Luxury Watches Brands Online
Luxury Watches Brands Online
TOP 20 LUXURY WATCH BRANDS
Nevertheless, Luxury Watches represents true craftsmanship. Also combines luxury and reliability. That’s why the latest luxury brands create high-quality watches which possesses great design and also optimum quality designed to last for a lifetime. Of course, with luxury watches selling for thousands and sometimes even millions of dollars, these watches become considerable expense. Moreover, deciding what watch is the most appropriate for any of us can take some time and also a lot of research. So, let’s look at some of the most popular watch brands on the market.
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Patek Phillippe
Patek Phillippe- In 1839, Antoni Patek, Franciszek Czapek, Adrien Philippe founded the company in Canton of Geneva and the Vallée de Joux, Switzerland. Since then the company produces some of the most coveted and at the same time high-end timepieces in the world. Some of their models reach millions of dollars ( for some of their rarer models ). Over time almost all royalty chose this prestigious watch brand because of its history of innovative and luxury designs.
Price range: $15,000 – $1 million+
Most expensive Patek Philippe sold: Henry Graves Jr.’s Supercomplication watch for $24 million in 2014
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AUDEMARS PIGUET
Audemars Piguet – Jules Louis Audemars and Edward Auguste Piguet founded the company in the Vallée de Joux, Switzerland in 1875, acquiring the name Audemars Piguet & Cie in 1881. Today the original founding families still own this company. Moreover, Audemars Piguet is one of the oldest watch manufacturers in the world.
Price range: $7,000 – $850,000+
Most expensive Audemars Piguet sold: Signed Audemars Piguet Geneve Leap Year Perp for $545,000 in 2015
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VACHERON CONSTANTIN
VACHERON CONSTANTIN – The Classic Swiss watch manufacturer Vacheron Constantin dates back to 1755. Napoleon Bonaparte was an owner of one of their timepieces. Vacheron Constantin is one of the oldest watch manufacturers in the world with an uninterrupted watchmaking history since its founding.
Price range: $18,000 – $6 million+
Most expensive Vacheron Constantin sold: King Fouad for $2.77 million in 2005
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TAG HEUER
TAG Heuer is based in La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland and is led by President and CEO Jean-Claude Biver. Jack Heuer, the great-grandson of the founder, is the honorary chairman. TAG Heuer maintains a watchmaking workshop in Cornol, Switzerland and a watchmaking factory in La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland. The TAG Heuer slogan is “Swiss Avant-Garde Since 1860”.
Over time this brand becomes very popular among racecar drivers. Moreover, Tag Heuer become also the first watch brand to go into space.
Price range: $1,500 – $10,000+
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A. LANGE & SÖHNE
Ferdinand Adolph Lange created the first watchmaking jobs in Glashütte with the help of a state loan on 7 December 1845, starting a clock company. Founded in 1845 in Germany, A. Lange & Sohne closed its doors in 1948 after the post-war Soviet administration municipalized the company’s property. However, they went back into the business in 1990 and have gone on to make their mark on the watchmaking industry with their highly complicated timepieces.
Price range: $15,000 – $1 million+
Most expensive A. Lange & Söhne sold: The Platinum Tourbillon for $333,000 in 2005
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JAEGER-LECOULTRE
The two brothers Charles Antoine LeCoultre and François Ulysse LeCoultre founded the watch company LeCoultre in 1833 by Le Sentier in the Vallée de Joux. Since then they remain famous for their intricate designs. Moreover, Jaeger-LeCoultre becomes famous because of creating the world’s smallest watch caliber.
Price range: $5,000 – $2 million+
Most expensive Jaeger-LeCoultre sold: Atmos 561 for $425,000 in 2013
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ROLEX
In 1908 Wilsdorf registers today’s world-famous brand name “Rolex” for his watches. Rolex stands for “horlogerie exquise” (English: high-quality watchmaking art) — or is inspired by it, one can presume, but it cannot be proven. After all, the name grips well become memorable and also very easy to pronounce in all language areas. Despite the soaring popularity of Rolex’s iconic women and men’s watches, each timepiece is still made by hand. Internationally recognized as a status symbol, Rolex watches are forever in high demand. Especially Rolex Daytona and Rolex Submariner.
