You’re probably wondering which watch brands belong to the Swatch Group.
The Swatch Group is one of the largest watch groups in the world, and they have a total of 18 watch brands under their umbrella.
This blog post will take you through each of the watch companies that the Swatch Group own. Telling you a bit about each watch brand under their care.
Also check out our Swatch Group FAQ section at the end of this post, to learn more about this huge Swiss watch group.
Swatch Group Watch Brands
- Breguet
- Harry Winston
- Blancpain
- Glashütte Original
- Jaquet Droz
- Léon Hatot
- Omega
- Longines
- Rado
- Union Glashütte
- Tissot
- Balmain
- Certina
- MIDO
- Hamilton
- Calvin Klein
- Swatch
- Flik Flak
Swatch Group FAQ
- Swatch Group Watch Brands Pyramid
- Who founded the Swatch Group?
- When was the Swatch Group founded?
- Why was the Swatch Group founded?
- Who owns the Swatch Group?
- How many companies does the Swatch Group own?
What watch brands are part of the Swatch Group?
The Swatch Group has 18 watch brands under their watch group umbrella.
We’ll look at each watch company that belongs to the Swatch Group and tell you what makes each of these watch brands unique within the group.
1. Breguet
Breguet is the jewel in the crown of the Swatch Group. Acquired by the Swatch Group in 1999.
Breguet has a long and rich watchmaking history. This watch brand was founded by Abraham Louis Breguet, in Paris, in 1775.
Since then, Breguet has been at the forefront of watch making technology for centuries. From innovative inventions to captivating designs. The famous Breguet tourbillon is one example among many achievements that have made their way through time and history.
Breguet also have a rich heritage of very impressive clientele, such as Marie Antoinette, Winston Churchill, Napoleon Bonaparte, and Tsar Alexander I.
You can see why the Swatch Group have placed Breguet at the very top of the pyramid.
2. Harry Winston
The Swatch Group acquired the luxury watch and jewelry maker; Harry Winston, in 2013.
Harry Winston is regarded as the King of Diamonds in the jewelry world. He helped to revolutionize modern day fine jewelry. He did this by establishing that the gemstones should be the central focus of each design, rather than the metal settings.
Harry Winston has been a symbol of the best there is and one of the most recognizable names in jewelry for almost 100 years.
Harry Winston had remained an exclusive fine jewelry brand in New York city from 1932. However, in 1989, this jewelry maker began making luxurious timepieces too.
Harry Winston timepieces are beautiful, and are part jewelry and part luxury timepiece.
3. Blancpain
Blancpain is a Swiss watch brand that was founded in 1735 by Jehan-Jacques Blancpain. This Swiss watchmaker is considered to be the oldest surviving watch brand in the world (however, this is often disputed).
The Swatch Group acquired Blancpain in 1992.
Blancpain designs and manufactures the majority of their watch’s components in-house. Each movement for a watch is assembled by hand by a single watchmaker.
This brand prides themselves on handcrafted timepieces, and are meticulous to detail. They also take pride in traditions, and don’t want to stray too far from their heritage.
4. Glashütte Original
Glashütte Original was founded in 1845, in the luxury watchmaking hub of Glashütte, in the Saxon region of Germany.
Glashütte Original combines traditional craftsmanship with modern production methods. To give their fans watches with strong heritage, yet they are also high performing mechanical machines.
These watches are very rare and exclusive. As Glashütte Original only manufactures a few hundred pieces each year rather than hundreds or thousands. So there’s an exclusivity about these beautiful, German made timepieces.
The Swatch Group took over this watch brand in 2000.
You can even visit the Swatch Group owned Glashütte German Watch Museum. To learn more about this luxury German watchmaker, and the Glashütte watchmaking region.
5. Jaquet Droz
Jaquet Droz are known for making exquisitely, beautiful timepieces. Their creations are like works of art.
Like their gorgeous Bird Minute Repeater watch, which you can see below.
They’re another super old Swiss watchmaker. Founded by Jaquet Droz in 1738.
