Magazine
Style · Leaders · likeleaders.com
LIKE® Magazine · Luxury Guide
81 maisons and independent ateliers organized by corporate headquarters — curated for LIKE® Magazine Luxury Guide on likeleaders.com.
Photo: Metropolitan Museum of Art — Clock watch by Michael Nouwen (CC0)
Curated for LIKE® Magazine Luxury Guide · likeleaders.com
Source: Luxury Watchmakers Worldwide editorial index. 81 entries compiled 2026-09-12. Verified facts only; a blank field means the detail is not publicly documented.
| Brand | HQ city | Country | Group | Key people | Founded | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Habring² | Leibnitz | Austria | Independent | Richard Habring; Maria Kristina Habring | 2004 | Small-batch independent, in-house calibres, multiple GPHG awards |
| Behrens | Shenzhen | China | Independent | Lin Bingqiang | 2012 | First Chinese brand at Watches and Wonders (2026) |
| BRM (Bernard Richards Manufacture) | Magny-en-Vexin | France | Independent | Bernard Richards | 2003 | Motorsport-inspired independent manufacture, "Entreprise du Patrimoine Vivant" |
| Pequignet | Morteau | France | Independent | Émile Pequignet; Hugues Souparis | 1973 | Haute Horlogerie Française, in-house Calibre Royal |
| Bell & Ross | Paris | France | Independent | Bruno Belamich; Carlos A. Rosillo | 1992 | Franco-Swiss professional aviation watches, HQ Paris with Chanel as minority shareholder |
| Sinn | Frankfurt am Main | Germany | Independent | Helmut Sinn; Lothar Schmidt | 1961 | Technical tool-watch specialist (mission timers, Tegiment, Hydro) |
| A. Lange & Söhne | Glashütte | Germany | Richemont | Ferdinand Adolph Lange; Walter Lange; Wilhelm Schmid | 1845 | Saxon haute horlogerie flagship, ~5000 watches/year |
| Glashütte Original | Glashütte | Germany | Swatch Group | Heinz W. Pfeifer | 1994 | Nearly 95% in-house manufacture, roots in GUB/1845 Glashütte |
| Moritz Grossmann | Glashütte | Germany | Independent | Christine Hutter | 2008 | High-end independent manufacture, ~200 pieces/year, no ebauche movements |
| NOMOS Glashütte | Glashütte | Germany | Independent | Roland Schwertner; Uwe Ahrendt | 1990 | Owner-operated manufacture, Bauhaus-influenced design, up to 95% vertical integration |
| Kudoke | Weifa | Germany | Independent | Stefan Kudoke | 2008 | Hand-skeletonized/engraved independent, GPHG Petite Aiguille 2019 |
| Atelier Wen | Hong Kong | Hong Kong | Independent | Robin Tallendier; Wilfried Buiron | 2018 | Franco-Chinese craft luxury; Perception, Ancestra |
| Roger W. Smith | Ramsey | Isle of Man | Independent | Roger W. Smith | 2001 | Daniels Method master watchmaker, single-wheel co-axial escapement, 15-20 pieces/year |
| Campanola | Nishitokyo | Japan | Citizen | 2000 | Citizen's luxury artistic brand; Cosmosign star-chart watches | |
| Credor | Tokyo | Japan | Seiko | Shinji Hattori | 1974 | Seiko's "crest of gold" haute brand; Eichi II |
| Grand Seiko | Tokyo | Japan | Seiko | Shinji Hattori; Akio Naito | 1960 | Seiko's flagship luxury brand; Spring Drive manufacture |
| Hajime Asaoka | Tokyo | Japan | Independent | Hajime Asaoka | 2005 | AHCI independent; first all-Japanese tourbillon (2009) |
| Kurono Tokyo | Tokyo | Japan | Independent | Hajime Asaoka | 2018 | Asaoka's accessible marque; cult Art Deco designs |
| Naoya Hida & Co. | Tokyo | Japan | Independent | Naoya Hida; Kosuke Fujita; Keisuke Kano | 2018 | Modern-vintage independent; Zenith G.F.J. collab |
| Otsuka Lotec | Tokyo | Japan | Independent | Jiro Katayama | 2012 | GPHG 2024 Challenge Prize; jumping-hour display modules |
| Minase | Yuzawa | Japan | Independent | Koichi Suzuki | 2005 | Kyowa spin-off; Sallaz polishing, case-in-case structure |
| Ming | Kuala Lumpur | Malaysia | Independent | Ming Thein | 2017 | GPHG 2019 Revelation Prize; design-first independent |
| Christiaan van der Klaauw | Naarden | Netherlands | Independent | Christiaan van der Klaauw; Pim Koeslag | 1974 | World's only atelier dedicated solely to astronomical watches, FHH White Paper |
