The 58 Best Watch Brands In The World In 2023

Founded: 1845

Origin: Glashütte, Germany

Price: $$$$$

German luxury watchmakers A. Lange & Söhne craft their timepieces with one objective in mind: technical perfection. Exceedingly traditional yet incredibly innovative, A. Lange & Söhne timepieces boast a traditional German aesthetic that’s quite distinct from Swiss luxury timepieces, and feature incredibly complex movements characterised by design features like hand-engraved balance cocks, gold chatons and untreated German silver plates.

Founded: 1883

Origin: Geneva, Switzerland

Price: $$

Alpina is a small Swiss watch brand with a long history, having been founded in 1882. It’s perhaps best known for its Alpiner 4 timepiece, which, when launched in 1933, was arguably the first Swiss sports watch, offering consumers a watch with antimagnetic, antishock and water-resistant properties in a stainless steel body.

Founded: 1764

Origin: London, England

Price: $$$$

With deep roots in English horology, Arnold & Son has produced prestigious timepieces for over 250 years. A company built on technical expertise, John Arnold constructed the first of his timepieces with a goal in mind of finding longitude at sea. Upon their global re-emergence in 1998, the British brand (now based in Switzerland) continues to innovate under the same technical guidelines as John Arnold himself.

Founded: 1875

Origin: Le Brassus, Switzerland

Price: $$$$$

One of the three so-called ‘Holy Trinity’ watchmakers alongside Patek Philippe and Vacheron Constantin, Audemars Piguet is one of the world’s most coveted watch brands. AP is best known for introducing the Royal Oak wristwatch in 1972: the world’s first-ever luxury sports watch and a timepiece that would go on to revolutionise the Swiss luxury watch industry. To this day, the Royal Oak remains a household name as well as one of the most in-demand watches on the planet.

READ MORE: Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Alternatives You Won’t Need To Wait A Lifetime For

Founded: 1891

Origin: Cleveland, Ohio, USA

Price: $$

American-Swiss watch brand Ball was founded in 1891 to make watches for train engineers, and over 130 years later, they’re still making high-quality engineer’s watches that all feature tritium lume – which, unlike the Super-LumiNova that virtually every other watch brand these days uses, doesn’t require sunlight to activate and will be luminescent at all times.

Founded: 1830

Origin: Geneva, Switzerland

Price: $$

The ‘entry level’ watch brand of the Richemont group (which is also home to brands as diverse as Cartier, Panerai and A. Lange & Söhne), Baume & Mercier is an underrated Swiss watchmaker that produces exceptional timepieces at a relatively affordable price. Their Riviera integrated bracelet sports watch has become something of a cult favourite. Baume specialises in everyday wristwatches for men who appreciate contemporary style with classical watchmaking finishes.

Founded: 2011

Origin: Sydney, Australia

Price: $$

Designed in Australia and made in Switzerland, every Bausele timepiece features a signature hollow crown that embeds an actual element of Australia into it, including red earth from the Outback, sand from one of the country’s finest beaches, or ‘Aussie diamond’: opal. Bausele stands out from the pack as an Australian watch brand with real substance, and is the first Australian watch brand to exhibit at Switzerland’s top watch fairs including Watches & Wonders and Geneva Watch Days.

Founded: 1992

Origin: Paris, France

Price: $$$

Iconoclastic French brand Bell & Ross originally started as a university project but has since grown to become one of the most distinctive independent watchmakers on the planet. Most of their watches feature square cases meant to resemble instruments found in aircraft cockpits – and fittingly, these days, the company is the official watch supplier to the French space program and armed forces.

READ MORE: Bell & Ross Release The Most Aussie Watch They’ve Ever Made

Founded: 1735

Origin: Villeret, Switzerland

Price: $$$$

The oldest surviving watch brand in the world, Blancpain is an intriguing brand that is known equally for its exceptionally refined dress watches as well as for its exceptionally tough dive watches. Indeed, Blancpain arguably invented the modern dive watch back in 1953 with the release of the Fifty Fathoms.