Jaquet Droz are best known for creating custom luxury watches for their clients. They’re able to set their dials with precious stones, use unique materials, or even model a timepiece after a watch from the distant past.
This watchmaker goes above and beyond to make with their custom made to order timepieces.
Jaquet Droz was acquired by the Swatch Group in 2000.
6. Léon Hatot
Léon Hatot is a brand of watches and jewelry. Sadly the Léon Hatot brand has not been active for some time now.
However the Swatch Group may decide to revive this brand sometime in the future.
The Swatch Group, are also the custodian of several thousand drawings from the French designer Léon Hatot.
The Swatch Group acquired this brand in 1999.
7. Omega
The Omega watch brand has been a pioneering spirit for decades. They were the first watch brand to conquer space and have been worn on all NASA piloted missions.
Omega is also dedicated to being an official timekeeper of many high profile sporting events including golf tournaments, the Olympic games since 1932, sailing and swimming competitions.
Omega has many celebrities and sports stars for brand ambassadors. Including George Clooney, Eddie Redmayne, and Michal Phelps to name a few.
Also Omega is the watch of choice for James Bond. With Pierce Brosnan and Daniel Craig wearing an Omega in all their Bond movies.
Check out all of the Omega timepieces worn by Bond in our ultimate guide to the James Bond watches.
Omega was with the Swatch Group from the very beginning, when the Swatch Group was formed in 1983
The Swatch Group also owns the impressive Omega watch museum in Switzerland. Here you can immerse yourself in the Omega brand.
Check out the video below to get a look inside this fun watch museum.
8. Longines
Longines was founded in Switzerland, in 1832. They are actually the oldest trademark still in use, with its original registration.
Longines have been a pioneer in the world of sports watchmaking. Longines developed their very first chronograph all the way back in 1878. This watch quickly became popular among horse enthusiasts at the time.
This watchmaker is still very involved in the world of sports. They’re prominent in the world of alpine skiing, archery, equestrian sports, and the Commonwealth Games.
Their winged hourglass logo has become synonymous with excellence in timekeeping.
Longines was acquired by the Swatch Group in 1998.
9. Rado
Rado likes to combine high-tech materials with exceptional design to create innovative timepieces.
They’re a Swiss watchmaker that is proud to be innovative in the world of watchmaking.
High-tech ceramics are one of Rado’s signature materials. They even make watches made entirely out of this high-ceramic.
They also took the title, back in 1962, of the world’s first scratch resistant watch. It was called the DiaStar.
Rado are relatively scarce watches. They only produce around 500,000 watches each year. Making them a more allusive watchmaker.
10. Union Glashütte
Compared to the Glashütte Original watchmaker, Union Glashütte is considered a mid-tier luxury German watch brand. From the famous Glashütte region of Germany.
They offer a more affordable and more diverse selection of timepieces. Yet still with an exceptional eye to detail.
Union Glashütte labels their watches affordable luxury.
They’re proud custodians of the German watchmaking tradition. They only produce mechanical timepieces too. Sticking with tradition.
The company has been producing timepieces in their workshop near Dresden, Germany for over 125 years.
The Swatch Group acquired Union Glashütte in 2000.
11. Tissot
Tissot is a top affordable Swiss watchmaker with a legacy of more than 150 years.
Tissot watches offer quality and reliability, they’re a fairly well known Swiss watch brand. Exporting around 4 million watches each year.
Tissot is also an official partner for many big, global sporting events. Including basketball at NBA, cycling at the Tour de France, motor racing at the MotoGP.
We regard Tissot as one of the best Swiss watchmakers offering a great entry level Swiss watch for inexpensive prices.
We’ve even done a full brand review of Tissot, check it out.
12. Balmain
The watch manufacturing company, Montres Pierre Balmain is based in the Jura region of Switzerland. Founded by fashion designer and Parisian haute couture founder; Pierre Balmainshc.
Balmain watches were manufactured by the Swatch Group under an exclusive license, from 1987 to 1995.
