Chapters
Ten Great Houses
A short history of the ten brands that shaped vintage collecting. One chapter each, roughly 250 words — enough to know what you're looking at on the wrist.
Chapter 01
Rolex
Founded 1905, London
Founded by Hans Wilsdorf, Rolex redefined the wristwatch from a fragile feminine accessory into a robust masculine tool. Originally based in London before moving to Geneva in 1919, the firm’s early reputation was forged on chronometric precision. In 1926, the…
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Chapter 02
Omega
Founded 1848, La Chaux-de-Fonds
Omega began as a small assembly workshop founded by Louis Brandt, but its trajectory changed forever with the 1894 release of the 19-ligne ‘Omega’ caliber. This movement was so successful that the company adopted its name. Throughout the early 20th…
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Chapter 03
Patek Philippe
Founded 1839, Geneva
Patek Philippe represents the absolute zenith of traditional Swiss watchmaking. Founded by Antoine Norbert de Patek and Adrien Philippe—the inventor of the keyless winding mechanism—the manufacture has remained independently family-owned by the Sterns since 1932. The brand’s philosophy treats the…
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Chapter 04
Heuer
Founded 1860, Saint-Imier
Before its 1985 acquisition by the TAG Group, Heuer was the world’s premier specialist in timing instruments for motorsport and aviation. Edouard Heuer founded the company with a focus on chronographs, patented the oscillating pinion in 1887—a design still used…
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Chapter 05
Longines
Founded 1832, Saint-Imier
Today recognized as a mid-tier luxury brand, vintage Longines was once a formidable rival to Patek Philippe and Vacheron Constantin. For over a century, Longines functioned as a true manufacture, producing some of the most sophisticated in-house movements in history.…
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Chapter 06
Universal Geneve
Founded 1894, Le Locle
Universal Genève occupies a unique space in horology as the 'watchmaker's watchmaker.' Though the company struggled during the quartz crisis and largely fell dormant, its mid-century output was nothing short of revolutionary. The brand’s most significant contribution was the popularization…
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Chapter 07
Zenith
Founded 1865, Le Locle
Zenith’s history is defined by a singular, obsessive pursuit of precision. Founded by Georges Favre-Jacot, the company was one of the first truly integrated Swiss manufactures, housing all watchmaking trades under one roof. While Zenith won more than 2,300 first…
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Chapter 08
IWC
Founded 1868, Schaffhausen
International Watch Company (IWC) was founded by American engineer Florentine Ariosto Jones, who combined Swiss craftsmanship with modern American production methods. Located in German-speaking Schaffhausen, the brand developed a distinct identity focused on engineering and 'Probus Scafusia'—good, solid craftsmanship. IWC’s…
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Chapter 09
Jaeger-LeCoultre
Founded 1833, Le Sentier
Known as 'The Watchmaker’s Watchmaker,' Jaeger-LeCoultre has produced over 1,200 unique calibers and supplied movements to the likes of Patek Philippe, Audemars Piguet, and Vacheron Constantin. The manufacture is located in the Vallée de Joux, where Antoine LeCoultre first pioneered…
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Chapter 10
Seiko
Founded 1881, Tokyo
Seiko’s history is a relentless pursuit of vertical integration and technological supremacy. Founded by Kintaro Hattori, the company transitioned from a clock shop to a global powerhouse that eventually challenged the Swiss hegemony. In the 1960s, Seiko’s 'Grand Seiko' and…
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