Prestige ranking of Swiss watch brands. American History W

Liza Epifanova 22/09/2016

In June 2016, the Federal Trade Commission demanded that Detroit-based watch company Shinola stop using the Where American is Made slogan. The fact is that the watch he wears ex-president Bill Clinton, presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, and current President Barack Obama presented the former British Prime Minister David Cameron as a gift, are not "made" in the USA at all. They're just going there. It is noteworthy that the law that took away such a spectacular slogan from the brand was once invented in order to protect an honest American manufacturer from "fake" Swiss factories.

Setting sun clock

Officially, the continental United States is divided into four time zones, the "nearest" of which - Eastern - is five hours behind Greenwich Mean Time. It is followed by the central, mountain and Pacific. Also for remote territories there are the Alaskan belt (GMT-9) and the Hawaiian-Aleutian (GMT-10).

Although no one has ever disputed the right to the zero meridian at the Greenwich Observatory, it was in the USA that the very idea of ​​a single world time was born. British railways switched to one “London time” for all in 1840 (it’s scary to imagine how trains ran there before), and in North America, that is, in the USA and Canada, a single time standard for all railways, taking into account several hourly belts were introduced in 1883 - for the first time in the world. And seeing how good and comfortable life became from this, the Canadian engineer Spencer Fleming began to promote the idea of ​​​​introducing the UTC (coordinated universal time) system throughout the planet. By the way, at first he was ridiculed and called a utopian.

From this story, one can draw an obvious conclusion. Like navigation for England in its time, the development of the railway network in the USA in the middle of the 19th century became the most important impetus that led to the rapid growth of the watch industry and by the beginning of the 20th century brought the North American watch industry to a leading position in the world.

It is believed that the first timid watchmaking in the United States appeared as early as 1807. Before that, the inhabitants of the new continent had neither resources (the metallurgical industry was undeveloped, parts could only be turned from wood in the old fashioned way), nor a special need to make watches, since everything was safely delivered from Europe.

The history began with sanctions. During the Napoleonic Wars, US President Thomas Jefferson imposed a trade embargo on warring France and England to stop them seizing neutral American ships. The embargo affected almost all the countries participating in the war, so from 1806 to 1810, supplies from Europe to America actually stopped. It was then that the first Luther Goddard & Sons atelier in Massachusetts opened, in which watches were made from made on the knee, and not from imported parts.

However, the embargo was soon lifted, and this story was happily forgotten. Another attempt to establish watchmaking in America was made in 1838 by brothers James and Henry Pitkin from Hartford, Connecticut. They went down in history for being the first to machine-produce components from blank brass and even released their own 16-line caliber in 3/4 platinum. The clock itself has not been preserved, only their advertising images in the newspapers of that time remained, but since the Pitkins' balance spiral, stones and screws were still imported, they cannot be called 100% American. Soon, H. & J. F. Pitkin itself ceased to exist.

Gettysburg Time

The turning point in the history of US watchmaking was 1850, when three young men met in the town of Roxbury, Massachusetts: David Davis, Edward Howard and Aaron Dennison. Dennison, a watchmaker and entrepreneur, came up with the idea back in the 1840s to reduce the cost of watchmaking through standard interchangeable parts, and engineer Howard undertook to develop machines that would produce such parts. Davis was his technical assistant, and Howard's father-in-law provided the capital for the venture.

The first watch, simply called Howard, Davis & Dennison, was produced in 1851. At first, the result was unsatisfactory: each individual detail was somewhat slightly different from the rest. But entrepreneurs did not give up. Howard constantly improved his machines, invited new specialists. The watches kept getting better, and the company kept changing names. It became the American Horology Company in 1852 and the Boston Watch Company in 1853. From this variety, many collectors get confused with the early releases of the factory. By the way, the partners named the very first batch of 800 watches Samuel Curtis - in honor of the same investor, Howard's father-in-law. Today it is an incredibly valuable collectible rarity. Meanwhile, in 1854, the firm built a new watch factory in Massachusetts, in the town of Waltham. About 5,000 watches were produced there, until in 1857 the company went bankrupt and was sold under the hammer. It is amazing that it was in this fateful year that the factory created its most famous watch in history - the so-called Waltham Model 1857. It was the first fully assembled from American parts, moreover, produced in a standard machine way.

Webb C. Ball Watch Co headquarters in Cleveland, Ohio, early 20th century

Although the Waltham Model 1857 had several drawbacks (for example, they were made of cheap mint silver, and it was necessary to wind the spring and even adjust the time with a separate key), this particular mechanism is considered the founder of the entire American watch industry.

By the way, the Waltham Model 1857 watch was presented to Abraham Lincoln immediately after he gave the Gettysburg speech at the end of civil war in 1863.

Kobold Spirit of America Pop, with art by Pittsburgh artist Burton Morris

Poor Swiss

The Waltham factory was symbolically renamed again in 1859 to the American Watch Company (it changed its name to the American Waltham Watch Company in 1885), and things flourished. Even the former owners prospered quite well, each founding a new watch brand: E. Howard & Co. Eduard Howard. (later simply Howard Clock), and Dennison acted more cunningly. He went to Switzerland, where he opened a mechanism factory near Zurich, which he then supplied to the United States and assembled into finished watches under the Tremont brand.

The fact is that in the middle of the 19th century, labor and resources in Switzerland were much cheaper than overseas. Therefore, American entrepreneurs slowly reached out to the old world to open production for their brands there. One of Dennison's most famous followers was Florentine Ariosto Jones, founder of the IWC manufactory in Schaffhausen.

