Swiss watches are most coveted by people seeking style and function in wearable timepieces. In the long history of Swiss watchmaking, Invicta is one of the luxury watch brands that continue to manufacture high-quality time pieces in line with the century-old Swiss watch making tradition. Invicta is one of the well known and established names in watch manufacture. For years, the reputation of perfection in watch craftsmanship that was known as Invicta watches stays true until today.

Invicta is a company that was founded by Raphael Picard in 1837. Along with its fine collections of wrist watches, the Invicta Watch Group also established a number of watch brands such as S. Coifman, Potger-Pietri, Activa, Brizo, Cacciato & Joss, Pastorelli, and Technica. During the 70s, with the popularity of quartz watches, was forced out of the picture as it suffered tough times with its competition. Thankfully, by 1991, the descendants of the Invicta family decided to re-establish the brand. The brand has gone strong ever since. In reliving the brand’s reputation for producing quality watches, the public was presented with finer options for utmost quality watches at mid-range to high-end price ranges.

Invicta is a host to a number of successful watch collections for men. The Invicta Pro Diver series was modeled after the Rolex Submariner and the Omega Seamaster but was more preferred for offering the finest automatic diver watch for its price point. With the popularity and ever-increasing demand for Invicta Lupah, the company’s most distinct design, the company has produced 196,560 variations of the original Lupah design.

Compared to the usually expensive Swiss brands, Invicta watches are created from more fashionable materials. It has updated its original designs by incorporating materials such as quartz, titanium, gold and steel in its movement construction. The brand still uses some of its original designs, which were tested by famous trendsetters that include Charles Linbergh and Amelia Earhart. Given the expertise in designing and creating watches that can withstand extreme heat and cold, Invicta watches are set to create more of the virtually indestructible watches in the future.

In addition to its masculine diver watch series, Invicta is also a major player when it comes to high-quality women watches. For this segment, the brand has refined their original designs to perfect an elegant functional piece that appeals to the feminine side of its women fans. To add glamour to its popular masculine diver watch series, Invicta Lupah watches for women are adorned with silver-toned stainless steel bezel, diamonds and mother-of-pearl dials. Other design collections include the Camelot and Tritnite collections.

For a company that was run for over a hundred years, Invicta has mastered the art of offer excellent value watches. With that though in mind, navigating the vast array of Invicta watches in hopes of finding the best model pieces can be tough. Since its re-establishment as a watch brand, Invicta has been lauded in introducing the Pro Diver and Lupah men and women’s watch collections. Talking about coming back with a bang! Today, Invicta is one of the fastest growing brands in watch manufacture.

Accurist watches are a worldwide brand known for their lasting value, guaranteed quality Swiss components and competitive pricing. Since the beginning of Accurist watches in 1946, the founders, Asher and Rebecca Loftus established their reputation based on these qualities and they are still present in the Accurist watches manufactured today.

Millions of people worldwide choose Accurist watches, including Princess Anne, The Beatles and Twiggy. Accurist introduced fashion into their watches, which is what made them unique and trendy. Brightly colored watches were a trademark in the 60’s. They were also the first to introduce the 21 jewel lever movement and they set the standard that other watches now emulate.

Known for their accuracy, it was the Accurist watch that was used to countdown the millennium and they have an aggressive marketing strategy that has kept them in the public eye in the UK. This marketing strategy is part of the British Real Time Project, which has received almost three billion calls. In this promotion, individuals can be a second of a minute of an hour of a day by recording a video image and they are assigned that particular moment in time.

Accurist watches have been diverse over the years, but they have always had an elegant touch of fashion, and now they are commonly decorated with Swarovski crystals on the faces and bands.

Some of the popular current styles of Accurist watches include the Ladies diamond set, Ladies stone set, the Accurist 9ct. gold, the Skymaster, Protimer, Sparkle, Ceramic, Marina, Stockists, and Gentlemen’s bracelet and strap models. Each model comes with a lifetime commitment to quality service after the sale, whether it is a bracelet adjustment or an overhaul of the watch-workings.

