Brand Index
The watchmakers we cover, with the facts that matter about each and every story we have published on them.
Founded 1950, Hino, Tokyo Seiko Epson
Orient traces its roots to a Tokyo watch shop opened by Shogoro Yoshida in 1901, and to the factory in Hino that was re-founded in 1950 and renamed Orient Watch Co. a year later. It has been a wholly owned part of Seiko Epson since 2009, and its mechanical movements are made by Epson in Akita Prefecture.
In-house automatic calibers at accessible prices 29 stories
Founded 1881, Tokyo Seiko Group
Founded by Kintaro Hattori in Tokyo in 1881, Seiko builds nearly everything in-house, from hairsprings to finished watches. Its 4R automatic calibers power much of the value end of the market, while Prospex and Presage carry the brand into serious dive and dress territory.
The 4R calibers, Seiko 5 Sports, Presage and Prospex 18 stories
Founded 1930, Tokyo Citizen Watch Co.
Citizen Watch Co. was established in Tokyo in 1930 and is best known for Eco-Drive, its light-powered quartz technology. It also builds mechanical calibers, and its Miyota movements are found in watches across the industry. Citizen has owned Bulova since 2008.
Eco-Drive, Promaster divers, Miyota movements 13 stories
Founded 1853, Le Locle Swatch Group
Founded in Le Locle in 1853 and still based there, Tissot is the Swatch Group’s volume Swiss brand. The PRX made it one of the most discussed names under $1,000, and the Powermatic 80 caliber brought an 80-hour power reserve to that price range.
PRX, Powermatic 80, Swiss quartz 7 stories
Founded 1892, Lancaster, Pennsylvania Swatch Group
Hamilton was founded in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, in 1892 and is now based in Biel as part of the Swatch Group. The Khaki Field and Khaki Navy lines keep its military and tool-watch history alive, and its H-10 and H-50 calibers run for 80 hours.
Khaki Field, Khaki Navy Scuba, 80-hour calibers 7 stories
Founded 1832, Saint-Imier Swatch Group
Founded in Saint-Imier in 1832, Longines has been part of the Swatch Group since 1983. It occupies the ground between accessible Swiss and true luxury, with chronometer-certified calibers and silicon hairsprings in lines like the Spirit.
Spirit, HydroConquest, heritage reissues 1 story
Founded 1848, La Chaux-de-Fonds Swatch Group
Founded in La Chaux-de-Fonds in 1848 and headquartered in Biel, Omega is the Swatch Group’s flagship. The Speedmaster and Seamaster anchor a catalog built around Master Chronometer movements.
Speedmaster, Seamaster, Master Chronometer 1 story
Founded 1905, London Hans Wilsdorf Foundation
Hans Wilsdorf and Alfred Davis founded the business in London in 1905. Rolex is now based in Geneva and owned by the Hans Wilsdorf Foundation, and its watches remain the reference point the rest of the industry is measured against, at almost every price.
Submariner, Explorer, Datejust 1 story
Founded 1926, Geneva Hans Wilsdorf Foundation
The Tudor name was registered in Geneva in 1926, and Montres Tudor SA followed in 1946. Like Rolex, it belongs to the Hans Wilsdorf Foundation. The Black Bay family turned it into one of the most influential sports-watch brands of the past decade.
Black Bay, Pelagos, manufacture calibers 1 story
Founded 1960, Suwa, Nagano Seiko Group
Grand Seiko began in 1960 at Suwa Seikosha and became a standalone brand in 2017. Zaratsu polishing, the 9S mechanical calibers and Spring Drive define it, along with dials that photographs rarely do justice.
Spring Drive, 9S calibers, Zaratsu polishing 5 stories
Founded 1946, Mitaka, Tokyo Casio Computer Co.
Founded in Tokyo in 1946, Casio introduced the first G-Shock in 1983. Tough Solar power and radio-controlled timekeeping make its best digital watches some of the most practical objects a person can wear.
G-Shock, Tough Solar, Multi-Band 6
Founded 1875, New York City Citizen Watch Co.
Founded in New York City in 1875 and owned by Citizen since 2008, Bulova is known for high-frequency quartz movements and a long run of American design history.
Precisionist, Lunar Pilot, Accutron heritage
Founded 1854, Waterbury, Connecticut Baupost Group (majority)
Timex traces its roots to the Waterbury Clock Company, founded in Connecticut in 1854. It remains one of the most accessible ways into a watch with real design history, and its Marlin Automatic is one of the cheapest mechanical watches from an established maker.
Marlin, Q Timex, field watches 3 stories
Founded 2004, Maidenhead Independent
Founded in England in 2004 and based in Maidenhead, Christopher Ward sells directly to buyers and built its reputation on Swiss-made watches priced well below the established Swiss brands.
C60 Trident, C63 Sealander, direct pricing 2 stories
Founded 1990, Glashütte Independent
Founded in Glashütte in 1990, Nomos is an independent German maker known for Bauhaus-influenced design and its own movements, including the slim DUW calibers.
Tangente, Club, in-house DUW calibers 1 story