Interestingly, the craftsmen of the traditional French-speaking watchmaking regions of Switzerland indignantly drove the American upstarts with their machine tools. They preferred to turn parts traditionally, for each mechanism separately. The Americans had to seek understanding in the more friendly German cantons: Basel, Schaffhausen and Zurich, which, thanks to them, in the blink of an eye turned from a dense backwater into an outpost of technical thought.

Meanwhile, in America and without Swiss production, local watch companies multiplied every day. On the wave of the railway boom, one after the other appeared subsequently to all famous brands. They were mainly based in the northeast, where the metallurgical industry was booming. The state of Illinois became the main watch center of the USA. There, in 1864, the Elgin National Watch Company was opened in Chicago, which soon became the largest national manufacturer, and in 1870 in Springfield, the Illinois Watch Company, which created the legendary Bunn Special railway chronometers.

Waltham XA Type 37 aviation instrument chronometer with 8-day power reserve installed in Charles Lindbergh's Spirit of Saint Louis aircraft

Watchmaking flourished in neighboring states such as Ohio and Pennsylvania. In Cleveland, in 1881, Webster Clay Ball founded the Ball Watch & Co brand, also serving mainly railroads, and in 1894, Dietrich Gruen, a German immigrant in Cincinnati, founded the Gruen Watch Co. The main Lancaster watch company in Pennsylvania was the Hamilton company founded in 1892, which immediately introduced its railway chronometer - Broadway Limited.

Here it would be fair to note the main “disadvantage” of all these watches in the eyes of a modern collector - their standardity. As a technically accurate instrument, they had to comply with national railway regulations. Naturally, this greatly limited the imagination of manufacturers, and since watch components were created by machine, all brands, for peace of mind, sought to bring their movements to a single format. So, as far as the railroad “pickpockets” of the late 19th and early 20th centuries are concerned, we can say that Elgin, Waltham, Illinois, Hamilton, and Ball produced essentially the same watches.

Hager Commando Professional with automatic caliber HGR 52 based on Miyota 9015

Meanwhile, in 1890, brothers Robert and Charles Ingersoll, realizing that not only machinists and bankers needed watches, ordered 10,000 of the most clumsy clocks worth 85 cents from the New York factory Waterbury Clock. They put a new item in their mailing catalog - a $1 Ingersoll watch! The clock was without stones in the supports, made of the cheapest brass, but everyone could afford them.

It must be said that in the same year only at the Columbia Trade Show dollar Ingersoll were sold in the amount of 85,000 pieces.

Swiss watchmakers realized rather late that overseas competitors could pose a serious threat to them. In 1875, engineer Jacques David, who worked for Longines, visited an exhibition in Philadelphia as part of a Swiss trade delegation with a secret assignment: to study the American watch industry. She made a lasting impression on him, especially Elgin. In 1877, David wrote in his report: “Elgin has offices in New York, Chicago, London and St. Petersburg. These dealerships are superbly organized and can offer serious price competition, so it would be unwise to ignore them.”

Shinola Canfield Chrono 43mm Argonite 5021 quartz movement includes 83 Swiss parts

Hundred million

In total, by the beginning of the 20th century, there were about 20 watch brands in the United States. From the point of view of a European, this is quite a bit: so much can fit on one Geneva street. But we must understand that these were not room studios, but superfactories, which employed thousands of people who produced tens of thousands of mechanisms.

In total, Elgin produced 55 million pocket watches between 1864 and 1957. Waltham about 35 million. Together they made up 80% of all American pickpockets. Hamilton produced 4 million watches (3.5%), Illinois produced 5.7 million (4.99%). Together with other brands, the total production of watches in the USA for the specified period amounted to 114,210,700 pieces. And we are talking only about normal pocket watches with mechanisms on ruby ​​bearings. cheap dollar watches brands such as Ingersoll, Ingraham, New Haven and Ansonia have sold more than half a billion.

Devon Tread 1 in 53mm case with black DLC has a microprocessor that controls the hours and minutes belt drive, a special edition of Tread 1 was released in 2015 Star Wars(up)

Remembering the Jeffersonian embargo, the American watch industry is an example of how business can be developed with the help of prohibitive sanctions. And not just once, but three times.

In 1885, the Senate passed the Dingley Tariff Act, which required all imported goods to be marked with their actual place of production. This was done in order to prevent the scheme invented by Dennison and Jones: to produce watches in Europe with the help of cheap labor, and then sell them in America as local ones, bypassing import duties.

Waltham CDI Pure with automatic caliber W.DB-002 Dubois-Depraz 331 with GMT function in 47mm titanium case inspired by 1940s instrument clock from the B24 Liberator aircraft

As a result, real “emigrants” came to the USA from Switzerland: the Dingley Tariff Act allowed American origin for goods assembled in the USA and from partially American parts. This is how assembly factories of the Swiss brands Bulova, Movado, Longines-Wittnauer and Concord appeared in the USA. The watches used Swiss blanks, but they were assembled in the USA, which quickly ensured the success and recognition of the brands among Americans. As a result, these companies even moved their headquarters to the new world and abandoned their European origin altogether, although many continued to buy eboshi and case and dial parts in Switzerland.

Weiss Standard Issue Field with hand-wound Caliber 1001, 42 mm steel case, 12.8 mm height

The next time, American brands, barely recovering from the Great Depression and significantly thinned out (of the “native American” manufacturers, only Elgin, Waltham and Hamilton survived, as well as Waterburry, on the wreckage of which the Timex brand of popular wristwatches arose in 1942), managed to rise from ruins thanks to the Buy American Act, adopted in 1933, again to protect the domestic manufacturer. According to it, all government organizations must give preference to American goods, which were considered to be manufactured in the USA and having at least 51% of American parts. This act helped Hamilton immensely during World War II, as it secured the company's status as the official supplier of the Army's Special Forces and led to the legendary Khaki Frogman.