READ MORE: Blancpain Fund Ambitious Program To Protect Every Divers’ Nemesis

Founded: 1775

Origin: Paris, France

Price: $$$$

Founded in Paris by the legendary master watchmaker Abraham-Louis Breguet, Breguet is one of the most traditional yet surprisingly avant-garde watchmakers active today. Breguet has also been responsible for some of the most important developments in haute horlogerie: the tourbillon, the ‘pare-chute’ shock protection system, some of the very first self-winding movements as well as one of the world’s very first wristwatches, a commission from the Queen of Naples in 1810.

READ MORE: A History Of Heritage: What Makes Breguet Watches So Special & Timeless

Founded: 1884

Origin: Saint-Imier, Switzerland

Price: $$$

A sporty and adventurous brand, Breitling’s defining character is its long association with the world of aviation. Innovations produced by the firm include the first-ever watch with a circular slide rule (which would form the basis of their popular Chronomat watch family); the Cosmonaute, the first Swiss wristwatch that was worn in space; and the Emergency, a watch that contains a built-in distress beacon, as made famous by an episode of Top Gear.

READ MORE: The Luxury Watch Brand Guaranteed To Get You Laid

Founded: 2002

Origin: Henley-on-Thames, England

Price: $$$

Upstart British brand Bremont has quickly gained a dedicated following for its robust, aviation-inspired timepieces as well as its relationship with the British armed forces and commitment to reviving the British watchmaking industry. Bremont is the only luxury watchmaker with a partnership with the Ministry of Defence, and is particularly well-known for their partnership with ejection seat manufacturer Martin-Baker.

READ MORE: Ejection Seat Tested: Bremont’s Latest Pilot’s Watch Is Their Most Extreme Yet

Founded: 1884

Origin: Rome, Italy

Price: $$$

Italian luxury house Bulgari might be better known as a jeweller, but they’re also a top luxury watchmaker. In fact, Bulgari has been responsible for breaking and holding a number of watchmaking records, such as the world’s thinnest minute repeater, perpetual calendar and mechanical chronograph. They’ve also consistently pushed the envelope when it comes to using novel materials in luxury watches: they were one of the first watchmakers to use aluminium and rubber for luxury watches, and have also innovated with materials like tantalum, forged carbon and marble for watch cases.

READ MORE: Bulgari’s New Ambassador Lorenzo Viotti Is Almost As Handsome As Their Octo Roma Collection

Founded: 1847

Origin: Paris, France

Price: $$$

One of the world’s most prestigious jewellers, Cartier is also highly regarded for their timepieces – a unique status in the highly-competitive watch world. Models like the Tank, the Santos (the first modern watch meant to be worn on the wrist) and the Pasha de Cartier are icons, and their savoir-faire is legendary.

READ MORE: Cartier Gets Crisp & Colourful With Their 2023 Santos Watches

Founded: 1946

Origin: Tokyo, Japan

Price: $

One of the world’s biggest and most prolific watch brands, Casio has a specialised watch for any type of lifestyle. Tough yet affordable, most people’s first watch is a Casio – and the Casio F-91W ranks as the best-selling wristwatch in the world with an annual production of 3 million units. Casio’s G-Shock line of super-tough digital watches is particularly famous.

Founded: 1860

Origin: Geneva, Switzerland

Price: $$$

Like Cartier, Chopard might be best known for their jewellery, but they make damn good timepieces too. From their world-famous Happy Diamonds collection to the sporty yet luxe Alpine Eagle or the elegantly refined L.U.C. series, Chopard has continued to shatter the watchmaking industry with innovation, precision and luxurious brilliance.

READ MORE: Is The Chopard Alpine Eagle XL Chrono The Perfect Chronograph?

Founded: 1918

Origin: Tokyo, Japan

Price: $

Citizen is another Japanese watch brand that’s known for their affordable, robust and diverse range of watches. They’ve also been responsible for launching the world’s first multi-band atomic timekeeping watch in 1993, and are well-known for their solar-powered timepieces, too.

Founded: 1856

Origin: Grenchen, Switzerland

Price: $$

Little-known these days, Eterna is actually one of the most historically significant Swiss watchmakers – indeed, Eterna actually founded ETA, the largest manufacturer of Swiss watch movements, back in 1932. From designing the first integrated alarm system, to the clever ball-bearing-mounted rotor that’s formed the basis of their brand, Eterna is a criminally underrated watch brand.

