Tone Rose Gold Chocolate Dial - Unworn 2022
C$25,606
Free shipping
Tudor 76213-0010 Very good Steel 36mm Automatic
Promoted
Tudor
Date Day Automatic Black Dial Stick Index
C$4,961
+ C$104 for shipping
Rolex GMT-Master II 126710BLNR New Steel 40mm Automatic
Promoted
Rolex GMT-Master II
126710BLNR NEW 2023 MARCH Batgirl Batman Jubilee Steel 40 mm
C$27,782
+ C$630 for shipping
Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore Chronograph 26202AU.OO.D002CA.01 Unworn Carbon 42mm Automatic
Promoted
Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore Chronograph
RARE Jarno Trulli Limited Edition
C$53,185
+ C$111 for shipping
IWC Big Pilot IW503605 New Steel 46.2mm Automatic
Promoted
IWC Big Pilot
NEW 2023 Big Pilot Perpetual Calendar
C$36,250
+ C$223 for shipping
Rolex Explorer II 226570 Unworn Steel 42mm Automatic
Promoted
Rolex Explorer II
Black Dial
C$16,374
+ C$111 for shipping
Hublot Big Bang 451.EX.5120.EX New Ceramic 42mm Automatic
Promoted
Hublot Big Bang
Integral Sky Blue Limited Edition 42mm 2023
C$27,292
+ C$111 for shipping
Vacheron Constantin Traditionnelle 4010T/000G-B740 New White gold 41mm Automatic
Promoted
Vacheron Constantin Traditionnelle
2022 Traditionnelle Complete Calendar in White Gold Boutique only
C$55,984
+ C$111 for shipping
Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Chronograph 26240OR.OO.D315CR.01 New Rose gold 41mm Automatic
Promoted
Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Chronograph
Selfwinding Chronograph "50th Anniversary" 26240OR.OO.D315CR.01
C$132,961
+ C$210 for shipping
Rolex Day-Date 40 228349RBR Very good White gold 40mm Automatic
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Rolex Day-Date 40
228349RBR 18K White Gold Black Diamond Dial
C$100,210
Free shipping
Patek Philippe Chronograph 5170G-010 Very good White gold 39.4mm Manual winding
Promoted
Patek Philippe Chronograph
Black Dial White Gold Box/Papers 5170G 5170G-010
C$97,272
Free shipping
Rolex Explorer II 226570 New Steel 42mm Automatic
Promoted
Rolex Explorer II
226570 NEW 2023 White Polar Oyster Steel 42 mm
C$19,524
+ C$630 for shipping
Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore Diver 15711OI.OO.A006CA.01 Very good Rose gold 42mm Automatic
Promoted
Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore Diver
Japan Edition Rose Gold
C$78,728
+ C$111 for shipping
Rolex Yacht-Master II 116688 New Yellow gold 44mm Automatic
Promoted
Rolex Yacht-Master II
NEW 2022 Yacht-Master II 18KT Yellow Gold
C$69,840
+ C$223 for shipping
Rolex Air King 126900 Unworn Steel 40mm Automatic
Promoted
Rolex Air King
New 2022
C$13,435
+ C$111 for shipping
Hublot Classic Fusion 542.NX.1171.RX New Titanium 42mm Automatic
Promoted
Hublot Classic Fusion
42MM 2023
C$8,817
+ C$111 for shipping
Vacheron Constantin Overseas 4500V/110A-B483 New Steel 41mm Automatic
Promoted
Vacheron Constantin Overseas
BNIB - 2022 - 3 Straps
C$37,089
+ C$111 for shipping
Patek Philippe Nautilus 5990/1A-001 New Steel 40.5mm Automatic
Promoted
Patek Philippe Nautilus
NEW 2022 NEW BUCKLE Nautilus 5990/1A-001
C$265,923
+ C$210 for shipping
Rolex Sky-Dweller 326138 Unworn Yellow gold 42mm Automatic
Promoted
Rolex Sky-Dweller
326138 Leather 18K Yellow Gold Black Index Dial
C$56,403
Free shipping
Rolex Daytona 116509 Very good White gold 40mm Automatic
Promoted
Rolex Daytona
Black/Slate Crimson Racing Dial White Gold Engraved Rehaut Box/Papers 116509
C$48,986
Free shipping
Rolex Submariner (No Date) 124060 New Steel 41mm Automatic
Promoted
Rolex Submariner (No Date)
124060 NEW 2023 Black Steel 41 mm
C$19,154
+ C$630 for shipping
Hublot Big Bang 44 mm 301.PM.1780.RX Very good Rose gold 44mm Automatic
Promoted
Hublot Big Bang 44 mm
Evolution Rose Gold Carbon Dial 44mm
C$22,387
+ C$111 for shipping
Rolex Yacht-Master II 116681 New Gold/Steel 44mm Automatic
Promoted
Rolex Yacht-Master II
NEW 2022 Yacht-Master II 116681 18KT/SS
C$41,987
+ C$223 for shipping
Rolex Explorer 124270 Unworn Steel 36mm Automatic
Promoted
Rolex Explorer
124270
C$12,245
+ C$111 for shipping
Tudor Pelagos M25600TB-0001 New Titanium 42mm Automatic
Promoted
Tudor Pelagos
Titanium Automatic Blue Dial Men's Watch 2023
C$6,438
+ C$111 for shipping
IWC Portuguese Perpetual Calendar IW344202 New Rose gold Automatic
Promoted
IWC Portuguese Perpetual Calendar
2022 ROSE GOLD PORTUGIESER PERPETUAL CALENDAR 42 - Below Retail
C$45,487
+ C$111 for shipping
Rolex Daytona 116503 Unworn Gold/Steel 40mm Automatic
Promoted
Rolex Daytona
2022 Daytona 116503 40mm Two Tone Yellow Gold Black Diamond Dial UNWORN
C$45,382
+ C$350 for shipping
Rolex Day-Date 40 228238 Unworn Yellow gold 40mm Automatic
Promoted
Rolex Day-Date 40
228238 President , 18K Yellow Gold Champagne Diamond Dial
C$68,299
Free shipping
IWC Big Pilot IW503605 Very good Steel 46.2mm Automatic
Promoted
IWC Big Pilot
2022 Big Pilot's Watch Perpetual Calendar Blue 46mm Box/Papers IW503605
C$32,191
Free shipping