Price range: $5,000 – $650,000+
Most expensive Rolex sold: Bao Dai Rolex for $5 million in 2017
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HUBLOT
In 1980 the Italian Carlo Crocco founded the watch manufacturer MDM Genève. He developed a watch in a style not seen so far: The luxury housing was made of gold held with 12 titanium screws, and the bracelet was in black rubber. According to the shape of the watch, it was called “Hublot” (French for porthole). Part of the LVMH group, Hublot is one of the younger watch brands, established in 1980. In 2010 they were appointed the Official Watchmaker of Formula 1.
Price range: $4,200 – $5 million+
Most expensive Hublot sold: Hublot King Power Model Limited Edition Tourbillon for $191,723 in 2014
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BREGUET & FILS
The name of this famous luxury watch manufacturer comes from Abraham-Louis Breguet, who is considered the foremost watchmaker and inventor in the history of the watch. The appearance of the watches still has the basic features of the models made by Abraham-Louis Breguet: classic, often guilloché dial with Roman numerals, Breguet hands and cannellated case in solid gold. The brand Breguet is one of the undisputed top brands in the highest-priced segment of the watch market.
Price range: $7,000-$400,000+
Most expensive Breguet sold: No. 2667 Precision StopWatch from 1814 for $4.7 million in 2012
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CHOPARD
Louis Ulysse Chopard founded Chopard in 1860 in Sonvilier in the Swiss Jura. It was originally focused on ultra-thin pocket watches as well as high precision timekeeping devices supplied to the Swiss Railway. After the death of his father, Paul-Louis Chopard continued the company, opening a subsidiary in La Chaux-de-Fonds which would become the company’s headquarters in 1923. In 1927 the company moved to Geneva under the direction of Paul-André Chopard, the third-generation director of the firm.
Price range: $5,040 – $60,000+
Most expensive Chopard sold: Chopard 210 Karat $26 million in 2014
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GIRARD-PERREGAUX
The manufacturer Girard-Perregaux is one of the few truly authentic Swiss manufactures. The company draws not only from a big name in the past, neither is it some anonymous flagship of a holding company, but since the beginning of its existence. Moreover, nowadays the company maintains its high reputation very active with high quality in the area of continuous development of the mechanical watch.
Price range: $5,000 – $600,000+
Most expensive Girard-Perregaux sold: 1945 Jackpot Tourbillon for $176,000 in 2013
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BLANCPAIN
Jehan-Jacques Blancpain founded this company in 1735 in Villeret, Switzerland. Until 1932, when Frederic Emile Blancpain died at the age of 69 years, Blancpain has been family-owned. In the 1920s and 1930s, Blancpain manufactured the first watches with automatic winding in series production. These models had the sonorous name “Harwood“ (1926), based on the patents of the English engineer John Harwood, and “Rolls“ (1930), based on a contract with the Leon Hatot S.A., Paris.
From 1735 up until 1932, Blancpain was under the ownership of the Blancpain family. However, the final Blancpain’s daughter did not wish to go into the watch industry. It is currently part of The Swatch Group.
Price range: $7,500 – $1.5 million+
Most expensive Blancpain sold: Marilyn Monroe’s cocktail watch for $250,000 in 2016
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CARTIER
In 1847 Louis-François Cartier takes over the jewelry workshop of his master, Adolphe Picard, at 29, rue Montorgueil in Paris. A year ago he, the descendant of a powder horn maker, had become a master jeweler and also registered his trademark, the famous heart between the initials L and C surrounded by a diamond. In 1853 Cartier is accessible for private clients at the 5, Rue Neuve des Petits Champs. Moreover, in 1856 makes Princess Mathilde, niece of Napoleon I. and cousin of Emperor Napoleon III., her first purchase at Cartier.