Then by December of 1995, The Swatch Group acquired the rights to exclusively manufacture, promote, and distribute Balmain’s watches internationally.
Today, Balmain watches are still made in the Jura region of Switzerland. Their timepieces draw inspiration from the fashion houses aesthetic. Bringing it to life in through their watch designs.
13. Certina
Certina have been making Swiss made watches since 1888. This watchmaker is all about creating reliable, accurate, and innovative sports watches.
Their watches are subjected to strict standards of performance excellence. So they can live up to what the name stands for.
The Certina DS Concept of “Double Security” has been uncompromising in enhancing the quality and authenticity of all their watches. You’ll notice their turtleshell in their logo. This is to represent their DS promise for being reliably tough.
When it comes to watches Certina offers plenty of choice in the sports watch and tool watch categories. From deep sea divers to authentic vintage designs, to loads of sporty styles.
Plus Certina made our list for one of the best affordable Swiss watch brands around today.
14. MIDO
Founded in Switzerland by Georges Schaeren in 1918, Mido is today based in the town of Le Locle.
MIDO wouldn’t be the most well known of the Swatch Group watch brands. However, watch enthusiasts do consider them a great mid-range Swiss made watchmaker.
We’ve included them in our review of the best Swiss made entry level dive watches. Their dive watches are a really great find.
MIDO’s philosophy is a combination of functionality, innovation, and aesthetics. They create some gorgeous looking mechanical watches.
15. Hamilton
Hamilton is a world famous American watchmaker. Though they are still American at heart, all their watches are now Swiss made. With their headquarters located in Switzerland too.
Hamilton watches have been the go to timepieces from many of America’s troops, and to many Hollywood stars too. Hamilton watches have been featured over 500 times on the big screen.
Hamilton has topped our list of one of the world’s top affordable watch brands.
Their military heritage, with their mechanical field watches are some of their best timepieces on offer.
Hamilton has been owned by the Swatch Group since 1974.
16. Calvin Klein
Calvin Klein and the Swatch Group cooperated in 1997 to launch a new watch brand, CK Watches.
These timepieces were built to be fashion accessories.
Today, the Calvin Klein brand has done a reinvention of itself. Expanding on its American roots through values of the modern American youth culture.
The brand now offers over 200 different models spanning all styles, including many minimalist designs which are very trendy today.
17. Swatch
The Swatch watch is the reason why the Swatch Group exists today.
That’s why the founder of the Swatch Group, Nicholas Hayek. Renamed the watch group after the Swatch watch brand in 1998.
Swatch are super innovative, and like to keep creating new fun, and quirky watch designs. Swatch watches are like a canvas for artists to showcase their designs on.
Swatch’s creative team works tirelessly to create a new Swatch design every 1 ½ days! This watchmaker loves to keep their fans guessing, and keep pushing the bounds of creativity.
Learn more about the Quartz Crisis, which was the event that sparked the need for the Swatch watch to save the day.
Also above the Omega museum in Switzerland, is the Swatch Planet Museum. Owned by the Swatch Group, and a great place to visit if you’re going to explore the Omega Museum.
18. Flik Flak
Flik Flak is the Swatch Group watch brand that manufactures Swiss made timepieces for children.
Flik Flak was started by the Swatch Group in 1987, and has grown to be a super popular Swiss made children’s watch brand.
These watches were designed with the help of teachers and educational professionals. They were made to help kids learn how to tell the time with ease.
Flik Flak is like a Swatch watch, except for kids. The perfect pick for a child’s first watch.
Swatch Group FAQ
- Swatch Group Watch Brands Pyramid
- Who founded the Swatch Group?
- When was the Swatch Group founded?
- Why was the Swatch Group founded?
- Who owns the Swatch Group?
- How many companies does the Swatch Group own?
Swatch Group Brands Pyramid
The Swatch Group’s watch brands can be displayed in a pyramid. The group’s pyramid is often referred to as the Hayek Pyramid. After the Swatch Group’s founder Nicholas Hayek.