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Rolex Explorer II 226570 New Steel 42mm Automatic
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Rolex Explorer II
226570 NEW 2023 Black Oyster Steel 42 mm
C$18,125
+ C$630 for shipping
Hublot Big Bang 44 mm 301.CI.7170.LR Very good Ceramic 44mm Automatic
Promoted
Hublot Big Bang 44 mm
Rare Black Ceramic Blue Dial Big Bang 44mm Chronograph Complete
C$13,646
+ C$111 for shipping
Rolex Sky-Dweller 326933 New Gold/Steel 42mm Automatic
Promoted
Rolex Sky-Dweller
NEW 2023 Sky-Dweller 18KT/SS BLACK DIAL IN STOCK
C$32,189
+ C$223 for shipping
Omega Speedmaster Professional Moonwatch 310.30.42.50.01.002 Unworn Steel 42mm Manual winding
Promoted
Omega Speedmaster Professional Moonwatch
Co-Axial Master Chronometer Sapphire 2023
C$9,342
+ C$111 for shipping
Omega Speedmaster 522.30.42.30.04.001 New Steel 42mm Manual winding
Omega Speedmaster
2020 Tokyo - 5 WATCH COLLECTION
C$76,278
+ C$98 for shipping
IWC Portuguese Yacht Club Chronograph IW390701 New Steel 44.6mm Automatic
Promoted
IWC Portuguese Yacht Club Chronograph
Portugieser Yacht Club Chronograph 2022 - Below Retail
C$17,845
+ C$111 for shipping
Rolex Daytona 116519LN Unworn White gold 40mm Automatic
Promoted
Rolex Daytona
2022+ Daytona 116519 White Gold Black Diamond Dial Black Sundials Oysterflex Rubber Strap
C$62,317
+ C$350 for shipping
Rolex Daytona 116595RBOW Very good Rose gold 40mm Automatic
Promoted
Rolex Daytona
Rainbow "Full Set"
C$733,307
+ C$259 for shipping
Rolex GMT-Master II 126720VTNR New Steel 40mm Automatic
Promoted
Rolex GMT-Master II
2023 GMT-Master II Destro/Lefty/Sprite Oyster Box/Papers/Card 126720VTNR
C$33,241
Free shipping
Rolex Oyster Perpetual 41 124300 New Steel 41mm Automatic
Promoted
Rolex Oyster Perpetual 41
124300 NEW 2023 MARCH Black Steel 41 mm
C$13,296
+ C$630 for shipping
Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore Diver 15710ST.OO.A010CA.01 Very good Steel 42mm Automatic
Promoted
Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore Diver
White/Blue Royal Oak Offshore Diver
C$38,607
+ C$111 for shipping
Rolex Daytona 116515ln New Rose gold 40mm Automatic
Promoted
Rolex Daytona
NEW 2023 Daytona EVEROSE 18KT Oysterflex
C$69,840
+ C$223 for shipping
Omega Speedmaster Professional Moonwatch 310.30.42.50.01.001 Unworn Steel 42mm Manual winding
Promoted
Omega Speedmaster Professional Moonwatch
Co-Axial Hesalite NEW 2023
C$7,803
+ C$111 for shipping
Omega Speedmaster 522.30.42.30.04.001 New Steel 42mm Manual winding
Omega Speedmaster
Tokyo 2020 - Panda
C$23,793
+ C$98 for shipping
IWC Big Pilot IW329702 New Bronze 43mm Automatic
Promoted
IWC Big Pilot
2022 BIG PILOT’S WATCH 43 SPITFIRE IN BRONZE - Below Retail
C$13,296
+ C$111 for shipping
Rolex Daytona 116503 Unworn Gold/Steel 40mm Automatic
Promoted
Rolex Daytona
116503 Black Mother of Pearl (MOP) Diamond Tahitian Dial Two Tone Yellow Gold
C$57,839
+ C$350 for shipping