By the way, Omega also had to resort to the help of Hamilton in order to enter the aerospace program in accordance with the requirements of the Buy American Act: the Swiss purchased cases from Star Watch from Michigan, installed mechanisms in them in Bienne, and then took them disassembled to the Hamilton factory to Lancaster, where the final assembly and testing was already carried out.

The naturalized American brand Bulova with great difficulty managed to break into the lunar missions, all appealing to the same patriotic act. By the way, at that time the company no longer produced its own wrist chronograph movements, so they had to be purchased from Universal Geneve. Nevertheless, a remarkable episode has been preserved in history when, in 1971, during the Apollo 15 mission, during the landing on the surface of the moon, astronaut Dave Scott's official Omegas failed and he put on his personal Bulova chronograph. In 2015, the only "private" watch to have been on the moon was sold at an RR auction in Boston for $1.6 million.

The fact that, despite state support, technical innovations and the love of the population, the American watch industry still lost to the Swiss and Japanese, still haunts many historians. Why did it happen?

Bulova Moon Watch with high-frequency quartz movement, steel case 45 mm, height 13.5 mm

The first reason is seen in the very fact of the appearance of wristwatches, for which American brands were not ready. For the first time about the "new fashionable trend from Europe" to wear a watch on a strap on the arm, the New York Times reported on July 9, 1916. the new style was associated with the military, brave young men, with the romance of risk, and American consumers, living a relatively peaceful life, immediately believed him unconditionally. At the same time, among the local watch manufacturers, only a few managed to successfully switch to the new fashion. At the end of the Second World War, the Swiss had much more advanced equipment for the production of wrist movements, especially the much sought after chronographs.

The second serious and fatal blow was quartz. Despite the fact that Hamiton introduced the world's first electric watch Ventura back in 1957, and again the world's first watch with an electronic Pulsar display in 1972, the battle with cheap Asian movements was lost for the industry.

Hamiton itself in 1974 entered the SSIH concern, which later became the Swatch Group. Its Pulsar digital watch division was acquired by Seiko in 1978.

RGM 151-COE Corps of Engineers automatic movement, 38.5 mm steel case, 10.5 mm height, Grand Feu enamel dial, design inspired by WWI American military watches

Baseball and the CIA

However, it would be a great exaggeration to talk about the "death" of American watches. Ball, Bulova, Hamilton are still successful projects that are proud of their roots. Moreover, Ball Watch remains an independent company headquartered in his native Cleveland.

New owners of Waltham are developing activity. although the gap between the founder of American watches and the modern brand is obvious.

Speaking directly about American watch companies, their business is quite good. Although watches have long been produced not in the northeast of the United States, but in southeast Asia, the Fossil Group concern (Fossil, Diesel, DKNY brands, Swiss Zodiac) is in 4th place in the list of leading exporters, occupying 5.2 % of the world market and 14% of the US market. strong positions in the Timex Group (which also owns the European division that creates watches Guess Collection, Versace and Ferragamo), the E.Gluck corporation (Anne Klein and other fashion brands) and the Movado Group, representing the brands Concord, Movado and Ebel, as well as a number fashion brands.

But all this is a commercial mass product, designed for, so to speak, the global consumer. Whereas a watch is a very emotional thing. And the more people remember with nostalgia about grandfather's Elgin or Hamilton chronometer, the more others who ask: What about modern American watch classics?

And here you can find a lot of interesting things. the most high-profile new project is Shinola, which has settled in the dying heart of the auto industry in Detroit. Few people know that Shinola was actually launched by Texan businessman Tom Catsortis, owner of the Fossil concern, with a very specific marketing goal: to attract a patriotic audience who prefer watches that are simple, rough, but reliable. Like jeans, cowboy boots and a Chevy truck. For this, Shinola purists despise a little, but one thing cannot be taken away from it: The company is really developing production in Detroit, where it has organized 375 jobs and makes quite nice watches in the American style of the 50s.

Detroit Watch Company 1701 with automatic Miyota caliber 9100 with power reserve indicator, 44 mm steel case, 13.5 mm height, named after the year Cadillac was founded

Connoisseurs of real watchmaking and handicrafts are more likely to pay attention to the brands RGM and Weiss. Both bear the names of their founders - Roland G. Murphy and Cameron Weiss, who are graduates of the famous Swiss watchmaking school WOSTEP. Murphy is more experienced: he managed to work at the Hamilton production in Lancaster, and then opened his own studio there in 1992. He has already managed to become famous for the "first American tourbillon" Pennsylvania Tourbillon with in-house caliber 801, and he is best known for the "baseball series" of chronometers with enamel dials painted with figures of athletes.

Cameron Weiss, who opened his atelier in 2013, favors handcrafted, refined vintage classics that resurrect the 19th century pickpocket style. It is interesting that this corner of antiquity is located not just anywhere, but in California, in Los Angeles. Where the Apple Watch was invented not far away.

Speaking of California. Here is the office of the most outrageous watch brand Devon, created by designer Scott Devon. The electromechanical "tank" Tread 1 with caterpillar indication became the first American model nominated for the Grand Prix de Geneve in 2010. Devon did not win the prize, but everyone remembered the brand.

