Considering a Swiss watch? You’re in the right place. These are the top 20 Swiss watch brands making waves right now.
If you know a thing or two about watches, you’ll know that Switzerland is the hub of horological innovation. Not all horological innovation, though. Some incredibly impressive German and Japanese brands give the Swiss a run for their money.
When examining the history of Swiss watches, we find some of the world’s finest timepieces. Geneva, the epicenter of the most exciting Swiss watch releases, gives us plenty of new concepts to ponder every year.
Then, there is the cradle of watchmaking, the Jura mountains, and the postcode-worthy location of La Vallee-de-Joux.
Brands like Audemars Piguet and Jaeger-LeCoultre originate from here. Let’s not forget La Chaux de Fonds, too. It’s the seat of famous names like TAG Heuer. Breitling, Ebel, Omega and Girard-Perregaux.
Yes, horology’s deep historical roots in Switzerland have made the “Swiss-made” moniker highly coveted in watch collecting. All these brands I mention are objectively high-caliber, undeniably artisanal, and historically significant.
The brands in this roundup represent a gamut of price points. Whether they’re high-priced Swiss hard-hitters or budget brands, each selection offers something unique. Let’s start.
Table of Contents
The Most Popular Swiss Made Watch Brands (Top 20 Swiss Watch Brands)
There are some brands here that you’ll be more than familiar with if you’ve already begun your watch-collecting journey.
Rolex
Come on, you can hardly be surprised by the first name on this list. Rolex is the king of Swiss watchmaking. It is the most recognizable name in the horological stratosphere, and it’s easy to see why.
Rolex boasts over 400 patents and can lay claim to icons such as the Submariner, Daytona, Datejust, Explorer, and many more.
Rolex makes its own proprietary materials, such as steel and gold. It goes above and beyond in everything it achieves.
Water resistance, legibility, and fade-proof materials are all among Rolex’s list of successful accomplishments. That famous stamped crown emblem will always reign supreme in every design.
Breitling
Breitling is an old brand dating back to 1884. The Saint-Imier-based company specializes in precision-focussed chronometers and impeccable tools for aviation.
Its accomplishments in the realm of chronograph manufacture are evident in iconic designs like the Navitimer, Chronomat, and Avenger.
One of its most recognizable features was the slide rule bezel, now inseparable from the Navitimer – the brand’s covetable flight tool.
Breitling is also a go-to name for dive watches, particularly retro ones. The Superocean and Superocean Heritage lines bring fun and color to the 1960s surfing era.
TAG Heuer
TAG Heuer is the master of sports watches. This is a La Chaux-de-Fonds breed that became the official timekeeper for the Olympics in the 20s.
Its role as a partner to the Porsche Formula E Team led to its success as an auto racing watchmaker. The brand now associates with Red Bull and has its own Formula 1 watch collection.
One watch most people are familiar with is the Carrera, a classic chronograph inspired by the Panamericana race in Mexico. At Geneva 2024 this year, the brand revamped the Carrera as part of its slew of deep green watches. I think it may quickly become one of the best TAG Heuer watches.
Oris
Oris, also known as the Red Rotor brand, specializes in mechanical watches and is native to Holstein. Although an innovator of its own movements, Oris has been equipping watches with Swiss ETA movements over recent years.
Regardless of its movements, Oris is the perfect example of a premium Swiss brand. Moreover, its prices are very competitive, and its watches sell for a fraction of the cost of more prominent brand names.
If you value quality over status, Oris is your brand. For inspiration, take a look at its super-cool retro-inspired Divers Sixty-Five watch. Or why not go classic with the Big Crown Pointer Date from Oris’ pilot watch series?
Richard Mille
There is no arguing with the point I’m about to make. Richard Mille watches are expensive! They sit at the top end of the price spectrum, with some models selling for a staggering $2 million or more!
The brand crafts its watches in Les Breuleux, adorning them with exquisite gemstones and high-level complications. From the get-go, the vision for Richard Mille was simple — to make watches of the very highest caliber.
Many celebrities, athletes, and musicians wear Richard Mille watches thus they’re now some of the most desirable to own.
Richard Mille is one of the most expensive watch brands in the world. So, if you need a little time to save for one of these bad boys, you’re not alone.
Zenith
Zenith is a Le Locle-based brand with a track record of producing exceptional in-house movements.
The brand’s most famous movement is the El Primero – horology’s first integrated automatic chronograph movement. The El Primero watch is sporty and diverse, with multi-colored chrono counters and Panda dials.
Like Rolex, Zenith is reputable today for its accuracy and precision. Sure, it doesn’t hold its value as confidently as Rolex does, but no brand really does.
Longines
Longines’s relationship with horse racing sets it apart from other Swiss brands. In 1878, Longines produced a chronograph with an engraved jockey on it. Today, the brand partners with several equine-related sports.
Like the sport it’s associated with, Longines garners respect for endurance and performance but with noble and borderline aristocratic design languages.