Accurist watches has built their reputation on quality at every step of the process, including service and repair, so you can rest assured that your investment will give you many years of elegant enjoyment and accurate timekeeping. Expert watchmakers service each watch, and the company prides itself on each customer’s requirements and needs.

Of course, the Accurist watches are readily available on the Internet, and they are some of the most affordable timepieces there are, many people own several different styles. The upper tier Accurist watches are popular with formal wear and evening attire, while some of the sporty models or basic models of Accurist watches are for everyday wear.

Accurist is built on reliability, in addition to the trendy styles and band types. It is the quality of the watches that loyal customers like the best. They have become a common name in the UK because of the variety of styles, the attractiveness of the different models and the service reliability they offer. Their marketing campaign has made them one of the world’s most recognized brands of watch.

If you are in the market for a quality made watch in the latest styles, then Accurist watches have what you are looking for. They are built on a history that gives you product reliability, accuracy, service after the sale and trendy fashion that makes them a successful company, today.

In establishing a high reputation for both jewelry and watch making, Bulgari has become synonymous to exclusive and elaborately designed products. It is one of the few watchmakers that continue to follow the rigorous Swiss standards for quality timepieces. In the fine-watch market, Bulgari remains to be one of the world’s well-renowned and unrivaled brands. With that, much can be expected in its exclusive lines of wristwatches.

For many years, Bulgari’s teams of marketing specialists and designers have established a distinct style in watch design. Their design selections have introduced one of the very first logotype of one-of-a-kind watch collections. In paying great attention to the technical improvements of their watches, Bulgari has made quite a reputation for its complicated yet stylish watch models that offers additional functions.

Bulgari’s Swiss subsidiary is responsible for its watch production. Compared to other famous brands of Swiss watches, Bulgari has a relatively small history of watch manufacture. The first production of Bulgari watches began in 1940s and continued to develop new creations. Finally, three decades later, the brand was able to tap into the exclusive niche of fine watch market. With the company’s tradition of continuously expanding the business, the original Bulgari watch collections were enriched with precious stoned, silverware and other jewels, along with its goal of creating remarkable pieces of jewelries. By 1980s, the brand formally marked its exclusive worldwide distribution of fine watches in opening the Bulgari Time watch factory in Neuchatel, Switzerland.

Bulgari watches are known for their instantly recognizable and bold designs, which often combine large bands of gold links, polished surfaced steel, diamonds and other precious stones. The distinct appearance and style of Bulgari watches is often imitated and counterfeited. With that, genuine pieces are distinguished for its unique serial number that is registered under the Bulgari brand.

The Bulgari brand holds a number of unique watch making features. There is the classic gold mono-block oscillating weight of watch mechanisms. The company has also introduced amazing transparent wristwatch bodies for luxury watches. The Bulgari team also developed a new gearing system. For a luxury watch brand, Bulgari seamlessly combines ultra-contemporary and modern-sporty watch features in their luxury watch collections. The Assioma Petite Complication and Decoration Atelier are two popular products of Bulgari’s rich competence in modern watch craftsmanship and design.

Today, the ultra-exclusive and stylish Bulgari watches are moving upmarket in its quest of creating more of its world-renowned timepieces. With the technologically advanced improvements on the watch mechanisms and designs that are reserved for the brand, we will be seeing more of the fully reworked original Bulgari timepieces in the future. This year, the brand introduces the Assioma Multi-Complication Skeleton watch, which features a perpetual calendar tourbillion and a second time zone.

The continued quest for watch design perfection answers to Bulgari’s ever-successful watch collections. Its 227 boutiques and flagship stores all over the world is evident of the ever-growing demand for the brand’s timekeeping creations. As Bulgari has long been synonymous to luxurious and exclusive pieces of jewelries, Bulgari watches’ interestingly unique design characteristics expanded the brand’s reputation as one of the world’s finest watch makers.