On American soil, you can find a couple of interesting designer brands, for example, Keaton Myrick (this is the name of the master) from Oregon or MinuteMan from Illinois - a watch with a single hand, which says Proudly Assembled in US. But basically, for some reason, everyone expects paramilitary brutality from watches from the USA. Apparently, the specter of the Cold War continues to haunt the Midwest.

The clock should be such, at least in appearance, that it is easy to knock out the enemy with it. The brands Kobold work in this direction (the most popular collection is called Langley in honor of the CIA headquarters), Hager (this brand was generally the official supplier of the CIA and until recently did not sell watches to the general public), Lum-Tec (very luminous watches, popular among police and paramedics) and, repeating the success of Shinola, the Detroit-based Detroit Watch Company, which released the B24 Liberator aviation chronograph based on the Valjoux 7750.

A watch brand in the US can be found in almost every state from California to New York. It seems that wherever you poke, someone is already making watches. For example, the Vortic brand is located in Colorado, converting railroad pickpockets (oh, those hundred million!) Into wrist models. Maybe right now someone, stupefied with insomnia and white nights, is thinking of opening his watch atelier in Alaska.

Although the American watch industry has lost the power and grandeur of the first half of the twentieth century, the inhabitants of the new world are still very fond of watches. And beautiful stories with happy endings. By the way, Shinola changed the slogan very quickly. Now it sounds like this: Build in Detroit. From Swiss parts.

Watches for conquistadors

Although in South America the cheerful and easy-going nature of the locals never meant the emergence of their own high-precision production, this region has become a real El Dorado of watch brands since the beginning of the 20th century. Moreover, the Swiss guessed to rush there before their North American neighbors. When the specialized watch magazine Europastar was founded in Geneva in 1927, its publisher Hugo Buchser sent the first issues to Brazil and Argentina. In the same year, the Bucherer trading house acquired the first overseas stores - in Buenos Aires and Santiago. Patek Philippe was the first to discover Latin America, when the jewelry house Gondolo & Laboriau from Rio de Janeiro in 1872 became their exclusive distributor in Brazil. By the beginning of the 20th century, a devoted club of buyers had formed near the house, which was called the Gondolo Gang (“Gondolo gang”). Especially for them, Patek Philippe released the first pocket chronometer of the same name, and it served as a prototype for the famous Gondolo wrist collection, which appeared in 1993.

Another place of attraction for watch luxury was Cuba. In 1882, the Cuervo y Sobrinos boutique was opened on 5th Avenue in Havana, representing the finest Swiss watches. At various times, its visitors were Albert Einstein, Winston Churchill, Pablo Neruda and Ernest Hemingway. Since its owners were jewelers and well aware of local tastes, they constantly commissioned special series of custom-designed watches. Today, traces of this creativity can be found in the modern brand Cuervo y Sobrinos. Jerry Greenberg, the founder of the Movado Group, began his career in Cuba as one of the most successful distributors of Omega and Piaget. It all ended, however, with a revolution.

Time is associated with transience and irreversibility. Indeed, it is coming, and it is impossible to reverse it. The only thing that can ordinary person- control it, plan your life in time, and for this it is enough just to buy a watch. People say that happy people don't watch the clock. History is silent about who coined this saying and what kind of happiness is meant. But successful representatives of mankind still prefer to wear wrist time counters all the time. And, despite the availability of mobile phones with the same function, they do not lose their relevance. This is due primarily to the prestige and style that watches are an attribute of.

famous swiss brands

There is a myth that Swiss watches are very expensive and affordable only for selected members of society. In fact, many are quite accessible even to the average consumer. But in any myth there is some truth. Some manufacturers from this country offer really shocking expensive models, prices for which reach millions of dollars. These watches are made of precious metals and encrusted with the same expensive stones. Most Swiss brands were founded in the past, or even the century before, but still thrive.

A world-famous manufacturer, which everyone has probably heard of, but few have seen watches of this brand. It is associated with wealth and prestige. The elite can afford to have such watches, as their cost is very high. It depends on what the accessory is made of, and these are, as a rule, exclusively precious materials. Rolex produces collections of both men's and women's watches, regularly presenting new lines.

This is another brand that specializes in luxury watches. It is known that such accessories were worn at one time by many representatives of blue blood, including Queen Victoria and Marie Antoinette. Now the works of this brand of watches are often preferred by members of presidential families and high society.

Tissot

The manufacturer appeared in the middle of the 19th century. He was the official supplier of watches for the Russian imperial court, providing army officers with his devices. The watches of this company were preferred by Elvis Presley and Nelson Mandella, and even now Tissot remains one of the best innovative brands on the world market.

longines

This is another of the very first manufacturers of wristwatches, which exists to this day.

Men's Watch

Brands of men's watches cannot be singled out into any separate category. Unless to divide them into expensive and not very expensive. Although every self-respecting man will surely make sure that he has an expensive watch on his wrist. Here it is appropriate to pay attention to manufacturers from Switzerland, Japan, Italy. Which ones are better will be prompted by annual ratings and their own financial capabilities.

In addition to the cost, the most important factor in the choice is the popularity of the brand. Not everyone in the world wears a fortune watch, because our society is not only made up of millionaires. Therefore, first of all, you need to pay attention to quality, convenience, practicality and your own style. Of course, mechanical watches are traditionally considered the best. But you can also get quartz ones, which are much cheaper, but do not need a regular establishment.

Ideally, a man is advised to have several watches that are different in style or at least in color, so that he can combine them with clothes depending on the situation and event. After all, you see, a sports watch is not very appropriate, coupled with a suit on business meeting, and the classic ones look strange on the arm of a man in the gym. Although you can choose a universal model, for example, from the BREITLING collection, which is harmonious and luxurious in any situation.