Its Master timepieces often combine romantic design features like Roman numerals and royal blue feuille hands with sporty chronographs and power reserves. Its dressier options are the Elegant and Heritage lines.
Jaeger-LeCoultre
Jaeger-LeCoultre has historically been a movement provider for many top brands, including Patek and Piguet. Collectors respect the brand for its complex horological achievements, including an irreplicable clock that uses temperature to keep it ticking.
If you love that old-world, pheasant-hunting-in-the-English-countryside kind of charm, you’ll find a timepiece or two in Jaeger-LeCoultre’s collection.
While Longines is known for its relationship to horse sports in general, the JLC Reverso’s ties are with polo specifically.
JLC built it with a flippable dial to protect it while players were out on the field. Its Art Deco aesthetic has a dress watch quality since noblemen have to look fancy even while playing sports.
Piaget
Piaget might be the perfect watch brand for those interested in Swiss craftsmanship who have small wrists. They’re literally the go-to watchmaker for the world’s thinnest movements. In fact, the Altiplano is the thinnest hand-wound mechanical watch ever.
Thinness in a watch can make it feel more bearable and manageable on the wrist. The elegant and dressy Altiplano watch is an excellent choice if your wrists measure between 7-7.5 inches.
Piaget began in La Côte-aux-Fées in 1874 and is currently part of the Swiss Richemont group.
They’re famous for creating authentic, horologically-focused timepieces with the artistic refinement of jewelry. This jewelry emphasis is likely why they focus on making slim mechanical movements.
Baume et Mercier
Baume et Mercier is like a straight-A student of the Swiss luxury watch brands. It’s not always the most popular, but skill, quality, and reliability are guarantees.
The brand originally became known for making complex complications, like chronographs. Several Grand Prix awards and gold medals at international watch exhibitions are part of Baume et Mercier’s portfolio.
The brand even received the “Poinçon de Genève” quality hallmark, aka the Geneva Seal. The state gives this hallmark to high-quality watches after a thorough product inspection.
If you like Art Deco watches, there are plenty of designs in the brand’s Hampton watch collection to choose from. Alternatively, you can go for something sportier with the collectible Riviera watch.
IWC
Schaffhausen-based IWC is a master in crafting distinctive pilot’s watches. It’s the sole representative of German-influenced Eastern Switzerland. Suffice it to say, IWC has always been about efficiency, even inventing the Pellaton winding system. This pioneering innovation uses every single part of the movement.
IWC isn’t particularly famous for small watches, but its iconic pilot’s watches are perfect examples of solid and efficient builds combined with Swiss timekeeping.
Today, the brand still creates timepieces that communicate sophisticated Swiss horology with brawny American engineering.
These elements play into the company’s history and its founding year of 1868. The Big Pilot’s Watch, Ingenieur, Portofino, and Portugieser are some of the company’s most popular designs.
Omega
Omega just loves to design hardy, robust, solid timepieces. It might not be breaking the same records as Rolex and Richard Mille, but most people have heard of this name.
Historically, the Speedmaster is the moonwatch, while culturally, the Seamaster is the other Bond watch. Regardless, the brand isn’t above building good quartz pieces or letting the Swatch Group adopt them.
For this reason, Omega can efficiently make a broader range of watches, including the Aqua Terra, Constellation, and De Ville designs.
The Speedmaster is obviously Omega’s most famous watch. While it doesn’t include the Moonwatch Speedy, the Speedmaster 38 line is a whole collection of reasonably-sized Chronometer chronographs. These designs are great for smaller wrists.
Blancpain
Blancpain is a survivor brand that is almost 300 years old. Boasting incredible longevity, it has been around since 1735, making it the oldest watch brand in the world.
It’s also famous for inventing the world’s first automatic tourbillon watch with an eight-day power reserve.
One of Blancpain’s most famous models is the Fifty Fathoms. The Blancpain Fifty Fathoms 38 is a version of the original model with a 38mm case size. If you’re interested, here are some of the other oldest watch brands out there.
Panerai
Panerai is an interesting company since it began by producing watches for the military. Its Radiomir watch, famous now for its radioactive, luminescent material, took over the Luminor. Both models, superior for their luminosity, were perfect for the Italian Royal Navy.
It was in the 1990s that Panerai opened these designs up to the public. When it did, they became incredibly popular. Recently, Panerai has been venturing into the realm of case material research and development.
One of its most lightweight, practical, and durable materials is Carbotech. The material features in the brand’s official dive watch range — the Submersible.
Breguet
Breguet will always be important in the watch world, not least because its founder, Abraham-Louis Breguet, created the first self-winding watch.
Some research suggests that Blancpain was responsible for making the first wristwatch for the Queen of Naples in 1810.
Breguet uses high-end materials, including 18ct gold, hand-turned dials, premium leather bands, and sapphire crystal glass.
At the time, Breguet watches were revolutionary for their accuracy. Today, the brand upholds this same reputation with designs like the Classique, Tradition, and Marine.
Save Money With These Budget Swiss Watch Brands
Swiss doesn’t always have to mean expensive. Check out these brands that specialize in affordable designs.