Price range: $2,300 – $2.5 million+
Most expensive Cartier watch sold: Panther Bangle Watch for $660,000 in 2015
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IWC SCHAFFHAUSEN
In fact, it was no coincidence that an American engineer from Boston, Florentine Ariosto Jones, founded the “International Watch Co.” in Schaffhausen in 1868. The manufacture on the Rhine owes the American both its name and its existence – so far away from the watch centers of Western Switzerland. Distinctive originals of horology, that is the undisputed specialty of the watch manufacturer IWC Schaffhausen: The famous Da Vinci with a perpetual calendar for example, as well as the Grande Complication, which was the first of this type for the wrist.
But also the super-antimagnetic Ingenieur or the Dive Watches, which can even withstand the pressure of water depth up to 2000 meters, and also the GST Deep One as the first Dive watch with mechanical depth gauge must be mentioned here too.
From IWC stem decades of professional pilot’s watches, too and also since the founding year of 1868, there are unsurpassed high-quality pocket watches made by IWC.
The motto of IWC Schaffhausen is Probus Scafusia, meaning “good, solid craftsmanship from Schaffhausen”.
Price range: $3,950 – $750,000+
Most expensive IWC Schaffhausen watch sold: Il Destriero Scafusia for $325,000 in 2003
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ULYSSE NARDIN
The company founded 1846 in the Swiss Le Locle bears the name of its founder Ulysse Nardin. He was first trained in the art of watchmaking by his father, Leonard-Frederic Nardin (*1792); thereafter he developed his skills at the known masters Frederic William Dubois and Louis JeanRichard-dit-Bressel. Ulysse Nardin acquired a high reputation mainly by the manufacturing of Marine Chronometers. (Today the anchor in the company logo reminds us this.) To find more about Ulysse Nardin follow this link: Ulysse Nardin Innovation Imagination Craftsmanship History and Facts
Price range: $2,300 – $285,000
Most expensive Ulysse Nardin watch sold: Ulysse Nardin Royal Blue Tourbillon has been known to sell for as much as $1.25 million
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OFFICINE PANERAI
Guido Panerai founds in 1860 in Florence the company Guido Panerai & Figlio. The family enterprise for precision engineering, later renamed to Officine Panerai, is initially concerned with the production of nautical precision instruments, but over the years also develops numerous patents in the area of optics and watches. From 1913 many kinds of equipment for the Royal Italian Navy are manufactured, including night aiming devices, time bombs, depth gauges, and mechanical calculators. Due to an important invention of Guido Panerai, which is patented in 1915, the instruments can be read even in complete darkness. It is the luminous substance “Radiomir”.
Price range: $4,000 – $1 million
Most expensive Panerai watch sold: 1955 Luminor for $478,000 in 2014
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PIAGET
In 1874 Georges Piaget founds the «Ateliers de la Côte-aux-Fées», in which high-precision watch movements are produced for well-known watch manufacturers. In 1911 he hands over the company to his son, Timothée Piaget. The mastery of the extra-flat watch movement is a specialty of the brand and encourages the watchmakers of the manufacturer to the wildest creations. Also, the Piaget company becomes known for its delicately enameled pieces. The Luxury Institute jewelry brand study placed Piaget as the 6th most prestigious jewelry brand back in 2008.
Price range: $7,000 – $3.3 million
Most expensive Piaget watch sold: Retrograde Sliding Clock for $500,300 in 2014
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BREITLING
Léon Breitling, the son of German parents who, looking for work, were migrated to Switzerland, was already fascinated by the idea of short-term measurement during his watchmaking apprenticeship. At the age of only 24 years, in 1884 he manufactures the first counter chronograph on his own in Saint-Imier.
The founding of the Breitling brand is accordingly dated to this year. In 1892 the move to the watchmaker town La Chaux-de-Fonds is performed. Here, in the newly built production facility G. Léon Breitling S.A., Montbrillant Watch Factory one specializes first on pocket chronographs. In April 2017, luxury Swiss watchmakers Breitling was sold for an enormous $870 million.