Ladies Watch

In addition to the manufacturers already mentioned above, designers, European fashion houses and eminent manufacturers of clothing and accessories are happy to produce women's watches. Indeed, for women in modern world watches play more the role of a stylish accessory than a precision instrument. The choice is huge and always varied. Some people prefer to have a lot of inexpensive watches that are original in design, while others prefer to get a branded product at an exorbitant price, which just flaunted on the catwalk model yesterday. This option is necessary to complete a stylish look, especially if the lady prefers to dress exclusively with international designers.

Popular brands of women's watches Gucci, Chanel, Nina Ricci, Cartier. They successfully compete with watchmakers who have been considered the best in the world for more than a hundred years. The watch brands for women Adriatica, Montblanc and Raymond Weil can also boast of unusually attractive performance and high quality products. Among the manufacturers of elite women's watches, the company also appears. Her creations are restrained, have a classic design, but always look chic and feminine.

Top watch brands

Every year, a rating is compiled among watch brands, which reflects their popularity at the moment. Very rarely newcomers get into the top ten. Most often, the championship is held by the same well-known watch brands. These include the famous Rolex, which is a symbol of wealth and success. And also Patek Philippe, Omega, Breguet, Montblanc, Blancpain, Seiko, Diesel and Guess. Most manufacturers work in a different price range and produce from affordable to very expensive models.

Prestigious watch brands from Switzerland and Japan, which have long become traditional attributes, have proven themselves best of all. modern man with good taste. If we talk about quality in general, we cannot fail to mention Italian manufacturers. In 1997, Anonimo brand watches appeared. They are made on the basis of Swiss movements, and designers always delight with new attractive models designed to emphasize the individuality of a person and at the same time serve him for many years.

Inexpensive appliances

Having a watch in our time is not at all a luxury, of course, if it is not a Rolex. Inexpensive brands of watches are available to any person, even with the most modest income. But cheap doesn't always mean poor quality. Although, if you want not only to control time, but also to create a special impression, you can also afford a Swiss watch. Of course, not the original, but a copy, but still a brand is a brand. Having such an accessory, you need to pay attention to your appearance, which it dictates.

Orient watches have gained popularity due to the availability of many models. At the same time, in terms of quality, they are not much inferior to expensive ones, including Swiss brands. Japanese Seiko can also be bought inexpensively. manufactures the highest quality mechanical and quartz timepieces, with some models starting at $50. You can buy not a branded product at all, but simple cheap ones or some other manufacturer. Saving is commendable! However, in such a matter as the choice of brand of wrist watches, this statement is very controversial.

Even with a small budget, it is still worth shelling out for a decent watch, especially for the stronger sex. After all, it is customary to pay attention to them, as well as to shoes, a wallet or a briefcase, in the first place. A man is judged by the hour even before he has time to prove himself as an intellectual, professional or speaker. Therefore, rather than buying very cheap watches, it is better to do without them altogether. Image for a modern person is of paramount importance. Money can't buy it, but it can be created with charisma, style and a good watch.

Do better if possible. And this is always possible. François Constantin, founder of the Vacheron Constantin watch company. Swiss watches are not only a symbol of prestige, wealth, exceptional accuracy, but also the history of Swiss watches worthy of attention and study.

Most likely, you think that Switzerland was the ancestor of the world watch industry, but this is not so. Moreover, the masters who stood at the origins of Swiss watchmaking fame were by no means Swiss by origin.

Paradoxically, their development is closely connected with religious events. Adherents of the ideas of Martin Luther, persecuted by the religious onslaught, found shelter and shelter in Protestant Geneva.

In the middle of the 16th century, the best watchmakers of Italy, Germany and France, being supporters of the Christian theologian and initiator of the Reformation Martin Luther, flocked to the Protestant city of Geneva, where John Calvin formed a kind of Protestant republic. It was a rather motley mass of Italians, French, Germans, including many jewelers. Here they expected to hide from the religious persecution to which they were subjected in their homeland, although in Geneva itself the goldsmiths and jewelers, who at that time were already famous throughout Europe, had a lot of suffering. Calvin forbade any manifestation of luxury, and, in particular, the wearing of jewelry. The poor fellows had no choice but to join the visiting watchmakers, learn their art and apply their talent in a new business. That is why Swiss watches have been famous since the time of the Reformation for their precise movement and unique beauty.

Of course, strict Calvin could not ban watches, it would be too unreasonable, because it was watches that became a luxury item, as well as an indicator of a person’s social status.

In 1601, the Geneva Watchmakers' Guild was created, which included hundreds of masters. Each of them mastered his art to perfection, armed with his own techniques and methods. Soon so many geniuses became crowded in one not too big city. And little by little, the masters began to disperse, mastering the expanses of mountainous Switzerland. So many famous watch companies started their journey in small towns.

By the middle of the 17th century, Switzerland had become the absolute world leader in watchmaking. In Geneva, the growth of watchmaking did not stop either, although the first watch factory in Switzerland was created only in 1804. This event was preceded whole line discoveries of skilled Swiss craftsmen.

By the beginning of the seventies of the XVIII century, historians attribute the appearance of the “eternal” hours of Abraham-Louis Perlet. Perlet's pocket watch was wound up by the movement of its own weight. Of course, these watches were far from modern self-winding chronographs, but for that time they became a real revolution in watchmaking and the fulfillment of the dream of watchmakers and connoisseurs of their art. At first, these watches gave a lot of trouble to their owners. If their owner had to ride on horseback or run after the mail carriage, then the clock “ran” with him, and the overtightened spring simply burst. Later, Perlet managed to improve his invention by equipping the "perpetual" clock with a restrictive mechanism.