Patek Philippe Nautilus 5712G-001 Very good White gold 40mm Automatic
Promoted
Patek Philippe Nautilus
5712G "Tiffany" Full Set
C$326,969
+ C$259 for shipping
Vacheron Constantin Overseas Dual Time 7900V/110A-B334 Very good Steel 41mm Automatic
Promoted
Vacheron Constantin Overseas Dual Time
2022 Overseas Dual Time Blue Dial Steel 7900V/110A-B334
C$47,586
Free shipping
Rolex Submariner Date 126610LN New Steel 41mm Automatic
Promoted
Rolex Submariner Date
126610LN NEW 2023 Black 41 mm
C$20,973
+ C$630 for shipping
Ulysse Nardin Diver Chronometer 263-10-7M/92 Very good Steel 44mm Automatic
Promoted
Ulysse Nardin Diver Chronometer
Maxi Marine Diver
C$9,913
+ C$111 for shipping
Rolex Day-Date 36 128235 New Rose gold 36mm Automatic
Promoted
Rolex Day-Date 36
NEW 2022+ Day-Date 36 OMBRE BAGUETTE
C$66,481
+ C$223 for shipping
Tudor 79360N-0002 Unworn Steel 41mm Automatic
Promoted
Tudor
Dial Chronograph 79360 White Dial
C$6,997
+ C$111 for shipping
Rolex Submariner Date 126610lv New Steel 41mm Automatic
Rolex Submariner Date
Starbucks
C$23,513
+ C$98 for shipping
Rolex Submariner Date 16618 Unworn Yellow gold 40mm Automatic
Promoted
Rolex Submariner Date
2005 Submariner Date Nearly UN-WORN Boxes Papers Blue Dial Bezel 18kt Gold 16618
C$55,806
+ C$251 for shipping
Rolex Daytona 116520 Very good Steel 40mm Automatic
Promoted
Rolex Daytona
116520 "APH" Dial Oyster Perpetual Cosmograph Daytona Stainless Steel White Dial COMPLETE
C$41,043
+ C$350 for shipping
Rolex Daytona 116518LN Unworn Yellow gold 40mm Automatic
Promoted
Rolex Daytona
116518LN "Full Set" As New
C$68,154
+ C$259 for shipping
Vacheron Constantin Traditionnelle 4010T/000G-B740 Very good White gold 41mm Automatic
Promoted
Vacheron Constantin Traditionnelle
2022 Traditionnelle Complete Calendar White Gold 4010T/000G-B740
C$51,785
Free shipping
Rolex Sky-Dweller 326934 Very good Steel 42mm Automatic
Promoted
Rolex Sky-Dweller
In Stock 2022 Sky-Dweller Blue Dial 326934 Stainless Steel Oyster Bracelet
C$36,383
Free shipping
Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore Chronograph 26470OR.OO.A002CR.02 Very good Rose gold 42mm Automatic
Promoted
Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore Chronograph
"Half Brick" Black Dial
C$76,278
+ C$111 for shipping
Rolex GMT-Master II 126711CHNR New Gold/Steel 40mm Automatic
Promoted
Rolex GMT-Master II
NEW 2023 GMT-Master II “Rootbeer” 126711CHNR
C$31,841
+ C$223 for shipping
Rolex Daytona 116519 Very good White gold 40mm Automatic
Rolex Daytona
1997 Rolex Daytona 16519 18K White Gold Yellow MOP Diamond Dial w/Service Card
C$139,959
Free shipping
Rolex Datejust 41 126333 New Gold/Steel 41mm Automatic
Rolex Datejust 41
NEW Wimbledon 2023 Yellow Gold and Steel
C$22,972
+ C$98 for shipping
Rolex GMT-Master II 126710BLNR Unworn Steel 40mm Automatic
Promoted
Rolex GMT-Master II
2021 GMT-Master II Batman Boxes Papers Blue Black Bezel Jubilee Batgirl 126710BLNR
C$27,818
+ C$251 for shipping

