Best Swiss Watch Brands (Luxurious & Affordable) - SwitzerLanding (2024)

If you are planning a visit to Switzerland then you might be thinking that a great Swiss souvenir to come home with would be a Swiss watch, something Switzerland is known for.

Well, you are not wrong, especially considering that Switzerland is undoubtedly the home of some of the best watch brands in the world.

But, which Swiss watch brand are you going to go for? There are lots of different Swiss watch brands to choose from, all of which are pretty awesome.

To make your choice a little easier, I have run through all the best Swiss watch brands below so you can find the right Swiss watch for you.

TAG Heuer

One of the most iconic Swiss watch brands is without a doubt, TAG Heuer. TAG Heuer actually started out as just “Heuer” when it was founded in 1860 by Edouard Heuer in St. Imier, Switzerland.

Heuer began by making silver pocket watches and then progressed into wristwatches and then into making stopwatches which were used for sporting events, particularly in the automotive industry.

Heuer’s tie to the automotive industry was compounded by the release of its most iconic watch to date, the Monaco chronograph. It was even featured in films, most notably worn by Steve McQueen in Le Mans.

Heuer then became TAG Heuer when Techniques d’Avant Garde (TAG) became the majority shareholder in the 1980s. It then became part of the LVMH Group in 1999 as the brand’s new CEO revitalized the company and its offerings.

TAG Heuer continues to make some of the best watches in the world ranging from high accuracy chronographs, its iconic watches such as Monaco, to TAG Heuer connected smartwatches.

IWC Schaffhausen

IWC Schaffhausen, aka the International Watch Company, is a little different from most other Swiss watch brands.

Firstly, IWC was founded by an American, and instead of basing itself in the watchmaking region of Switzerland (Geneva through the Swiss Jura Arc), he based it in Schaffhausen in northern Switzerland on the German border.

Founded in 1868 by Florentine Ariosto Jones, IWC combined the accuracy of Swiss timekeeping with a durable American build which their watches quickly became known for.

IWC Swiss watches quickly became linked to the aviation industry and this began with their B-Uhr chronograph watches which were made for the Luftwaffe in WWII by request from the German army.

After this came a series of pilot’s watches including the famous ceramic pilot’s watch and the Top Gun chronographs.

Next up, IWC started making watches for the dive industry with their Aquatimer dive watches. The most famous dive watch they made was the Portugieser which was designed on request by ​​two Portuguese businessmen.

Today IWC still produces some of the best watches in the world, for pilots, divers, and everyone else. You can visit the IWC Schaffhausen museum in Zurich for a closer look!

Patek Philippe

Patek Philippe, is another of the best Swiss brands, in fact, they are renowned as one of the best watchmakers on the planet. They created the first Swiss wristwatch ever, the first split-seconds chronograph, and the first perpetual calendar wristwatch.

Patek Philippe was founded in Geneva by Franciszek Czapek and Antoni Patek in 1831 and was known as Patek, Czapek & Cie. It wasn’t until later that the brand became known as Patek Philippe and has been run by the same Stern family since the 1930s, one of which is the CEO today.

The most iconic watch ever made by Patek Philippe is most likely the Nautilus watch which dates back to the 1970s. Today, it is still one of the most sought-after watches on the planet and is known as one of the best Swiss watches ever made.

If you are in the market for luxury timepieces backed up by incredible engineering, you can’t go wrong with this Swiss brand.

Audemars Piguet

Audemars Piguet is one of the best Swiss watch brands, period. Founded by two highly skilled watchmakers, Edward Piguet and Jules Audemars, who were also friends for many years, Audemars Piguet is responsible for a lot of developments in the watchmaking world.

They were the first to make a jumping hour display, the first to create a wristwatch minute repeater, and lots more other accolades too. The watchmaking quality has not changed since Audemars Piguet was founded in 1875 and is one of the most prestigious watch brands in the world today.

The watch that changed it all for Audemars Piguet was the Royal Oak which was released in 1972. It was the first ever luxury sports watch made from steel and is today still one of the most popular styles on wristwatches in the world.

Breguet

Breguet is one of the oldest Swiss watch brands having been founded in 1775 by Abraham-Louis Breguet.

Abraham-Louis Breguet came up with a number of firsts in the Swiss watch industry, one being the creation of the first self-winding watch. Some sources also say he created the first wristwatch ever for the Queen of Naples in 1810 but other sources say Patek was the first.

Breguet also made watches for royalty such as King George III of England and for the prime minister, Winston Churchill along with Marie Antoinette and Napoleon Bonaparte. This Swiss watch brand was highly desirable across the ages and it still is today.

Breguet watches are incredibly luxurious and often come encased in gold or with diamonds added to the face. Breguet’s most desired watch series is their Classique along with their marine models.

Longines

Longines is another of the top Swiss watch brands that made a name for itself in the sporting world, especially in equestrian circles.

Founder Auguste Agassiz started Longines in 1832 and then became a part of Swatch in 1983. Over their tenure, Longines became the time keep for numerous sporting events including the Kentucky Derby, French Open, and the Commonwealth Games.