Founded: 1999

Origin: Geneva, Switzerland

Price: $$$$

The only three-time winner of the Aiguille d’Or grand prize from the Fondation du Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève (GPHG), master watchmaker F.P. Journe’s namesake brand has become a byword for watchmaking perfection, as well as exclusivity. Journe only makes around 800 watches per year, making each and every piece very rare.

Founded: 1992

Origin: Geneva, Switzerland

Price: $$$$

From a tinkering top-quality watch repairman to becoming the world-renowned Master of Complications, Franck Muller has made his place among global luxury watchmakers, and he’s staying there. Famous for his Cintrée Curvex case design and focus on high complications, Franck Muller is a favourite brand among celebrities like Cristiano Ronaldo and Arnold Schwarzenegger.

READ MORE: Cristiano Ronaldo’s Franck Muller Demonstrates His ‘Unique’ Taste In Watches

Founded: 1988

Origin: Geneva, Switzerland

Price: $$

Frédérique Constant was founded in 1988 by a Dutch couple who named it after the names of their great-grandparents. Since its founding (and subsequent takeover by Citizen), the Swiss watch brand has carved out a niche making classically-styled, robust and finely-crafted timepieces largely with in-house movements and at a fantastic price point.

Founded: 1791

Origin: La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland

Price: $$$

High-end watchmakers Girard-Perregaux‘s timepieces are bold in design, classically refined and offer a luxurious aesthetic unmatched by most traditional watchmakers. Over the years, Girard-Perregaux has helped revolutionise the industry with its high-frequency mechanic movements and speciality tourbillons. Highly recognized, their tourbillon with three gold bridges became emblematic for the company, celebrating the model’s redesign multiple times since patented in 1884. These days, their Laureato – an integrated bracelet-boasting luxury sports watch – is their best-seller.

READ MORE: Girard-Perregaux’s Laureato Is The 70s Sports Watch Taking Over The 2020s

Founded: 1994

Origin: Glashütte, Germany

Price: $$$

A. Lange & Söhne isn’t the only German watch brand of note. Glashütte Original, based in the eponymous German town that’s been a centre for watchmaking for hundreds of years, is also worth a look-in. Boast a unique mid-century aesthetic and powered by in-house movements, Glashütte Original offers a hell of a lot of refinement for the price.

Founded: 1960

Origin: Tokyo, Japan

Price: $$$

The luxury arm of Japanese watch giant Seiko, Grand Seiko was founded to realise Seiko founder Kintaro Hattori’s dream of creating the “ideal watch”: a watch that wasn’t just luxurious but precise, legible, durable, beautiful and that could be worn every day… As well as make watches that could beat the Swiss at their own game. Made by master craftsmen in Seiko’s two exclusive watchmaking studios, using exclusive movements and the highest grade materials, Grand Seiko is now regarded as one of the finest luxury watchmakers in the world. They’re well-known for their amazing dial finishes, as well as their signature Zaratsu distortion-free mirror polishing.

READ MORE: I Travelled Japan Top To Bottom To Discover How Grand Seiko Make Such Amazing Watches

Founded: 2002

Origin: Schaffhausen, Switzerland

Price: $$$

Originally founded in 1828 by a Swiss watchmaker in St. Petersburg, Russia before moving back to Switzerland, going bankrupt and then being revived in its current form in 2002, H. Moser & Cie is the enfant terrible of Swiss independent watchmaking, known for their cheeky approach to watch design as well as their high complications. Each luxury timepiece is executed by hand, which is why H. Moser & Cie only manufacture around 1,200 watches per year.

Founded: 1892

Origin: Lancaster, Pennsylvania, USA

Price: $$

Founded in the US but now made in Switzerland, Hamilton marries American spirit with traditional Swiss precision. From the first electric watch to LED time displays, Hamilton has periodically pushed the boundaries of traditional watchmaking, and is also well-known for its association with Hollywood. Some of its most famous on-screen appearances include Elvis Presley and Will Smith wearing the Ventura in Blue Hawaii and Men in Black; Matthew McConaughey’s Khaki Pilot Day Date and Khaki Field Murph in Interstellar; Roger Moore wearing the Pulsar while playing James Bond in Live and Let Die and Harrison Ford wearing a Hamilton American Classic Boulton in Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny.

Founded: 1837

Origin: Paris, France

Price: $$$

Hermès is yet another luxury fashion house that also makes some surprisingly technical and delightful watches, which feature in-house movements, distinct designs and technical materials such as titanium, ceramics and even exotic composite materials such as aluminised glass fibre.