When it comes to women and men watches, one brand stands up from the rest. For a company that offers variety in terms of watch design and functional features, Fossil watches have set prime examples of trendsetting timepieces. Young and old, the appeal of Fossil watches complements the demands of virtually all emerging lifestyles. Its close attention to the design details and fashion trends makes the Fossil brand watches defiantly competitive and very much in demand.

Thanks to its top design team, Fossil never fails to come up with wide assortments of stylish timepieces. Since the brand’s introduction in 1984, the brand successfully kept up with its client’s expectations. Aside from watches, the brand is also in line with manufacturing other fashion items such as clothes, purses, belts, sunglasses and other accessories. So it is not surprising that the brand manages to combine value and style when it comes to its trendy line of everyday watches.

Since its establishment in 1984, Fossil has been focused in bringing stylish yet affordable watches in the market. Until today, this genius marketing strategy guides the creation of modern Fossil watches in an effort to draw customers to great looking and great-valued timepieces. The company has defined what an All-American brand is all about by creating stylish and chic watch designs. Hence, Fossil watches can very well serve as a fashion statement. Most of their design inspiration were still evident of their distinct early fifties look. These casual everyday watches complement virtually all daily ensembles, making them one of the great American innovation when it comes to watch design and craftsmanship.

For people with strong fashion taste, Fossil watches are sure perfect choices. Not only does it bring precision time-keeping, it also made from a variety of materials that complements the demands of modern lifestyle. If you are seeking for chic and flirty time pieces that go well with your jeans and office ensemble, then the PDA Fossil watches may be great for everyday use. If you seek a wristwatch that doubles as your computer, then the Wrist net should suit you. If you are into watch collecting, the Fossil Collectables are definitely your baby. The brand is an expert when it comes to creating perfect watches for both genders. Its artfully designed leather as well as metal straps is sure to impress.

Most of the stylish Fossil watches for men and women join reliability with style. While there are hundreds of designs to choose from, here are some of the noteworthy design lines. The Bluetooth Fossil watches combines precise time-keeping features with the ability to track phone calls and messages in a cinch. This cell phone enabled watches is a great gadget for people who are digitally on the go. Fossil also carries designer pieces from Frank Gehry and Philippe Starck. To complete that masculine look, wearing Fossil metal or leather strap watches are welcome accents. On the more feminine side, jeweled Fossil timepieces sure make a fashion hit.

To cater to its high-end customers, Fossil has created watches for DKNY, Burberry, mark Jacobs and Emporio Armani. With that, the company has acquired the Swiss watch brand Zodiac. In this light, there surely is a watch for every Fossil fan.

Getting the right watch is easy when selecting from among the designs available for Fossil watches. Its wide variety of watch design selection surely carries that one that suits you best. So when you seek sporty, casual or fashion style watches for any occasion, Fossil is the brand to trust.

The International Watch Company was founded in 1868 in Eastern Switzerland by Florentine Jones, an American watchmaker. His intent was to combine American technology with experienced Swiss watchmaking techniques. He planned to utilize cheaper Swiss labor to have his watches made and then import them back to the United States. His plans fell through however due to the high import fees which he encountered.

That setback was one of many that Jones had to deal with in the early years. Another such unfortunate incident was when the factory was mistakenly bombed and destroyed by the US Air Force during World War II. The International Watch Company always managed to make a comeback after each challenge and has grown into one of the most respectable watchmaking companies today.

IWC has an impeccable reputation and their watches are noted for their precision, intricate design, cutting edge technology, and hand craftsmanship. The have played a key role in the history of the development of watches, always on the leading edge. In fact, although Switzerland was well known for its skilled watchmakers, most of them were located in western Switzerland. Therefore, being in eastern Switzerland, IWC founded its own school of watchmaking which trains apprentice watchmakers to this today.

IWC’s line of watches include the Pilot’s Watches, Aquatimer, Portofino, Da Vinci, Ingenieur, Portuguese, Specialites, and the Vintage Collection. Of these, the Pilot Watches are probably the most well known and sought after.