Longines is a watch brand all about high-end performance, accurate timekeeping, and durability. Their watches are particularly popular amongst sports enthusiasts, particularly those into horses since they released a watch with a jockey engraved into it in the 1870s.

Longines has since made amazing timepieces that suit numerous sports from diving to aviation, and more. They also brought black old models in their Heritage reissue series which have become incredibly popular.

Jaeger LeCoultre

Jaeger LeCoultre is one of the best watchmakers in the Swiss watch industry to the point that they even provided parts to other luxury watch brands such as Patek Philippe.

Founded in 1883 by Antoine LeCoultre, Jaeger LeCoultre started out as a small watch workshop in the Vallée de Joux of western Switzerland.

They quickly managed to create a mechanized manufacturing process for all watch parts in one workshop. They were way ahead of others in the watch world and began supplying parts to many of their competitors.

The most famous watch Jaeger LeCoultre ever made was the Reverso. The Reverso was designed for polo players as it allowed them to turn the rather luxurious and expensive face around onto their skin to protect it while they were playing!

Today, they are still leaders in the watch industry and have an incredible range of luxury watches to choose from.

Piaget

Piaget started in 1874 making both watch movement and jewelry in their workshop in La Côte-aux-Fées in the Swiss Jura Region. They continued to make watch parts until the 1900s when they moved into making finished watches instead of just parts for watch brands.

Piaget made a name for themselves by combining their skills. Their watches are all about accurate timekeeping combined with stunning jewelry-focused faces.

Piaget is also famous for making the Altiplano. With a thickness of 2mm, it is the thinnest hand-wound mechanical watch on the planet and is perfect for anyone with small wrists.

Today, Piaget is part of Swiss Richemont and they continue to make watches that are fantastic examples of jewelry as much as they are great watches.

Omega

Omega is, without question, one of the best-known Swiss watch brands around the world. While not being quite as expensive and luxurious as other watch brands, it is immensely popular through its many firsts and excellent marketing.

Omega started out as La Generale Watch Co founded in 1848 by Louis Brandt and it became known as Omega in 1903 and today is a part of Swatch.

Omega has been the official timekeeper of the Olympics since 1932, was the first watch ever worn on the moon, was used by the US Army and more, and is the official James Bond watch too. Talk about making a name for yourself!

Omega’s great reputation is only backed up by the incredible quality of their watches and they are slowly trying to become the world’s best Swiss watch manufacturer.

Chopard

Chopard started out in 1860 in Sonvilier with founder Louis-Ulysse Chopard but relocated to Geneva within a few years.

Louis-Ulysse Chopard was both a jeweler and watchmaker and combined his talents to make some of the most sought-after timepieces.

At first, Chopard used his skills to tap into the lady’s market making elegant pocket watches and wristwatches for ladies that were as many watches as they were pieces of jewelry. The company then moved on to making super-accurate chronograph watches.

In 1963, Chopard was bought by the Scheufele family and is still an independent brand today. They are known for using responsibly sourced materials in all their watches and still retain a jeweler’s splash of design that makes them stunning timepieces.

Some of Chopard’s most iconic models to date include the Mille Miglia, Time Traveller, co*cktail, and Alpine Eagle.

Rolex

Despite being founded in 1905 in London, Rolex is still one of the number one Swiss watch brands on the planet. Rolex was not in London for long and moved to Switzerland in 1919. Since Rolex has created some of the most iconic watches the world has seen.

Rolex owns more than 400 patents in watchmaking which ensures that no matter what Rolex one owns, it is unique against other brands.

Their Submariner might just be the most famous watch ever made and it literally defined the world of dive watches, as being what every dive watch should look like.

The Submariner was just one of their incredible accomplishments with the Daytona and Yacht-Master having just as much of an effect on the industry.

All Rolex watches come with a mark of quality that is hard to beat which is why they are one of the most popular luxury watch brands in the world.

Tissot

Tissot makes some of the most affordable Swiss watches one can buy and has made a name for itself by being affordable enough for most, while still providing excellent quality.

Tissot started out in 1853 in the Swiss Jura region. Founded by Charles-Félicien Tissot and Charles-Émile Tissot, they made the first-ever watch that resisted magnets, the first pocket watch with dual time zones.

Today Tissot is a part of Swatch which is what allows it to make high-quality Swiss watches at affordable prices.

Under Swatch, Tissot released the first touchscreen digital watch before smart watches were even a concept. The Seastar 200 is also a world-renowned dive watch.

If you are in the market for a quality Swiss watch on a budget, then Tissot is one of the brands that you should be looking at!

Cartier

Cartier is a name we have all heard in the watch world as their watches are collectible and worn by celebrities all over the world.

Cartier is a French watchmaker and jeweler that was founded in 1847 by Louis-Francois Cartier but is now part of the Swiss Richemont Group. Known more for its jewelry than watches, Cartier watches are as many jewels as they are timekeepers.