READ MORE: Luxury Fashion Brands’ Long-Term Watchmaking Investments Pay Off

Founded: 1980

Origin: Nyon, Switzerland

Price: $$$

When Italian entrepreneur Carlo Crocco founded Hublot in 1980, the brand was the epitome of a disruptor. Not only did Hublot introduce the first ever natural rubber strap in the history of watchmaking, but Hublot paired that rubber strap with a gold watch – an unthinkable combination back then. But it worked. Over the next four decades, Hublot has continued to be a disruptive and innovative brand, known for their bold skeletonised designs and experiments with case materials such as ceramic and sapphire crystal.

READ MORE: Hublot Loves Football: How One Watch Brand Is Backing The World Game For The 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup

Founded: 1868

Origin: Schaffhausen, Switzerland

Price: $$$

Founded in Switzerland by American watchmaker Florentine Ariosto Jones in 1868, IWC (which stands for International Watch Co.) is one of only a handful of watchmakers in the German-speaking part of Switzerland, and is well-known for their large and robust pilot’s watches. IWC has also been a pioneer in the use of ceramic and titanium in watchmaking, and ranks as one of the most sustainable luxury brands on the planet.

READ MORE: Sydney Watch Fans Went Nuts For IWC’s Watchmaking Classes At DMARGE House

Founded: 1986

Origin: New York, New York, USA

Price: $$$$$

An ultra-luxury watch brand founded by jeweller to the stars Jacob Arabo, Jacob & Co. produce some of the most complex and extravagant timepieces on the planet, featuring enormous numbers of jewels, high complications and automatons as well as high-profile brand collaborations.

READ MORE: Jacob & Co, Every Celebrity’s Favourite Luxury Watch Brand, Is Coming To Australia

Founded: 1833

Origin: Le Sentier, Switzerland

Price: $$$

Founded in 1833 in the Vallée de Joux, the cradle of Swiss luxury watchmaking, Jaeger-LeCoultre has long been regarded as one of the finest and most innovative watchmakers on the planet. They’re often called “the watchmaker of watchmakers”; a reference to not only their status among watch aficionados but also because JLC has traditionally supplied movements to some of the world’s most prestigious watch brands, including Audemars Piguet and Vacheron Constantin.

READ MORE: Why Are Watches So Expensive? I Visted Jaeger-LeCoultre In Switzerland To Find Out

Founded: 1832

Origin: Saint-Imier, Switzerland

Price: $$

One of the most prolific luxury watchmakers in the world, Longines produces a wide range of pieces ranging from sporty dive watches and modern dress watches to more vintage-inspired pieces. Longines also has more than a few firsts to its name, having introduced the first wrist chronograph in 1913 as well as the first-ever flyback chronograph.

Founded: 2005

Origin: Geneva, Switzerland

Price: $$$$$

MB&F (which stands for Maximilian Büsser and Friends) are true innovators, shattering all ideas of what a timepiece should be. Büsser, who’s a bit of a mad scientist, doesn’t think of his pieces as watches, but rather as three-dimensional kinetic art that he calls “Horological Machines”. Featuring highly complex movements and creative case forms, MB&F watches are rare and very special.

Founded: 1951

Origin: Solothurn, Switzerland

Price: $

One of the most affordable Swiss watch brands, Mondaine’s pieces are inspired by the design of Switzerland’s iconic railway clocks. How much more Swiss can you get? Mondaine also place a big focus on sustainability, with all their designs available with vegan leather watch straps and even some designs with bioplastic cases.

Founded: 1906

Origin: Hamburg, Germany

Price: $$$

German luxury brand Montblanc is best known for its pens and leather goods, but they also make great watches – especially since they acquired famed Swiss watchmaker Minerva in 2007. Most of their pieces are themed around alpine exploration, and most boast a distinctly vintage aesthetic.

READ MORE: Montblanc Makes A Splash With Their First-Ever Dive Watch

Founded: 2007

Origin: London, England

Price: $

Mr Jones Watches is a cult British brand known for its whimsical designs that are designed “to make you think differently about time”. Fittingly, most of their watches feature novel time-telling mechanisms, vibrant colours and a potent sense of humour. If you’re looking for a statement piece or something that’s just a bit more fun and quirky, Mr Jones Watches is the brand for you.