IWC began making the popular Pilot’s Watch just before the beginning of World War II. This watch is noted for its precision and it is available in a variety of styles of different colors. These include the Chrono-Automatic with its large numbers and small hacking second hand. It is self winding with 44 hours of reserve power.

The Vintage Watches series includes some very impressive timepieces including the hand wound Portofino. This watch has a moon phase display and a small dial with a seconds hand display. The platinum version is limited to 500 pieces.

The Di Vinci collection of watches is quite extraordinary. The watch faces are rectangular instead of round. The Di Vinci Perpetual Calendar model has a perpetual calendar, a moon display, a hacking seconds hand, and mechanical chronograph movement. This fine watch is also a limited edition run in 18 carat rose gold.

The Specialties collection includes the Grande Complication. This watch is for men with exquisite taste. The GC is limited to just 50 watches each year. The watch is platinum and has a crocodile leather strap. The watch has a sleek design and comes with a perpetual calendar, moon phase display, minute repeater, and chronograph. This is an intricate and precise watch and contains 659 mechanical parts.

The above are just a few samples of the fine watches on offer from International Watch Company. The IWC watches are built to be handed down through generations if treated properly. They are among the most precise hand crafted watches being made today and are also elegant and visually appealing. These watches are a result of over 100 years of master watchmaking skill and innovation by a leader in the watchmaking industry.

Tissot has been making fine Swiss watches since back in 1853 when the company was founded and began production of fine timepieces and today they continue to grow strong over 150 years later and they are represented in over 150 countries across the world.

One of the things that has helped the company survive and grow over that time period is the broad and diverse lines of watches that they make available to the mass public.  Another helping factor is that they manage to make these watches available at a lower price than any other Swiss watchmaker in competition with them.

The company has become the official time keeping device for NASCAR and several other sporting organizations.  Even though there are other companies out there that are trying to earn that honor Tissot managed to end up on top.

The motto for the company is More Than A Watch and as you look over the many and various collections in the watch lines you will understand that statement.

The T-Touch series, for example features touch screen technology.  You can have a range of functions that were before only available in the movies.  There is an altimeter for aviation folks, a depth mode for divers, the traditional chronograph mode, a compass and thermometer functions for the out of door types as well as an alarm and all the standard features one might expect on a fine watch.

The Tissot line offers a well rounded sports collection where the sports fan is sure to find a model that expresses the inner athlete or fan inside them and allow the expression of who you are while still maintaining the functionality needed to be a sports watch.

The Trend Collection, as the name might imply.  Is all about high fashion and making the statement that you are in tune with fashion and that you know what you want and how you want to project your image.

There is the bold look of the Classic Collection where everything including the design is timeless and will be around for a long time.  These watches draw on time honored and time tested designs that are still relevant in today’s world.

The Gold Collection is a grouping of wristwatches that tout the many different styles that are built around or adorned by the color that says wealth, gold.

The company pays homage to the past greats of the watch industry with the timeless designs of the pocket collection.  These prove that the age-old art of the pocket watch is still alive and well.

Last, but certainly not least is the Heritage collection.  A series of watches each with two totally separate watches. This will allow you to have two time zones on your wrist at one time, which can be a huge time saver for you if you frequently travel to or do business in more than one location in the world at any given time. It will save you the worry of trying to remember the difference between the two so you will always be on time.

There is one word that can adequately describe the Tag Heuer line of watches. That word is wow. Tag Heuer lists the company as Swiss Avant-Garde and have been making quality watches since 1860.

The line of precision time devices comes from the family’s fanaticism with precision and a love of sports and has continued for almost one and one half centuries.

The first thing one might be taken by is the absolute sense of rugged design such as is present in the Grand Carerra line. One glance at this line and you are ready to strap one on, jump into a Ferrari and slam it into gear and get up to a nice cruising speed on the Autobahn. It simply exudes testosterone and will get most any male heart racing wildly. Designed as a driving style watch it does look good doing it.