| Grönefeld | Oldenzaal | Netherlands | Independent | Bart Grönefeld; Tim Grönefeld | 2008 | The Horological Brothers, multiple GPHG prizes |
| Omega | Biel/Bienne | Switzerland | Swatch Group | Louis Brandt | 1848 | HQ and manufacture in Biel/Bienne |
| Parmigiani Fleurier | Fleurier | Switzerland | Independent | Michel Parmigiani | 1996 | Owned by the Sandoz Family Foundation |
| Baume & Mercier | Geneva | Switzerland | Damiani Group | William Baume; Paul Mercier | 1830 | HQ Geneva; sold by Richemont to Damiani in 2026 |
| Cvstos | Geneva | Switzerland | Independent | Sassoun Sirmakes; Antonio Terranova | 2005 | independent; Geneva |
| Czapek | Geneva | Switzerland | Independent | Xavier de Roquemaurel; Sébastien Follonier | 2012 | revived 2012 (original 1845); HQ Geneva |
| F.P. Journe | Geneva | Switzerland | Independent | François-Paul Journe | 1999 | independent atelier in Geneva; Chanel minority stake |
| Gerald Charles | Geneva | Switzerland | Independent | Gérald Charles Genta; Federico Ziviani | 2000 | family-owned; atelier rue du Mont-Blanc, Geneva |
| MB&F | Geneva | Switzerland | Independent | Maximilian Büsser; Serge Kriknoff | 2005 | independent concept lab in Geneva; Chanel minority stake |
| Rolex | Geneva | Switzerland | Independent | Hans Wilsdorf | 1905 | HQ & manufacture in Geneva |
| Singer Reimagined | Geneva | Switzerland | Independent | Marco Borraccino; Rob Dickinson | 2017 | independent; atelier in Carouge/Geneva |
| Speake-Marin | Geneva | Switzerland | Independent | Peter Speake-Marin; Christelle Rosnoblet | 2002 | HQ Geneva; atelier Le Cercle des Horlogers (La Chaux-de-Fonds) |
| Tudor | Geneva | Switzerland | Independent | Hans Wilsdorf | 1926 | Rolex sister brand; HQ Geneva |
| Urwerk | Geneva | Switzerland | Independent | Felix Baumgartner; Martin Frei | 1997 | independent; HQ Geneva; ateliers in Geneva and Zurich |
| Franck Muller | Genthod | Switzerland | Independent | Franck Muller; Vartan Sirmakes | 1992 | Watchland manufacture in Genthod |
| Raymond Weil | Grand-Lancy | Switzerland | Independent | Raymond Weil; Elie Bernheim; Olivier Bernheim | 1976 | HQ in Grand-Lancy; family-owned |
| Breguet | L'Abbaye | Switzerland | Swatch Group | Abraham-Louis Breguet | 1775 | Head office and manufacture in L'Abbaye, Vallée de Joux |
| De Bethune | L'Auberson | Switzerland | Independent | Denis Flageollet; David Zanetta | 2002 | Independent manufacture in L'Auberson |
| Corum | La Chaux-de-Fonds | Switzerland | Independent | René Bannwart; Gaston Ries; Simone Ries | 1955 | Founded 1955 by three co-founders; independent after reported 2025 management buyout |
| Girard-Perregaux | La Chaux-de-Fonds | Switzerland | Independent | Constant Girard; Jean-François Bautte | 1791 | Independent since Kering sold Sowind Group to management in 2022 |
| Greubel Forsey | La Chaux-de-Fonds | Switzerland | Independent | Robert Greubel; Stephen Forsey | 2004 | Richemont sold its 20% stake in 2022; founders and Antonio Calce own the shares |
| Schwarz Etienne | La Chaux-de-Fonds | Switzerland | Independent | Paul Arthur Schwarz; Olga Etienne | 1902 | Privately held manufacture; Radicchi ownership |
| TAG Heuer | La Chaux-de-Fonds | Switzerland | LVMH | Edouard Heuer | 1860 | Founded Saint-Imier 1860; HQ in La Chaux-de-Fonds |
| Audemars Piguet | Le Brassus | Switzerland | Independent | Jules Louis Audemars; Edward Auguste Piguet | 1875 | Independent family-owned maison anchored in Le Brassus |
| Blancpain | Le Brassus | Switzerland | Swatch Group | Jehan-Jacques Blancpain | 1735 | Blancpain SA address Le Rocher 12, Le Brassus; some references also cite Paudex |
| Ulysse Nardin | Le Locle | Switzerland | Independent | Ulysse Nardin | 1846 | Independent since Kering sold Sowind Group to management in 2022 |
| Zenith | Le Locle | Switzerland | LVMH | Georges Favre-Jacot | 1865 | Integrated manufacture in Le Locle since 1865 |
| Jaeger-LeCoultre | Le Sentier | Switzerland | Richemont | Antoine LeCoultre | 1833 | Grande Maison of the Vallée de Joux; registered office in Le Sentier |