Founded: 1990

Origin: Glashütte, Germany

Price: $$

Another watchmaker from Glashütte, the fiercely independent NOMOS Glashütte is the master of Bauhaus cool, known for their distinctly minimalist aesthetic, in-house movements and typically Teutonic uncompromising approach to watchmaking. Their more affordable models such as the Club Campus are also available in a wide range of dial colours rarely seen in luxury watchmaking.

Founded: 2018

Origin: Nidau, Switzerland

Price: $$

Despite only being around for a few years, the Swiss independent brand Norqain has made a lasting impression on the watch industry. Not only are their pieces unique, handsome and keenly priced, but Norqain has consistently shown a commitment to doing things differently. They only make mechanical watches, they use only vegan-certified straps for all their watches, have developed their own proprietary composite case materials and donate 10% of proceeds from their Neverest line to the Butterfly Help Project, which provides educational support to Nepalese children.

Founded: 1848

Origin: Biel/Bienne, Switzerland

Price: $$$

One of the world’s best-known watchmakers, OMEGA specialises in elevated sports and tool watches. Of course, their biggest claim to fame is being the first watch worn on the moon, with the OMEGA Speedmaster Professional ‘Moonwatch’ ranking as one of the most iconic watches in history – although there’s more to OMEGA than Moonwatches… OMEGA’s other big claim to fame is that it’s the watch of choice for James Bond himself, with the brand’s watches featuring consistently on 007’s wrists since 1995’s GoldenEye.

READ MORE: Daniel Craig Isn’t James Bond Anymore… But He’s Still Wearing Insanely Cool Watches

Founded: 1904

Origin: Hölstein, Switzerland

Price: $$

Independent Swiss brand Oris is beloved by watch fans for its exceptional value proposition and willingness to do things their own way. They’re also not afraid to dabble in interesting complications, such as mechanical altimeters for their pilot’s watches and depth gauges for their dive watches.

READ MORE: Oris’ Playful New Pilot’s Watch Proves It’s Easy Being Green

Founded: 1860

Origin: Florence, Italy

Price: $$$

One of only a handful of Italian watch brands, Panerai is known for its large and purposeful dive watches, which are modelled after the distinctive cushion-shaped dive watches they produced during WWII for the Royal Italian Navy. Panerai is also known for its commitment to sustainability, as well as the unique materials it makes some of its pieces out of, such as bulk metallic glass, exotic carbon fibre compounds and even recycled yacht sails.

READ MORE: Panerai Makes Its Toughest Dive Watch A Bit Less Tough On The Planet

Founded: 1996

Origin: Fleurier, Switzerland

Price: $$$

Ingenuity, precision and a whole lot of class is how we’d describe Swiss independent watchmaker Parmigiani Fleurier. The favourite watch brand of King Charles, Parmigiani has become something of a darling of the watch world in recent years for their Tonda luxury sports watch, which is available with a wide range of inventive takes on classic complications.

Founded: 1839

Origin: Geneva, Switzerland

Price: $$$$$

Widely considered to be one of (if not the) most prestigious watch manufacturers in the world, Patek Philippe is in a league of its own. While the brand is best known in popular culture for its Nautilus and Aquanaut models, the majority of Patek’s production centres around highly conservative, extremely complex timepieces. As of publishing, among the world’s top ten most expensive watches ever sold at auctions, nine are Patek Philippe watches, with a Patek ranking as the world’s most expensive watch of all time.

READ MORE: The Most Expensive Watches Of All Time, As Of 2023

Founded: 1874

Origin: La Côte-aux-Fées, Switzerland

Price: $$$$

Like a few of the brands on this list, Piaget is both a jeweller and a watchmaker – and that refined approach to luxury informs their timepieces. Elegant yet unmistakable, Piaget is particularly well-known for its ultra-thin watches, as well as its statement pieces which blend haute joaillerie with haute horlogerie.

READ MORE: Piaget Unveils The Rolls-Royce Of Ultra-Thin Watches

Founded: 1917

Origin: Lengnau, Switzerland

Price: $$

At the crossroads of modern alchemy and traditional watchmaking, you’ll find Rado. Known as “the master of materials”, Rado is particularly renowned for their use of ceramics in watchmaking, as well as their support of tennis. The Rado Captain Cook also ranks as one of the world’s first modern dive watches and remains in production to this day.