Swiss Watches: World-Renowned Timepieces

Swiss watches are synonymous with precision and luxury. The most well-known names in the business, with few exceptions, all hail from this Alpine country. Rolex, Omega, IWC, and Breitling all represent tradition and high quality.


Everything to Know About Swiss Watches in This Article

  • Buying advice for Swiss-made watches
  • Watches in different price ranges
  • Manufacturers, collections, and models
  • History of the Swiss watch industry

Which Swiss Watch Should I Buy?

If you want to buy a Swiss watch, you have a wide range of options. The right way to find out which watch is best for you is to ask yourself the following question: How much do I want to spend?

A new, brand-name Swiss watch with a mechanical movement can cost as little as 1,000 euros. You can find watches from manufacturers such as Chronoswiss, Maurice Lacroix, Oris, and Raymond Weil in this price range. Some series from these manufacturers are more expensive, however. For example, Raymond Weil's Nabucco chronograph costs around 3,000 euros new with a titanium case. TAG Heuer and Tissot also have a large selection of watches available for less than 5,000 euros.

Rolex and Omega are probably the most well-known representatives of Swiss luxury watches. The legendary Omega Speedmaster Professional is available in many different variations for less than 5,000 euros. The version closest to the original Moonwatch chronograph, which you can find under reference number 311.30.42.30.01.005, costs around 3,500 euros and has a stainless steel case. The material certainly influences the price, as cases made of precious metals are much more expensive than those made of stainless steel.

An Omega diving watch from the Seamaster collection with a gold case costs around 15,000 euros. The Rolex Submariner without a date display and a stainless steel case costs around 6,500 euros new. You should be prepared to spend at least 23,000 euros for a yellow gold Submariner, and 25,000 euros for a Rolex Daytona.