At the top of the Swatch Group Brands Pyramid you’ve got the prestigious, most luxurious and expensive watch brands. Like Breguet, Harry Winston, Blancpain, and Glashütte Original.
Then at the bottom of the pyramid you’ve got very affordable Swiss watch brands, which are Swatch and Flik Flak.
Here are the watch brands laid out from the most expensive to the most inexpensive watchmaker. This is how the Swatch Group display their watchmakers, in this hierarchical order:
- Breguet
- Harry Winston
- Blancpain
- Glashütte Original
- Jaquet Droz
- Léon Hatot
- Omega
- Longines
- Rado
- Union Glashütte
- Tissot
- Balmain
- Certina
- MIDO
- Hamilton
- Calvin Klein
- Swatch
- Flik Flak
Nicholas Hayek created this hierarchy of watch brands, to ensure that all brands knew their place within the Swatch Group. They knew their market share, their target audience, and were prevented from competing with each other.
Who founded the Swatch Group?
Nicolas Hayek is the man who founded the Swatch Group. Hayek was a Lebanese entrepreneur who ran his own business consultancy firm, and then founded the Swatch Group.
He is the man who is heralded as saving the Swiss watchmaking industry which almost went bust during the Quartz Crisis.
When was the Swatch Group founded?
Nicholas Hayek brought about the merger of the two watch groups; SSIH and ASUAG in 1983.
This merger formed the watch group called SMH, which was run by Nicholas Hayek. This was when the Swatch Group was founded, in 1983.
However, it wasn’t until 1998, when the SMH watch group changed their name to the Swatch Group.
This name change by Hayek was to pay respect to the watch that saved the Swiss watchmaking industry. That was the Swiss made, quartz Swatch watch.
Why was the Swatch Group founded?
During the Quartz Crisis, the Swiss watchmaking industry was in turmoil.
Hayek was first approached by a group of Swiss banks to oversee the liquidation of the watch brands that remained after the crisis in Swiss watchmaking.
These Swiss watch brands had gone into meltdown during the 70s and 80s. After Japanese watchmakers proved super competitive. Offering cheaper Japanese made quartz watches.
Hayek saw an opportunity to revive these Swiss watchmakers. Such as Omega, Longines etc. By gathering them into one big watch group.
However, Hayek also knew that they needed to be competitive against the Japanese giants like Seiko, and Casio.
He made the Swatch Group competitive by creating an affordable Swiss made quartz watch, called Swatch. Swatch released their first quirky, fun, affordable watches in March, 1983.
Swatch became a sensation, and helped fund the Swatch Group. Keeping the other Swiss watch brands and Swiss watchmaking industry alive.
Who owns the Swatch Group?
Today the Swatch Group is still run and owned by the Hayek family.
When Hayek was forming the Swatch Group, he bought a 51% majority stake in 1984. This was when the Swatch Group was still called the Société Suisse de Microélectronique et d’Horlogerie (SMH).
Hayek remained CEO of the Swatch Group up until 2002. When he stepped down his son, Nick Hayek Jr., took over the watch group in 2003.
Nicholas Hayek stayed on as Chairman of the Board of the Swatch Group , until his sudden death from cardiac arrest at the Swatch Group headquarters in June, 2010.
His daughter Nayla Hayek then took over the position of Chairman following her father’s death.
How many companies does the Swatch Group own?
In total the Swatch Group own a 53 companies.
These companies are in a range of industries related to the watchmaking industry. Such as watchmakers, watch production companies, watch museums, electronic systems, and more.
You can learn about each of the companies the watch group owns, on the Swatch Group website.
To Sum Up
The Swatch Group is still one of the world’s largest and one of the most famous watch groups in the world.
It’s undeniable that their watch brands are leaders of the Swiss watchmaking industry, and the Swatch Group founder, Nicholas Hayek, helped save them from extinction.
Now discover all the other huge watch groups, and figure out which groups own which of your favorite watch brands.