READ MORE: Rado’s ‘Perfect Outdoors Watch’ Gets An Even More Adventurous Makeover

Founded: 1976

Origin: Geneva, Switzerland

Price: $$

Raymond Weil has always been a byword for affordable luxury, but in recent years, the independently owned and operated Swiss brand has undergone quite a radical transformation. Under young CEO Elie Bernheim, they’ve refined their model range, offered far more mechanical movements and really upped the standard of their finishing – they’re moving upmarket, and impressing watch fans with the quality of their offerings.

Founded: 2001

Origin: Les Breuleux, Switzerland

Price: $$$$$

The master of experimental designs, French-born watchmaker Richard Mille continues to shatter the notions of traditional horology with his timepieces. The ultra-expensive brand’s tagline is “a racing machine on the wrist”, and fittingly, Richard Mille’s watches are incredibly high-performance pieces of kit. Made from exotic and proprietary materials and featuring exceptionally complicated mechanical movements, ‘Millies’ are known for their exceptionally light weight as well as their eye-catching designs. Richard Mille is also particularly active in the world of motorsport, sponsoring and collaborating with Ferrari and McLaren in Formula 1 as well as with countless other drivers and athletes from other disciplines.

READ MORE: Richard Mille & Ferrari Create The Thinnest Watch In The World

Founded: 1995

Origin: Geneva, Switzerland

Price: $$$$$

Like Richard Mille, Roger Dubuis is another high-end independent watchmaker known for their avant-garde, high-tech mechanical pieces. Skeletal and distinct, Roger Dubuis’ pieces are characterised by unconventional movement layouts, high-tech materials and the use of precious metals and gems. Roger Dubuis also has partnerships with Lamborghini and Pirelli, with the brand incorporating pieces of real Pirelli racing tyres into their watches.

Founded: 1905

Origin: Geneva, Switzerland

Price: $$$

Rolex hardly needs an introduction. The world’s biggest watch brand as well as one of the world’s best-known luxury brands, ‘Rolex’ is a byword for success, prestige and horological innovation. Founded in London but based in Geneva since 1919, Rolex has been responsible for many firsts in watchmaking, such as the world’s first waterproof and dustproof wristwatch, the Rolex Oyster; the perpetual rotor, which all modern automatic watch movements are modelled after; as well as the world’s most water-resistant watch, the recently released Deepsea Challenge.

READ MORE: Want To Know Where The Watch Market Is At? Keep An Eye On This Rolex’s Price

Founded: 1881

Origin: Tokyo, Japan

Price: $

One of the world’s biggest watch brands and effectively the founder of the Japanese watch industry, no serious discussion about watches can be had without Seiko. One of the most historically significant watch brands, Seiko introduced the world’s first commercial quartz wristwatch in 1969, revolutionising the watch industry and democratising the wristwatch. Today, Seiko has one of the largest and most complete model ranges in all of watchmaking, focusing on affordable mechanical and digital pieces as well as innovative technologies such as GPS watches.

READ MORE: I Bought My First Automatic Watch. Here’s What I’ve Discovered

Founded: 1983

Origin: Biel/Bienne, Switzerland

Price: $

Swatch, which stands for “second watch”, is one of the most popular affordable watch brands on the planet and a pop-culture icon. Swatch was conceived as a response to the “quartz crisis” of the 1970s and 1980s, which saw inexpensive battery-powered quartz watches supplant mechanical watches, leading to a massive decline in the Swiss watch industry. Swatch was conceived as a cheap, Swiss-made, analogue quartz alternative to the Japanese digital watches that were taking the world by storm. And it worked! Swatches became an 80s icon and effectively saved the Swiss watch industry. Today, Swatch remains a popular, quirky and affordable Swiss watch brand that makes predominantly quartz watches with out-there, colourful designs. You’ve probably heard of the MoonSwatch, too…

READ MORE: OMEGA x Swatch Watch’s Chaotic Sydney Launch

Founded: 1860

Origin: Saint-Imier, Switzerland

Price: $$$

TAG Heuer is one of the most prolific watchmakers on the planet. The 163-year-old Swiss brand boasts one of the diverse model ranges in luxury watches – from the racy, square Monaco to the deep water-ready Aquaracer – and their back catalogue is similarly voluminous. Founded as Heuer back in 1860 before being renamed TAG Heuer in 1985, the brand has a particular connection to the world of motorsport, with its most famous model, the Carrera (which was named after the Carrera Panamericana road race) given as a prize to Formula 1 drivers throughout the 60s and 70s, and the Monaco famously worn by Steve McQueen in the 1971 film Le Mans.