Price range: $3,000 – $280,000
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OMEGA
The origins of the brand Omega go back to the Comptoir d´établissage Louis Brandt, which he opens in 1848 at the young age of only 23 years in La Chaux-de-Fonds. With the watches, he travels through Europe in order to bring them personally to the appropriate customers. With the entry of his sons Louis-Pauland César Brandt the company name changes to Louis Brandt & Fils. The Omega Speedmaster, worn by Buzz Aldrin in 1969, made history by becoming the very first watch on the moon.
Price range: $1,000 – $708,742
Most expensive Omega watch sold at auction: Seamaster Planet Ocean in Casino Royale for $250,250 in 2007
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MONTBLANC
Montblanc was founded in 1911 by a banker from Hamburg and an engineer from Berlin. Originally a luxury pen manufacturer, the brand now produces luxury watches and jewelry as well. Montblanc launched its line of wristwatches in 1997 under CEO Norbert Platt and watchmaker Thierry Pellaton. At first, the company’s watches capitalized on the black and gold aesthetic of the Meisterstück fountain pen. But the company quickly added more traditional looks in stainless. All Montblanc watches featured the company’s star logo on the crown.
Price range: $2,000 – $388,600
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LONGINES
In the year 1832, Auguste Agassiz opens a watch trade with fabrication in the Swiss Saint-Imier together with the watch dealer Henri Raiguel and Florian Morel. Agassiz shows their durable watches “in the style of Saint-Imier” at exhibitions throughout Europe and quickly acquires a reputation. On 1 July 1862 his nephew Ernest Francillon takes over the manufacture and in 1866 acquires some land outside the village of Saint-Imier in the meadows of the district Langgewann (Les Longines).
In the manufacture here built up in 1867 a pocket watch with the name „E. Francillon, Longines, Suisse“. In order to protect against counterfeiting even then, the name “Longines” become registered with the Federal Office of Intellectual Property on 27 May 1889. Moreover, on 27 March 1893, become also registered at the International Intellectual Property Office and thus the company represents the oldest registered watch manufacturer in the world.
Price Range: $500 – $20,000
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Zenith WATCHES
Only 22 years young, in 1865 Georges Favre-Jacot founded the „Fabrique des Billodes“ in Le Locle. First, he manufactured precision pocket watches, all signed with his name. About 1900 the product range was expanded: There were on-board chronometers, table clocks, precision pendulum clocks, and later marine chronometers.
The name “Zenith” came to his mind when he just had developed a movement which seemed to him more perfect than all previous; looking up at the sky full of stars the sky appeared to him similar to the game of the wheels and comes in a perfect mechanical instrument. So he decided that his new movement together with its manufacture will be named after the highest point of the universe: the zenith. From this emerged also the choice of a five-pointed star as the corporate icon.
Price Range: $5,000 – $ 230,000
The most expensive Zenith Watch sold: Zenith Christopher Columbus – $230,000
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BULGARI
Bulgari was an exclusive jewelry brand since 1884 and produced branded watches since the 1950s. In 1982, Bulgari Time was founded as a watch Maison within the larger Bulgari house, focused on producing the Bulgari Roma (1975) and Bulgari Bulgari watch penned by Gerald Genta (1977). These watches become a major hit, driving the growth of the overall Bulgari brand in the 1980s.
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Brands Short HIstory
Nevertheless, ever since the beginning of civilization, luxury goods and services played an important role in various societies. In the beginning, it played the role of a divider of social classes. As a matter of fact, Luxury was synonyms for Wealth for centuries. Of course, almost all European Kings, Chinese Emperors, Aristocrats, and even ruthless dictators welcomed and owned luxury goods.
Although, beginning with the industrial revolution in the 18thcentury, artists, and craftsmen slowly but surely starts being replaced by mass production machines. As an example, these machines made possible the creation of Louis Vuitton, one of the oldest fashion brands in the world.
As a result, the 20th century expanded the idea of luxury goods even further. Thus, brands opened their doors to customers across the entire world. Branded stores, coupled with Branded Premium Goods, made luxury products available also for the middle class. For this reason, more people enjoyed more premium brands as demand increased and standards of living improved.
