Meccaniche Veloci is an independent Swiss-Italian watch brand that was founded in 2006, and was originally established in Milan, Italy. The brand was relocated to Geneva, Switzerland, in 2016 and introduced their first in-house MV8801 movement in the same year. Meccanche Veloci is perhaps best known for the Quattro Valvole model, which was inspired by …
Artisans de Genève is a watchmaking workshop based in Geneva, Switzerland. They specialize in watch modification services for private customers upon request, and have worked with several former Formula 1 drivers over the years. La Montoya (2018) The first Formula 1 driver to work with Artisans de Genève was Juan Pablo Montoya. The La Montoya …
Patek Philippe was originally established in 1839 as Patek, Czapek & Cie, which was founded by Antoni Patek and Francois Czapek. The brand was liquidated in 1845 after a disagreement, and Patek partnered with watchmaker Adrien Philippe within the same year. The company name was rebranded as Patek, Philippe & Cie by 1851. The Stern …
Swatch was founded in 1983 by Elmar Mock, Jacques Müller, and Ernst Thomke. Started in response to the quartz crisis, the brand is famous for brightly colored and inexpensive battery-powered watches, with its name being a contraction of “second watch”. Under the leadership of Nicolas G. Hayek, Swatch was instrumental in saving the Swiss watchmaking industry. …
Catamaran was launched in 1983 by historic Swiss watch brand Consul, which was founded in La Chaux-de-Fonds in 1900. The Catamaran brand featured a nautical theme, and focused sponsorship activities on sailing in the 1980s. The brand began expanding into the world of motorsport in 1994, sponsoring several racing series including Formula 1. The Catamaran …
Rodania was founded in 1930 by Hans Baumgartner in Berne, Switzerland. Company highlights include creating the official watch for the Universal Exhibition in Paris in 1937, designing a chronograph for the Royal Canadian Navy and Air Force in the late 1950s, and developing the shock-absorbing Hydrolastic technology in 1967. As of 2022, the brand is …
Fludo was originally founded in 1934 by Fluvius Boillat. The brand was known to have been exported to all of Europe, North America, and Asia during the 1950s. The family-owned brand shut down in 1987, and was eventually revived by Manuel Rodrigues in 2011. Grand Prix Collection According to the Fludo website, the Grand Prix …
Baresi & Caine was founded by guitarist Caine Ward and sculptor Baresi. According to the company website, the brand’s design language was inspired by Roman architecture and luxury cars. While the year of its founding isn’t clear, the brand’s website appears to have been launched in 2021. Roger Burnett Former 500cc Grand Prix motorcycle racer …
Louis Moinet was founded in 2004 by Jean-Marie Schaller and based in Saint-Blaise, Switzerland. The brand is named after Louis Moinet, inventor of the first chronograph, and places an emphasis on art and technology. Nelson Piquet The Louis Moinet Legends collection was announced in 2013, with the first piece paying tribute to three time Formula …
Strom was founded in 2008 by watchmaker and industry veteran Daniel Strom, son of Armin Strom. Daniel had helped his father form the brand Armin Strom in 2006, itself built on the foundation of Strom Swiss Prestige Timepieces AG” which the younger Strom had incorporated in 2004. Daniel had previously worked for Omega, and had …