READ MORE: Past, Present & Future: How TAG Heuer Continues To Stay Ahead Of The Pack

Founded: 1853

Origin: Le Locle, Switzerland

Price: $

Tissot’s mission statement is “gold value at silver price”, and that’s exactly what they specialise in: making exceptional Swiss timepieces at a remarkably accessible price. Tissot produces one of the broadest and most diverse ranges of watches in the industry, with everything from cheap quartz pieces to more complicated automatic watches, as well as retro revivals such as the popular PRX and Sideral. Tissot was also an early innovator in the smartwatch space, with the T-Touch ranking as one of the first luxury smartwatches to hit the market.

Founded: 1926

Origin: Geneva, Switzerland

Price: $$

The affordable sister brand of Rolex, Tudor offers Rolex quality at a more achievable price point… But by no means is Tudor just a poor man’s Rolex. Indeed, we like to call them “the people’s Rolex” – and over the last few decades, Tudor has carved out a distinct identity for itself, thanks to its willingness to take risks Rolex doesn’t, including experimenting with ceramic cases as well as chasing METAS instead of COSC certifications. Tudor is particularly well-known for its dive watches and has a long history of supplying watches to militaries, Artic adventurers and professional divers worldwide. A proper watch lover’s choice.

READ MORE: Tudor Release A Surprising New Tool Watch With A Seriously Cool History

Founded: 1846

Origin: Le Locle, Switzerland

Price: $$$$

Starting out specialising in marine chronometers, Ulysse Nardin has evolved into a highly sought-after luxury watch brand. Impeccable mechanical engineering, timeless aesthetics and innovation are key characteristics of their timepieces. Their Freak line of watches, which feature centrally-mounted orbital movements which act as the hours and minutes hands of the watch itself, is particularly prominent, as are their dive watches which incorporate a high percentage of recycled materials.

READ MORE: Ulysse Nardin Unveil The Ultimate Eco-Friendly Luxury Watch

Founded: 1997

Origin: Geneva, Switzerland

Price: $$$$$

Super-complicated, super high-tech and super-rare: Urwerk’s watches look like something an alien might wear, and they’re just as sci-fi. Known for their novel ‘satellite’ watch movements, their experiments with atomic watches as well as their use of nanotechnology and exotic case materials, Urwerk make some of the most forward-thinking mechanical timepieces on the globe (or off it, too).

Founded: 1755

Origin: Geneva, Switzerland

Price: $$$$$

The grandfather of Swiss horology, Vacheron Constantin has been manufacturing watches for over 250 years. In those years, they’ve introduced benchmark designs to the industry with everything from perpetual calendars to retrograde date displays (a signature complication of the Maison) and skeletonized refinements. More understated and conservative than its fellow ‘Holy Trinity’ watchmakers, these days Vacheron Constantin is best known for the Overseas luxury sports watch, which pioneered quick-change strap systems long before other watch brands realised they’re a must-have.

READ MORE: Steph Curry Wears The Most Underrated Luxury Sports Watch

Founded: 1865

Origin: Le Locle, Switzerland

Price: $$$$

Zenith has been one of the most quietly innovative watchmakers in the industry since day dot. Zenith founder Georges Favre-Jacot invented the concept of “in-house movements”, believing that only through control of the entire watchmaking process could the highest quality be achieved – and indeed, Zenith’s biggest claim to fame is their groundbreaking El Primero chronograph movement, the first high-frequency automatic chronograph movement and one of the most respected movements in all of watchmaking. These days, Zenith is still famous for their high-beat chronographs, as well as their long history of producing pilot’s watches: to this day, Zenith is the only brand that can put ‘Pilot’ on the dials of its watches, having trademarked that term for watches back in 1888.

READ MORE: Zenith CEO Julien Tornare Reveals The ‘Secret Sauce’ Behind The Brand’s Extreme Success