If you are a male looking for something more sleek and ultra modern, you might want to look at the Microtimer Model. With accuracy down to 1 1,000th of a second this watch means business and looks great doing it. It is a stunningly black design with a silver body and the display numbers literally jump off the face of the watch making it near impossible to mistake the time or the chronograph function numbers.

Over the course of time when time matters people have depended on Tag Heuer watches. People in history like General Dwight David Eisenhower back in 1945 during World War two or in 1962 when a Tag Heuer was the first Swiss watch to make the journey into space.

In 1911 they made the first Chronograph to be dash mounted in planes and automobiles, in 1916 they manufactured the first stop watch capable of accuracy down to 1 100th of a second to be used in timing race events. They have been the official time keeping piece in more Olympic games than you can imagine beginning as far back as 1924 in Paris. They designed a pilot’s chronograph watch in 1930.

In every report from skiing to formula one racing to yachting to air racing. If there is a need for accurate time there has most likely been a Tag Heuer involved in the process at some point.

The company has had a long and standing relationship with a variety of competitive sports and there is a long list of celebrities who have allowed a Tag Heuer watch to grace their wrists. These range from the aforementioned General Eisenhower to actor Steve McQueen and his famed Monaco watch to film star Leonardo DiCaprio to mention just a few famous folks that have seen and wanted the best available time piece.

The company is continuing it’s fine tradition into the new millennium and has continued to be both reliable and innovative at the same time and they will continue to be even more so in the future.

The watches can only be purchased through a growing list of exclusive authorized retailers across the globe.

The culmination of a successful career in the business world is often symbolized by the Rolex watch. It is a status symbol that is as timeless and reveled as is the tradition of retirement. When you see a Rolex and the Rolex Crown symbol on a watch, it means that the person who is wearing it has attained a level above the ordinary and deserves a little more respect than just the average person on the street. A Rolex is the ultimate status timepiece in today’s society.

You can just bring up the name Rolex in any conversation and heads will turn and the volume level around the table in the room will lower and the folks in attendance will take note. So what is there about this specific maker of watches that is cause for such legendary status?

Well the Rolex Corporation currently is in production of approximately somewhere near two thousand watches on any given day and in the year 2003 had an annual revenue near the three billion dollar mark. And in the year 2007 Rolex came in at number 71 in the magazine Business Weeks top 100 global most valuable brands. That is global, not the United States, but in the world.

Rolex, to have such a fine reputation, is still a baby in the world industry having been started as a company in 1905 and officially named Rolex in 1908. The company has had an exciting and obviously fruitful first hundred years of existence.

Of course since the company has the most easily recognizable name and sells for fairly high dollar amounts. You can expect that the Rolex is also one of the most counterfeited watches in the world as well. Most of the replicas that are seen on the market come from China where it is fairly easy and cheap to manufacture the knock offs and even some of the counterfeits sell regularly for upwards of $1,000 to give you an idea of the worth.

The Rolex is a staple in modern popular culture. With everyone from the late Paul Newman to golf great Arnold Palmer have worn them and the Rolex was often immortalized in the James Bond 007 movies popularized by Hollywood.

Throughout history the most popular model in the Rolex line has been the Oyster line. It has garnished more sales and more knock off counterfeits than any other watch in the Rolex catalog and continues to rank among the most popular even in today’s world. The Oyster line can sell for anywhere from $4,500 to $9,200 per unit and the other watches by Rolex like the Submariner line sell for averages between $20,000 and $28,000 per watch.

The Rolex line contains over 22 individual collections of wristwatch and to even attempt to give a concise listing of these watches would be a tedious and momentous task at best and one that would require many more pages of information than we are able to devote here at this time in this article.

With a total of around three hundred employees, the Rado Watch Company of Lengnau Switzerland has become known for making watches that are made from scratch proof material and because of this they are considered a pioneer in that area.
The company is relatively young having been formed in 1917 and for the first forty years of manufacture, they focused primarily on the manufacture of the internal movements of the watch and not actually producing a physical watch.