Louis Cartier made the first pilot’s watch by request from his friend, a pilot who wanted a watch he could read easily while flying.

One of their signature models is the Tank which was worn by some of the most famous people to have ever lived including Yves Saint Laurent and Andy Warhol.

Today, Cartier continues to make unique watches with immaculate timekeeping that are sought after by the rich and famous around the globe.

Breitling

Breitling started in 1884 in Saint-Imier and is a Swiss watch brand with entry-level pricing that specializes in making watches that suit younger, more fashionable styles than the older Swiss watchmakers.

Breitling bought a lot of their movements from other watchmakers but this didn’t stop them from innovating. They put a chronograph in a wristwatch before anyone else and they added more workings to the chronograph which created the version still used today.

Today, Breitling is starting to use an in-house approach as they make their high-end but attainable luxury sports watches. Some of their most popular models to date have been the Superocean, Aerospace, and Navitimer.

Their watches really are stunning while being both incredibly accurate and enduring through some of the harshest environments on the planet.

Zenith

Founded in 1865 by Georges Favre-Jacot who was just 22 at the time, Zenith has a special place in the history of watchmaking.

Zenith was one of the only watch workshops to do every part of watchmaking from movement to casing and manufacturing in one place. This gave rise to the incredible quality and the creation of the first-ever automatic chronograph, a system the Rolex Daytona used.

Today, Zenith still does it all in-house and is one of the last true watch shops making their timepieces in such a way. They continue to try and break the boundaries of watchmaking with a lot of research as is seen with their Defy Classic Carbon series.

If you are looking for Rolex quality at more affordable prices, Zenith is one of your best bets, with the El Primero Chronomaster being their most popular watch.

Blancpain

Blancpain is the world’s oldest watchmaker. It was founded by Jehan-Jacques Blancpain in 1735 and over its many years is known for its luxurious sports watches as well as fashion statements too.

One of Blancpain’s most successful creations was the Fifty-Fathoms, one of the first-ever watches made for divers. It was made alongst the combat swimmers of the French Navy and was also used by numerous US Navy dive units as well as the Navy Seals.

Blancpain also made the first automatic tourbillon watch, as well as the Villeret collection which was incredibly popular. Then came the Blancpain 1735, the most complicated mechanical watch in the world.

Blancpain watches are drenched in history and are certainly one of the top Swiss watch brands on the planet.

Vacheron Constantin

Vacheron Constantin is a part of the Holy Trinity of Watchmaking along with Patek Philippe and Audemars Piguet. Founded by Francois Constantin and Francois Constantin in 1755, it is also one of the oldest Swiss watchmakers in the world.

Over the years they have continued to excel and push the boundaries of watchmaking with incredible movements and stunning external designs.

They have one of the best ranges of watches in their collections including everything from thin elegant pieces to minute repeaters and more.

Richard Mille

Richard Mille is one of the youngest watch brands to make this list, being founded in 2001. Unsurprisingly, Richard Mille is all about innovation using new concepts to create incredibly light watches with excellent timekeeping.

Richard Mille watches are some of the most expensive in the world and it is no surprise when models are made from 100% sapphire, for example. They even managed to make a watch that can handle Rafael Nadal’s acceleration on the court when sending a forehand cross-court.

While Richard Mille’s timepieces are out of reach for most people in the world, their innovative creations are loved by collectors around the world.

Best Watch Brands in Switzerland – Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

What city in Switzerland is popular for watchmaking?

The Swiss watchmaking industry started out in the city of Geneva and slowly spread through the Swiss Jura Arc to the city of Basel.

This area is known as the “Watch Valley” and is where most of the fine watchmaking manufacturers are still based today.

But, if you had to name two cities in Switzerland that are most popular for watchmaking it would have to be Geneva and La Chaux-de-Fonds.

Are watches in Switzerland tax-free?

Watches in Switzerland are not sold tax-free in shops. However, if you are visiting Switzerland and buy a watch worth over CHF 300 or make enough shop purchases over CHF 300, you are entitled to a VAT refund of 7.7% when you leave the country.

But, you have to spend CHF 300 or above, not be a Swiss resident, and have to take the goods out of Switzerland within 30 days of buying them.

To ensure you get your VAT refund, ask the shop where you buy your watch for a Tax-Free Form (Refund Cheque) when you pay for your watch.

Don’t take your watch out of the packaging though as it has to be sealed and unused to get your refund.

At the airport or border, go to customs with your Tax-Free form, original receipt, passport, flight details, and the watch, sealed and unused. If all is in order, customs will stamp your Tax Free Form.

Take this along with your passport and the card you bought the watch with to a Refund Office asking for a refund to your card or in cash.

Is it cheaper to buy luxury watches in Switzerland?

Generally speaking, it is cheaper to buy luxury watches in Switzerland and this is due to a few reasons.

The first is that the watches are made in Switzerland and therefore do come with import taxes or transportation costs attached to them. The second is that you can claim your VAT refund on your watch at the airport.

Also, retail prices for watches are usually cheaper in Europe than in the USA.