Victorinox
Victorinox is an excellent entry-point brand, and its designs have a recognizable identity. You can spot a Victorinox watch a mile off.
This Swiss watch brand creates staples for the army watch world. Coming from the same company that makes Swiss Army Knives, these watches are equal parts timepieces and EDC gear.
Because they’re such good everyday companions, Victorinox builds them in practical ways. The smallest watches made by Victorinox, however, don’t go below 40mm. So, if you happen to have small wrists, 40mm is your starting size.
Due to their powerful and confident military-inspired aesthetics, the large case works in the brand’s favor. Even those of you with bigger wrists might want to consider ladies’ 37 mm sizes since Victorinox watches are already so robust.
Tissot
You can always rely on Tissot for its practical, affordable watches. The Le Locle brand stands the test of time, having survived many hurdles along the way.
The Watch Group now owns this respectable entry-level watch brand. As such, Tissot can offer up the “Swiss-Made” logo but at an affordable price. I’m not saying there are zero cut corners here, but the Swiss label is authentic.
Of course, Tissot takes fewer shortcuts with its higher-end models than its affordable ones. Take, for example, the applied logos vs. printed logos.
Along with great designs, Tissot offers many styles of quartz and Swiss automatics!
Top Three Swiss Brands Watch List
I saved the top Swiss watch brands list until last. If I wanted to round up Swiss horology in a nutshell, I’d do it with these three brands.
Audemars Piguet
Audemars Piguet is part of the horological “Holy Trinity,” so it has to be on this list. AP has always been artfully progressive. It made the first skeleton watch, now the watch designer’s go-to “eccentric” composition, and the first minute-repeating movement.
During the quartz crisis, Audemars Piguet fell on hard times. Highly regarded watch designer Gerald Genta leaned into the brand’s experimental approach to help. He created the world’s first steel sports watch, the Royal Oak.
The Royal Oak is a pretty expensive collectible, so here are some Audemars Piguet Royal Oak alternatives.
Of course, the AP Royal Oak is its most beloved line today. Fortunately, it also comes with a 37 mm case for those of us with slimmer wrists.
The Royal Oak Offshore is a more aggressive-looking and sportier design. Yet the brand also offers some more classic designs if you’re looking for a companion for dressier attire.
Vacheron Constantin
While Blancpain is the oldest watch brand, Vacheron Constantin, arriving in 1755, is the oldest brand with an uninterrupted history. Its story marks milestone designs like the sporty Overseas watch.
Inside every Vacheron Constantin is a beautiful, in-house-designed movement. The brand’s refined timepieces also house intricate complications, and their level of finishing is always immaculate.
Take, for example, the Historiques American 1921 with an unusual square case. The cushion profile of the watch features an off-center crown, hour track, and rounded corners.
Other interesting features include the small seconds at 2:30 and the watch’s popular dial hands, using the famous Breguet indices. (Here are the different types of watch hands, for reference.)
Patek Philippe
Patek Philippe is another member of the “Big Three” and became famous for artisanal dials and complications. Its value is above and beyond that of the other two brands in the Swiss Triumvirate.
The brand arrived in Geneva in 1839. Since then, Patek has had an almost monopolistic grip on world records, especially when it comes to the most expensive auction results.
Whether you can afford a Patek or not, the brand’s innovations are fun to explore. One of the most famous of its designs is the Calatrava.
The timepiece is classic, supremely elegant, and functional. Other highly covetable models include the Nautilus, another of Gerald Genta’s famous innovations.
FAQs
Familiarize yourself with these useful facts before you go on the hunt for a great Swiss timepiece.
What are the best 3 Swiss watches?
Audemars Piguet, Patek Philippe, and Vacheron Constantin are part of the Holy Trinity of Swiss-made watches. Together, these brands launched iconic designs like the Nautilus, the Overseas, and the Royal Oak. These timepieces are among some of the best Swiss watches of all time.
What are the big 4 in watches?
The “Big Four” is a group of leading Swiss watch manufacturers. These comprise Richard Mille, Rolex, Audemars Piguet and Patek Philippe. All four are powerful leaders in the watch-collecting space.
What are luxury Swiss watch brands?
Luxury Swiss watch brands are companies that derive from Switzerland. These manufacturers produce timepieces using traditional Swiss techniques, keeping what would otherwise be a dying craft alive. (Check out our article, “What Are Swiss Made Watches?” for more.
Rounding Up
To round up, this guide outlines the top 20 Swiss watch brands that stand out for their rich heritage and quality designs. While other countries compete in this space, some of these Swiss names are the most reliable and reputable.
Collecting timepieces is all about fun and variation. I’m a big believer that every collection should be versatile and should include at least one German and Japanese watch. Yet, nothing beats the Swiss at what they do best.
Ensure your watch collection includes a few of these Swiss names; you’ll always have great taste in style and craftsmanship.
Is there a name I haven’t mentioned that you think deserves to be on this list? In the comments, let us know who and why.