Patek Philippe's Nautilus is one of the most sought-after and expensive stainless steel sports watches from Switzerland. Without any complications, the women's version costs 20,000 euros, and the men's 25,000 euros. With a white gold or platinum case, the price jumps to 140,000 euros. The Calatrava, also from Patek Philippe, is the definition of a classic, elegant dress watch. New, the most popular version costs around 15,000 euros.

If you decide to go with a watch from Breguet or Blancpain, expect prices over 100,000 euros. Cases made of precious metals, diamond-set cases and straps, and intricate complications such a tourbillon increase the value of such watches. The newcomer Hublot also has some watches in this price range. The futuristic MP-05 LaFerrari watch usually costs 200,000 euros. The version with a sapphire glass case is over double the price, costing more than 400,000 euros.


Watches: Iconic Exports

Watches are a defining part of Switzerland's cultural image. They're more iconic than the banks and the cheese; only chocolate ranked "more Swiss" than watches according to a survey of participants from 15 different countries.

About 30 million watches leave the production halls of this little Alpine country every year. The variety amongst these watches is impressive. They range from traditional gold watches with complications such as a:

  • Moon phase display
  • Perpetual calendar
  • Minute repeater
  • Double chronograph

to diving and pilot's watches. Some of the Swiss companies even produce high-tech smartwatches. Many of these watches function as status symbols, ignoring their actual intended functions. Many diving watches from the Seamaster and Submariner collections will never go underwater, and only a small number of the pilot's watches sold by IWC or Breitling are actually worn in the cockpit. These watches work equally well as a tool watch or a luxury lifestyle object.

There are also mass market affordable watches, such as the famous quartz-powered Swatch with its bright and colorful plastic case. There are now mechanical versions with a simple 51-piece movement. The typical Swatch looks somewhat cheap and is not taken seriously by many watch fans, but certain models have sold at high prices as vintage watches. Furthermore, the Swatch is significantly responsible for helping the Swiss watch industry survive the Quartz Crisis of the 1970s and 80s. The Swatch watch, trendy and colorful, broke Swiss watches out of their conservative, stuffy image and attracted a new target audience. Above all, young people were attracted to this bright and simple watch.

However, luxury watches are what people think of when they think of Swiss watches. Switzerland leads the world in watch exports if you don't rank by number of timepieces. While only about 2% of watches sold worldwide come from Switzerland, they are worth 60% of the total value.

Many well-known brands with long watchmaking traditions belong to the Swatch Group (market share: 18%) or to luxury goods concerns like Richemont (market share: 16%) or Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton (LVMH, market share: 5%). Rolex is the largest independent Swiss luxury watch manufacturer (market share: 12%). Their independent status greatly contributes to their outstanding reputation.


Overview of the Most Important Swiss Luxury Watch Manufacturers

Manufacturer Founding year Location of headquarters Parent group
Audemars Piguet 1875 Le Brassus Independent
Blancpain 1735 Le Brassus Swatch Group
Breguet 1775 L'Abbaye Swatch Group
Breitling 1884 Grenchen Independent
Chopard 1860 Geneva Independent
Hublot 1980 Nyon LVMH
IWC 1868 Schaffhausen Richemont
Jaeger-LeCoultre 1833 Le Sentier Richemont
Longines 1832 Saint-Imier Swatch Group
Omega 1848 Biel/Bienne Swatch Group
Patek Philippe 1851 Geneva Independent
Rolex 1905 Geneva Independent
TAG Heuer 1860 La Chaux-de-Fonds LVMH
Vacheron Constantin 1755 Plan-les-Ouates Richemont
Zenith 1865 Le Locle LVMH

Rolex

Rolex is number one amongst the large manufacturers. The Geneva-based manufacturer has been in business since 1905. Rolex produces some of the most famous and beloved watch models in the world, such as the Submariner, Daytona, and Datejust.