In the forties, the pendulum-winding pendant watch was invented, the creator of which was Adrian Philippe. At the same time, the first watches with additional functions appeared - calendar watches and watches with a countdown.

In 1801, Abraham-Louis Breguet invented the tourbillon, one of the most complex watch designs of all time. This mechanism compensated for the influence of the Earth's gravity on the accuracy of the clock and made it possible to achieve much higher accuracy.

Mass production of Swiss watches became possible at the end of the 19th - beginning of the 20th century, when the developments of engineers Pierre Frederic Ingold, who proposed a machine for cutting gears and circuit boards, and August Leschot, the author of the principle of interchangeability of parts in a watch mechanism, were introduced. Thanks to this introduction, Swiss watches, the most accurate and beautiful, became much cheaper. But the restless Swiss did not stop there. Instead of resting on their laurels, promoting an already completely flawless product on the world market, they offered more and more new technological solutions.

In 1926, the first self-winding wristwatch appeared in the city of Grenchen, almost in the form in which it is used to this day.

In 1967, the first quartz wristwatch was created in Neuchâtel. Three years later, the novelty was put into production.

In 1972, liquid crystal electronic watches appeared. This technology was immediately adopted by the Japanese, becoming a threat to the Swiss watch industry for a whole decade. They created flat digital watches, against which the Swiss classics looked bulky. In addition, Japanese watches were much cheaper. Because of this, many firms that produced Swiss watches were ruined. However, the Swiss masters did not let their work perish. They created a Swiss watch with a thickness of 0.98 mm and a cost of 10 francs.

In 1988, the Swiss surprised the world with an automatic quartz watch, charged by the movement of the hand.

In 1992, at one of the specialized exhibitions, a presentation of watches was held, which contained twenty-one additional functions.

In 1999, a watch with a new escapement mechanism was shown, which significantly reduces friction and, as a result, provides even greater accuracy than the tourbillon.

Today in Switzerland there are many recognized brands, many of which began their history in the described period. Thus, the workshop of the Blancpain brand was founded in 1735, and in the 80s of the last century it was revived, and its first works were recreated antique rarities, supplemented by a modern mechanism.

Connoisseurs of Swiss watches appreciate such additional features in the product as automatic winding, chronograph, lunar and perpetual calendar, tourbillon, minute repeater.

Many of these features are not so sought after, but collectors always rejoice if they get their hands on a watch with them. The tourbillon, for example, invented at the end of the 20th century, helps to avoid the errors in the clock movement associated with earth's gravity. The repeater is the mechanism for striking the clock.

For some modern models a touch glass is used, by touching which the owner can determine the temperature of his body.

Watches are a complex and sensitive mechanism, which is why Swiss craftsmen invented special turning and milling machines for them.

The variety of modern Swiss watches is huge: these are wall and floor watches, hand and pocket watches, pendant watches and ring watches. You can't list everything.

Many exclusive models are made using gold and platinum and decorated with expensive enamel.

Almost every year, Swiss watch companies present to the world community new examples of their art, striking in their technological excellence and functional versatility. Today, in Switzerland, the watch industry ranks third in terms of imports after mechanical engineering and the chemical industry. And all over the world, Swiss watches have occupied and continue to occupy the first place because of their highest quality. Such is the history of Swiss watches.

Swiss watches are characterized by an amazing variety: from simple and relatively inexpensive to priceless works of art. They can satisfy any taste and adapt to almost any wallet.

Swiss watches, the standard of quality and precision, continued to function perfectly even on the Moon, where they visited with the American astronauts!

Today in Switzerland there are up to 1000 watch workshops, large and small. The most famous traditionally are Patek Philippe, Rolex, Raymond Weil, Cosi Grande, TAG Heuer, Swatch, Omega, Ulysse, Zenith.

For many centuries, Swiss watches have been not only a symbol of quality and reliability, but also an indicator of well-being.

Swiss watch brands- These are always expensive models that are of high quality, elegance and style. They, as a rule, testify to the status of a person, indicate his high position in society. Those who can afford to buy such a watch can safely be called lucky. Therefore, in this article we will tell you about the most famous brands of Swiss watches, and also talk about their rating. By the way, if you were thinking about buying such watches, you can pay attention to their copies. We have a separate article on this subject. And we'll talk about the original watch. We continue ...

What is special about watches from Switzerland?

This is one of those rare cases where the price matches the quality. Thus, Swiss watch brands have long been famous for their original design, which is based on a combination of ancient traditions and modern style, the high quality of skillfully selected materials and a guarantee of durability.

Based on the features of Swiss watches, we highlight their main advantages:
No problems with showing inaccurate time;
Extremely rare need for repair, mostly due to careless handling;
Application of modern technologies in production;
Individual style, prestige and elegance;
High quality natural materials.

famous swiss watch brands

We rightfully give the place of one of the most expensive and prestigious brands to Vacheron Conctantin. Some products of this brand cannot be purchased in the store. So, the most expensive models are made to order. During production, all the wishes of the client are taken into account.

By the way, this is one of those companies that does not produce cheap models. If you, for example, like any Vacheron Conctantin watch, be prepared to pay a considerable amount for it (from 9 thousand dollars). All models of this oldest brand also have distinguishing feature– a cross on the end face of the crown and dial.