Brands such as Hermes, Chanel, Dior, Armani, Cartier, and Versace were constantly in the spotlight towards the end of the century. Primarily due to numerous celebrity-endorsed promotions at glamorous and heavily-mediated events. This period also marked the consolidation of capital and strengthening of investor ties. Moreover, during this period, Luxury Brands began adopting new strategies for diversifying their products towards mass-consumption.
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Innovation
Innovation is the critical driver of economic and societal growth. Through innovation, Luxury Brands extended. Manufacturers invented new products. and also created entirely new industries for solving even more of the most intractable of problems.
“Innovation is one of only two ways that a business can create a customer” – as Peter Druker pointed out.
Therefore, it turns out Jack Matson’s truth that each business must “innovate or die.”
As a result of this kind of thinking, every leading brand should commit to continuous innovation. Otherwise, their business risks creating a future where their brand will decline, decay and ultimately disappear from the market. As an illustration, there exist many examples of brands that held in such high esteem that no one ever thought they will fail like Kodak, Pan Am, or Toys “R” Us, just to name some of them.
At the same time, the need to innovate is particularly important with luxury brands. That happened because of the chaotic cycle of trends, the general fickleness of customers, and the dynamic global competitive frame for unique high-end luxury products. The latest state of the luxury industry study surveyed over 600 industry leaders. They identified innovation as a critical business priority for the future. So, with that in mind, here are three ways that luxury brands can innovate.
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What Does Luxury mean?
Usually, people define Luxury by several factors. First, become marked by the quality of the material and the standard of the finish. It can also evolve into a lifestyle statement. Luxury fashion brands have enjoyed decades, if not centuries, of dressing the richest clientele. Of course, Luxury Brands stand for a long time at the forefront of design, taste, and style. Traditionally, Luxury Brands dictated the next season’s trends. Today, as Yesterday also, they lead the way when it comes to fashion as an art form, rather than something solely meant to “cover the skin.”
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The world of luxury, however, is changing.
People from across the globe expose more and more concerns about environmental protection. Their main concerns come from the ethical treatment of animals and the conservation of natural resources. Considering the sustainable development goals embodied in the recent Paris Accord, more people demand businesses to assure the consumers that their clothing and accessories do not harm the environment or society. Of course, they include the actions of any of their trading partners up and down the supply chain.
For luxury brands, this dilemma is magnified. As a matter of fact, when people pay more, they expect from the produces to create their clothes to the utmost quality at every single stage of production. Today’s socially-conscious luxury customer expects not just the highest quality, They expect also for the brand to adhere to the highest standards set for sustainability around the world.
In fact, according to some researches, the fashion industry position itself as the second most polluting industry on the planet. But, the luxury fashion industry is at the forefront. Many Luxury Brands have a long way to go for demonstrating innovation around the sustainability of their production processes. Moreover, it has to demonstrate also its full transparency up and down their supply chain. However, there are transformative and innovative leaders emerging in the industry.
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Luxury Brands Industry is Changing?
As a matter of fact, YES. Over the past several years, many Luxury Brands adopted stronger environmental and social practices prompted by a strong business case and stakeholder demands. Luxury brands invest massively in sustainability in order to protect their high-quality raw materials from climate change also.
Moreover, many Luxury Brands respect more and more their client expectations about social and labor practices. Not to mention that they support community and cultural life alongside almost their clients.
For example, according to Jerome Schehr, CFO of the Shangri-La Hotel Paris – “Luxury Brands now have to be respected and respectable if they want to be desirable in the eyes of their customer.” From this perspective, companies will gain customers respectability by adopting a robust and coherent sustainability approach.
More and more Luxury Brands adopt strong environmental and also social practices. This becomes Sustainability! A new Nelly Rodi/IFOP study highly recommends to all the businesses to improve their desirability by activating certain levers like proximity and taking a stand. Proximity is about how a brand positions itself from one of distant authority to one that facilitates sharing and interaction.