The Submariner is the definition of a diving watch, the Daytona is one of the most famous chronographs, and the Datejust embodies elegance. Rolex's pilot's watch is the Air King, and their GMT Master II displays a second time zone. With the invention of the perpetual rotor, Rolex significantly contributed to the breakthrough of the automatic watch in the 1930s. Every year, the manufacturer sells around 800,000 watches featuring their iconic five-point crown. Rolex doesn't publish any official sales numbers. However, since Rolex has their watches certified by the Official Swiss Chronometer Testing Institute (COSC), we can calculate how many Rolex watches are produced based on the COSC's publications.


Omega

The most famous man to wear a Rolex is undoubtedly James Bond. He completes many of his missions with a Submariner on his wrist. However, the British secret agent switched to Omega, a member of the Swatch Group, in 1995. Omega plays a central role in the Swatch Group's company strategy, as they see the brand as a strong competitor for Rolex. Rolex isn't the only manufacturer with legendary watch models; Omega has their own to be proud of. The Seamaster is a diving watch collection that's been in production since 1948. The famous French oceanographer Jacques Cousteau wore a Seamaster. Another iconic Omega watch is the Speedmaster Professional. "Speedy," as it's nicknamed by fans, was the official NASA watch on the Apollo missions, making it the first watch on the Moon in 1969. The so-called Moonwatch is available today, almost unchanged from the original version, but now features a modern Co-Axial caliber and comes in many special limited editions. There's also the De Ville series, which showcases Omega's classic side.


International Watch Company (IWC)

IWC, based in Schaffhausen, also offers elegant Swiss watches, such as the Portugieser. They're even more famous for their pilot's watches, though; their Big Pilot watch and the Mark series are considered excellent pilot's watches. The Mark 11 was the official service watch of Royal Air Force pilots for decades.


Breitling

Breitling is a strong competitor for IWC in the realm of pilot's watches. Breitling's Navitimer is considered one of the most important pilot's watches. The watch, which was introduced in 1952, has a special slide rule function. It has two logarithmic scales on the dial which you can turn to perform various calculations, such as distance and fuel consumption. Breitling also offers powerful diving watches with their Superocean series and some versions of the Avenger. Rolex, Omega, IWC, and Breitling are all considered to be on the same level, thus Breitling also has a conservative, elegant line as well, the Transocean. Besides mechanical timepieces, Breitling also offers quartz watches with refined technology, such as the Emergency with an integrated distress beacon.


Patek Philippe

One rung higher on the luxury watch ladder is Patek Philippe. It's clear from the start that this manufacturer is a bit different: Most of their cases are made of solid gold. In the Swiss watch industry, steel cases are used around 50% of the time. Precious metals like gold and platinum are only used around 2% of the time. Patek's Calatrava collection is a symbol of the company and the epitome of a stylish dress watch. This watch collection debuted in 1932 and was inspired by the Bauhaus art movement. Patek Philippe's Nautilus also has a special position in their portfolio. It's a stainless steel sports watch waterproof to 120 m (12 bar) – all unusual qualities for a Patek watch. The company has a long history of watchmaking. The independent family business has existed under this name since 1851. Until 2009, Patek Philippe used the Geneva Seal as a symbol of high Swiss quality. Now, the company uses their own seal with even stricter standards.


Blancpain, Breguet, Jaeger-LeCoultre

Blancpain and Breguet have been in business even longer. Today, they're both members of the Swatch Group. Abraham-Louis Breguet founded his company in 1775. He's responsible for countless important watchmaking inventions, such as the tourbillon. Blancpain has been around since 1735. Their most famous series is the Fifty Fathoms diving watch. Brands such as Patek Philippe, Breguet, and Blancpain, are representative of the conservative values of the Swiss watch industry. This applies to Jaeger-LeCoultre as well. This manufacturer has been producing high-quality watches since 1833. Their Reverso is one of the most popular rectangular watches.