Burett models can rightly be called elegant and sporty. The materials produced by the brand are waterproof and have a high level of durability. The sporty style of Burett watches is exemplified by strong bracelets, durable dials and robust watch movements. At the same time, all models are equipped with elements that belong to the Luxury class. Models embody the universal trend direction - Sport de Luxe. All Burett watches come with a three-year international warranty and are made in Switzerland.

Speaking of Swiss premium watches, it is impossible not to pay attention to the Breguet brand. Throughout its history, the company has not only improved, but also created many technologies that are currently actively used in the manufacture of watches. Models of this brand are characterized by a high level of quality and a variety of style solutions.

Among the most expensive and luxurious watches we give Patek Philippe Minute Repeater. They are not cheap. In addition, to become the owner of such a watch, you need to wait about two years. The fact is that only a gold chronometer and a dial studded with diamonds are made for several months. This is meticulous manual labor.

Of course, don't forget the Zenith brand. It is the first watch to break the sound barrier at the edge of outer space as part of the Stratos project. The list of popular brands should also include Ulusse Nardin, Franck Muller, Rolex, Philippe Charriol and others.

watch brand rating

Quality watches are produced by many companies. Among them are those that occupy the leading places in the list. And there are those who are a little inferior to their positions.

Anyway, compose swiss watch rating very hard. First of all, it is envy from the territorial distribution of models. So, for example, in the USA they often buy the well-known Rolex, while in Italy they value Vacheron Constantin. Usually watches of the same technical level from different manufacturers are compared. We are ready to offer you an approximate scale of popularity of famous Swiss, German and other brands.

Super Premium	Suite	1st class	2nd class	Fashion Premium	Fashion
A.LANGE & SOHNE Girard-Perregaux JAEGER-LE COULTRE VACHERON CONSTANTIN	ARNOLD & SON Carl F. Bucherer Glashutte Original Officine Panerai	Armand Nicole Frederique Constant	Aerowatch swiss military hanova	Chanel	AnneKlein

• Category Super premium class (the cost of watches in this group starts from 120 thousand dollars per model).
• Watches of the Luxury group are less expensive, but they can hardly be called cheap (some brands start at $50,000).
• The cost of first class watches is ~ 1.7 thousand dollars.
• The cost of second-class models is ~ 15 thousand rubles.

When choosing a gift for a status person, they come to mind as the first option. Of course, not everyone can afford such a thing, and one must be able to distinguish the original from a fake. What is this? Became a Swiss watch! High-quality, stylish, insanely expensive, but simply luxurious. There is even a rating of Swiss watch brands, and the most popular models can be seen by a simple man in the street in the hands of the powers that be.

When there is no need for advertising

How many things do you know that advertising, in principle, is not needed? Hardly, because fashion is a changeable friend, and she rarely focuses on any prerequisites. But the best Swiss are not subject to. Thanks to first-class quality and original design, they are firmly established in the group of masterpieces, which are working on proven industry giants and promising family ateliers in a remote alpine country.

Original Swiss watches can be compared to exclusive cars that are made to order. Each copy of the chronometer is an absolute work of art. Therefore, the rating of Swiss watch brands is relevant without comparing the models themselves, but only on the basis of logos.

Visiting card of Switzerland

Agree, in most cases, the original Switzerland on your wrist does not need a description. This is already a kind of style, status and respect from others. If a person can afford an original Swiss watch, then he has reached a certain level in life. He can claim respect, appreciates both the subtlety of production and exceptional quality. And if he correctly assessed the situation and chose the best Swiss among many brands, the watch in this case is also an indicator of taste. For many centuries the masters of Switzerland have conquered the world with their watches, which have become the standard of accuracy and quality. Across the country there will be no less than a thousand firms with own production. Of course, the competition is simply unimaginable, so only those who do not relax for a minute can break into the leadership position. That is why the rating of Swiss watch brands cannot be compiled based on any specific criteria; you can become the best at once if you ensure the appropriate level of production. But if there can be young firms on the podium, then the giants of the industry still have a long history, starting from the middle of the seventeenth century.

How was it all...

In the distant times of the religious wars, which, by the way, are shaking Europe even today, the mass migration of the Huguenots began. Among them there were many talented individuals who perfected their watchmaking skills to perfection.

Gradually, a historical rating of Swiss watch brands was compiled. As a criterion, you can take production trends, demand, prices and complexity of mechanisms. Therefore, there is no single rating, and around each brand there is a whole bunch of separate myths, supported by the personal preferences of buyers. There is already a stereotype of a kind, according to which the best brand is Swiss - which are comparable in price to Tissot, but have more admirers. Manufacturers rationally approach the compilation of popularity ratings, giving the podium to their own products. Of course, such a rating of Swiss watch brands does not reflect the real state of affairs. The unconditional leadership of old manufacturers will not be true either, since today there is an abundance of demanded "young" models, such as, say, Maurice Lacroix watches.

status gift

What is the image of a strong and powerful person? The stereotype is a formal trouser suit, a pressed tie and a delicate scent of an elite perfume. But not only clothes make a person such, but also status accessories, including a leather briefcase, gold cufflinks, a tie pin and a watch. First of all, Breguet watches began to be mentioned in the media. And in terms of prestige, the Rolex and Cartier brands have no competitors. But, alas, the gift option of such a brand seems somewhat utopian, since a rare person in our time can find enough money in his budget for such a purchase. In fact, such a gift is a work of art that obliges to correspond.