Between 1957 and 1962 they perfected the watch design and then in 1962 came out with the worlds first scratchproof watch sold under the name of Diastar. The company continued to flourish under this setting until around 1983 when another company, the SMH GROUP that was renamed in 1998 as the Swatch Company, which is still known today, bought it.

One huge difference between Rado and the traditional Swiss watches is that the Rado company utilizes unconventional high tech designs and materials in the product and a lot of those materials are actually new to watch making. They incorporated hard metals such as titanium carbide and tungsten and later produced a watch with a coating of high tech diamond, which is the hardest watch on earth.

The Rado Company has gotten many awards for the design of the watches they produce and they have been quite innovative in that design. However, the traditionalists of the Swiss watch community would prefer that they stay along the tried and true designs.

While they range from the affordable four hundred dollar range well into the tens of thousands of dollars they remain a popular watch and is sought after by people from all walks of life. Like all manufacturers there has been a proliferation of counterfeit watches copying the designs and generally sell for fewer than two hundred dollars,

The Rado Company has countered these fakes by having a rather small and limited dealer network and not allowing them to be sold on line. So if you happen to find a Rado watch on line, it is quite likely a copy and not the real thing.

In the current market Rado is making nearly half of a million watches per year in its factory and these contain models of every price and style imaginable and are in high demand the world over.

Their website contains not only information about the line but a useful list of other information, from Frequently Asked Questions which contain some interesting information about battery life and water proof capabilities and why your 30 meter watch might actually leak in your kitchen sink and it not be defective. Lots of useful information for everyone that owns a watch and not just folks who own or are looking to own a watch made by the Rado Company. You can also down load a user manual, which is a nice touch because I can’t tell you how often I need my manual and never can seem to find it.

I think that you might find it an interesting site to surf in.

Way back in 1839 a watchmaker of Polish descent named Antoni Norbert Patek began making pocket watches in Geneva with a fellow Polish watchmaker he continued until he joined up with Adrien Phillipe and began what became the Philippe Patek company in 1851.

It was in the year 1868 when they produced the first wristwatch. The company pioneered many watch mainstays that are still in use today. These include things like the keyless winding mechanism, the minute repeater, the perpetual calendar, the chronograph and the split second hand to name a few.

Watches made by the Philippe Patek Company routinely bring high prices at auction partially drivne by collectors who are searching for quality pieces and partially by the Patek company as they buy pieces to help complete the museum that has been established to fill the Patek mueseum in Geneva.

The company is still alive and well today and is making some of the best pieces available on the market. A custom made pocket watch which has a full twenty four fucntions made by the Patek Company in 1933 closed in auction in 1999 for eleven million dollars.

Watches made by them are sought after by the rich and famous and cen be seen adorning the attire of royalty around the world as a show of status. The timepieces have been bought by everyone from monarchs to the pope for personl use and gifts and as far back as 1851 watches made by them have been supplied to Queen Victoria and her consort.

In the year 1989, for it’s anniversary, the company again made history with a watch callede the Calibre 89 that had a full 33 functions which ranged from the date of Easter, the time of Sunrise, a thermometer, equation of time and can even add a day in for leap year while leaving out the extra day as needed. Oh yes, and it also keeps time!

Back in 1932 the company was purchased by brothers Charles and Jean Stern and it has remained in that family since that time and continues on today with a tradition of excellence in watch making. The current president is a fourth generation of the Stern family where it will be passed to a fifth generation as the time comes.

The company has used the Spanish Knights Calatrava cross as it’s symbol since the end of the nineteenth century which was adopted by the company as its brand symbol which is still used today.

Today the company has a presence, as does the rest of the world, on line where you can trace the history and review the watches that are made by this fine Swiss company. You can view the current line and view information about the museum and find any information that you might want or need to know about the companies past, present or future. You can also learn where to buy them and how to maintain your watch, which is relevant information no matter what type of watch you own.