Hublot

Hublot takes an entirely different approach. This relatively new manufacturer plays the role of the rebel most excellently. One distinctive Hublot feature is their unusual, square-edged porthole design, which occasionally borders on the bizarre. Legibility isn't Hublot's main concern. Instead, they show a preference for the use of unusual materials such as ceramic or titanium. With their patented Magic Gold alloy, Hublot broke new ground. Magic Gold is an incredibly scratch-resistant alloy composed of gold and ceramic. Magic Gold comes quite close to the ideal, everlasting case material. Hublot was founded in 1980. In 2005, under new leadership, they introduced the Big Bang series. The Big Bang caused a sharp increase in sales, catapulting this Genevan manufacturer into the same league as other well-known Swiss brands. The somewhat calmer Hublot alternative to the Big Bang is the Classic Fusion.


Audemars Piguet

Hublot is not without precedent. Audemars Piguet's Royal Oak, introduced in 1972, as well as their Royal Oak Offshore, inspired Hublot's designs. The wide bezel with visible screws was directly influenced by the Royal Oak.


TAG Heuer

When it comes to TAG Heuer, it's all about timing. They patented their first stopwatch mechanism in 1882. TAG Heuer has dedicated themselves to the art of racing ever since – it's not a coincidence that their most well-known series is called the Carrera. Even the rectangularMonaco is a legend amongst racing watches. The actor Steve McQueen wore a Monaco in the film Le Mans.


Tissot

Watches from TAG Heuer are in a moderate price range. This applies to Tissot as well. Aside from classic mechanical watches, Tissot offers modern quartz watches as well. The T-Touch Expert Solar is solar powered. It's a multi-function watch with background lighting, a second time zone display, chronograph function, timer, alarm, compass, barometer function, and many other extras. The watch has a titanium case and is waterproof to 100 m (10 bar). The T-Touch Expert Solar has features that only an electric-powered watch can offer. Such an array of functions is impossible for a mechanical watch, especially one that costs less than 1,000 euros.

Other manufacturers also combine Swiss quality with moderate prices, such as Longines, Raymond Weil, or Maurice Lacroix. These companies often use calibers from the world's largest ébauche manufacturer, ETA SA Manufacture Horlogère Suisse, which is also based in Switzerland. The Swiss company Sellita also offers movements that can be found in the watches of many famous manufacturers. Only a few brands produce their own calibers, such as Rolex and Patek Philippe. !Zenith has some of the most important automatic chronograph movements in watch history. The fast-paced El Primero caused a stir when it was released in 1969; it even had a watch named after it.


Top 10 Swiss Luxury Watch Manufacturers According to Production Numbers

Manufacturer Number of watches produced per year
Rolex 800,000
Omega 700,000
Breitling 170,000
IWC 100,000
Chopard 80,000
Jaeger-LeCoultre 75,000
Patek Philippe 60,000
Hublot 40,000
Audemars Piguet 37,000
Zenith 35,000

Post-Quartz Crisis Revival

The Swiss watch industry began in the 18th century. Up until the second half of the 19th century, Switzerland was considered a place where it was easy to produce watches affordably. IWC, with roots in the United States, based their business model on this concept.

After many successful years, the industry suffered in the 1970s and 80s during the Quartz Crisis. Cheap, mass-produced quartz watches produced in Asia endangered traditional Swiss production. Some manufacturers disappeared forever and many workers lost their jobs. Yet surprisingly, Swiss watches later experienced a renaissance which has lasted to this day. The fascination with the technical genius that goes into mechanical watches enthralls watch lovers all over the world. Many manufacturers with longer histories are no longer independent, however. Merging with a large concern, such as the Swatch Group, Richemont, or LVMH, saved many of these manufacturers from going under.

Unexpected competition has popped up since then. The German town of Glashütte was trapped behind the Iron Curtain in East Germany until 1990. Watches have been produced in Glashütte since the mid-19th century, but they were far from being luxury watches when Germany was divided. Now, other manufacturers such as A. Lange & Söhne and Glashütte Original have established themselves in Glashütte, making Glashütte watches true competition for Swiss manufacturers.