Brand value rating

In such a calculation, various factors must be taken into account. After all, not only the volume of sales and retail value is important, but also the specific assessment that Swiss watches are subjected to by specialists. The price, of course, will bite anyway, but it justifies itself, as it is determined half by the functions and materials used, and half by the name of the manufacturer. Expensive Swiss watches are men's toys, a kind of fetish, some names here give joy and sound like music. Wealthy people choose Rado, Longines, Breitling, Martin Braun, Rodolphe, Tag Heuer, Breitling, Ebel, Maurice Lacroix, Raymond Weil, Perrelet. Of course, the brands Saint Honore, Louis Erard, Roamer, Michel Herbelin, Tissot cannot be called democratic, but they are still less expensive when buying.

Honorable First Place

And there is no undeniable leader here, except that it is possible to mention leadership positions according to certain criteria. It all depends on what goal the potential owner of the watch is pursuing. If the emphasis is on high quality when buying, then the Geneva watch house Patek Philippe rightfully occupies the leader's position. The products of this House are distinguished by unprecedented precision and reliability. The company keeps the brand and makes all the details - from bolts to clockwork - on its own. It is, rather, a Swiss men's watch, as they do not take with the elegance of the mechanism, but they attract with stability. Among the fans of the brand are Vladimir Putin, Andy Warhol and even Leo Tolstoy. Moreover, lovers of quality are not stopped even by the fact that the price for such a Swiss watch goes off scale for 20 thousand dollars.

But the most expensive watch brand is Rolex. The brand value exceeds 5,074. The brand began its history in the distant 1908. For the watch industry, this period is not long, however, during this time the brand has managed to take its rightful place. Rolex chronometers are preferred by public figures seeking to emphasize social status. For example, among the fans of the firm are the singer Rihanna, Bruce Willis and Nicolas Cage. But the evidence that people with taste love will be the choice in their favor of Carlos Slim, who is richest man on the ground. Well, a very solid accessory, because Rolex is a Swiss watch, the price of which starts at 10 thousand dollars.

Top three

Who else can be attributed to the most popular brands? The Swiss watch brand Omega has a lot of admirers. Attractive is the fact that the brand positions itself as giving priority to quality, rather than the use of precious metals. But the popular Swiss brand that produces women's watches is Vacheron Constantin. His works are characterized by elegance and refined style. The company was founded back in 1755. Such a long history is due to the precision of the Swiss movement, coupled with an exclusive design. In the decor of its chronometers, the brand uses gems, colored gold and platinum, so it's no surprise that this Swiss watch brand sets a price range of around 60,000 euros per piece.

fresh blood

The rating would not be complete if we forgot about young but promising companies. If they are not mentioned, it may seem that "hazing" reigns in the watchmaking field, and therefore young people are undeservedly overlooked. So, one of the iconic representatives of Switzerland is Hublot. The company appeared in 1980 in Nyon thanks to the efforts of entrepreneur Carlo Crocco, but remained in the shadows until 2004, when it was bought by Jean-Claude Biver, who literally breathed into production new life. In a short time, the brand became recognizable and acquired a circle of admirers. What caused such popularity? An innovative approach and bold decisions regarding materials that can be combined in production. The company combines gold and rubber, tantalum and rose gold, magnet and titanium. H

Swiss men's aces of futuristic design have attracted the attention of a whole crowd of lovers to stand out. Such eclectic combinations are preferred by famous politicians, actors, athletes. Among the fans of the brand, the legendary Diego Maradona and the English coach Sir Alex Ferguson were noted. The Swiss brand is not cheap, the most budget model is estimated at 23 thousand dollars. This is a prime example of how a brand remains independent of company size and pricing. For the rating, the main thing is the style of communication and the correct work with the clientele. If the client wants to stand out, then you need to give him this opportunity.

Ranking positions with a jewelry bias

The rating of Swiss watch brands in itself implies the presence of expensive brands in it, the purchase of which is beyond the means of ordinary people. But in recent years, watches have gradually lost their relevance as a chronometer itself. Now it is not just a useful accessory, but also a truly piece of jewelry, with which it is not a shame to go out. Watches become the pride of the owner, so their beauty is now paramount. From this point of view, the unsurpassed leader will be the Swiss company Rolex, which is loved by prominent men of the world. But dear ladies prefer the watch house Chopard, famous for the release of models with ultra-precise calibration and attractive design. This brand is undeniably Swiss in quality. Women's watches of this brand are preferred by Salma Hayek and Sharon Stone. A very valuable jewelry toy, because the average price of Chopard watches is 35 thousand dollars.

Sports criterion

But after all, luxury items are valued not only by socialites and influential businessmen. Many lovers of Swiss quality like the sporty style offered by the watch brand IWC, or La Watch. Such watches were loved by Winston Churchill and many famous politicians. The average price for such a watch is 26 thousand dollars.

But the Swiss brand Blancpain has been among the most popular for more than three centuries.

Maybe this explains the incredibly high price of 50 thousand dollars per copy?! Although it is difficult to dispute the value of these luxury watches, which combine the traditions of the past with the developments of the present. Such a work of art can only be produced in a limited edition.

Democracy in practice

Is there really not a single brand among the highest quality Swiss watches that would take care of the middle class? How to say. For example, in the watch capital of Switzerland, which is rightly considered the town of Le Locle in the mountainous province of Jura, in 1853 a company producing Swiss watches "Tissot" appeared. The main goal of the company's masters - to preserve traditions, but at the same time surprise - has found its fans in more than 150 countries. For 157 years, the brand has taken its place of honor in the ranking of watch brands, producing more and more functional models. But the main charm of the brand lies in its relative accessibility. The symbiosis of the brand's qualities allows us to remain a partner of NASCAR, FIBA, AFL, CBA, Grand Prix in motorsport and world championships in cycling, fencing and hockey for many years. Agree, such cooperation is only for the benefit of the developing brand!