| Romain Gauthier | Le Sentier | Switzerland | Independent | Romain Gauthier | 2005 | Own manufacture in Le Sentier; brand launched 2005 |
| Richard Mille | Les Breuleux | Switzerland | Independent | Richard Mille; Dominique Guenat | 2001 | HQ and manufacture in Les Breuleux |
| Cartier | Meyrin | Switzerland | Richemont | Louis-François Cartier | 1847 | Cartier SA watch HQ in Meyrin; Maison HQ Paris |
| Chopard | Meyrin | Switzerland | Independent | Louis-Ulysse Chopard; Karl-Friedrich Scheufele; Caroline Scheufele | 1860 | HQ & manufacture in Meyrin; family-owned |
| Louis Vuitton | Meyrin | Switzerland | LVMH | Michel Navas; Enrico Barbasini | 2007 | La Fabrique du Temps in Meyrin; Maison HQ Paris |
| Roger Dubuis | Meyrin | Switzerland | Richemont | Roger Dubuis; Carlos Dias | 1995 | manufacture in Meyrin; Poinçon de Genève |
| Van Cleef & Arpels | Meyrin | Switzerland | Richemont | Alfred Van Cleef; Estelle Arpels | 1906 | watch atelier in Meyrin; Maison HQ Paris |
| Bovet 1822 | Môtiers | Switzerland | Independent | Edouard Bovet; Pascal Raffy | 1822 | HQ at the Château de Môtiers |
| Voutilainen | Môtiers | Switzerland | Independent | Kari Voutilainen | 2002 | Independent atelier in Môtiers |
| H. Moser & Cie. | Neuhausen am Rheinfall | Switzerland | Independent | Heinrich Moser; Edouard Meylan | 1828 | Original firm founded 1828; modern manufacture re-founded 2002 and relaunched 2005; MELB family ownership |
| Hautlence | Neuhausen am Rheinfall | Switzerland | Independent | Guillaume Tetu; Renaud de Retz | 2004 | Founded in Neuchâtel 2004; now in Neuhausen am Rheinfall; MELB family ownership |
| Hublot | Nyon | Switzerland | LVMH | Carlo Crocco | 1980 | Manufacture in Nyon |
| Ateliers deMonaco | Plan-les-Ouates | Switzerland | Citizen | Peter Stas; Pim Koeslag | 2008 | manufacture in Plan-les-Ouates; Citizen-owned |
| Frédérique Constant | Plan-les-Ouates | Switzerland | Citizen | Peter Stas; Aletta Stas | 1988 | manufacture in Plan-les-Ouates; Citizen-owned since 2016 |
| Laurent Ferrier | Plan-les-Ouates | Switzerland | Independent | Laurent Ferrier; François Servanin | 2009 | independent atelier in Plan-les-Ouates |
| Patek Philippe | Plan-les-Ouates | Switzerland | Independent | Antoni Patek; Adrien Philippe; Thierry Stern | 1839 | manufacture in Plan-les-Ouates; family-owned |
| Piaget | Plan-les-Ouates | Switzerland | Richemont | Georges-Édouard Piaget | 1874 | HQ & haute horlogerie manufacture in Plan-les-Ouates |
| Vacheron Constantin | Plan-les-Ouates | Switzerland | Richemont | Jean-Marc Vacheron | 1755 | manufacture & HQ in Plan-les-Ouates |
| Louis Moinet | Saint-Blaise | Switzerland | Independent | Jean-Marie Schaller | 2004 | Ateliers in Saint-Blaise; FHH partner brand |
| Longines | Saint-Imier | Switzerland | Swatch Group | Auguste Agassiz | 1832 | HQ and workshops in Saint-Imier; Ernest Francillon later founded the modern manufacture |
| IWC Schaffhausen | Schaffhausen | Switzerland | Richemont | Florentine Ariosto Jones | 1868 | Only major manufacture in German-speaking Switzerland |
| Fears | Bristol | United Kingdom | Independent | Edwin Fear; Nicholas Bowman-Scargill | 1846 | Historic British brand revived 2016 by founder's great-great-great-grandson |
| anOrdain | Glasgow | United Kingdom | Independent | Lewis Heath | 2015 | Scottish watchmaker crafting in-house enamel dials |
| Schofield | Henfield | United Kingdom | Independent | Giles Ellis | 2008 | Eccentric design-led British independent, West Sussex |
| Bremont | Henley-on-Thames | United Kingdom | Independent | Nick English; Giles English | 2002 | British aviation chronometers, built at The Wing manufacture |
| Garrick | Norwich | United Kingdom | Independent | David Brailsford; Simon Michlmayr | 2014 | Bespoke Norfolk watchmaker with in-house movements |
| Keaton Myrick | Bend | United States | Independent | Keaton Myrick | 2012 | Handmade "1 in 30" chronometer; Bend, Oregon |
| RGM | Mount Joy | United States | Independent | Roland G. Murphy | 1992 | America's serial manufacture; in-house movements, hand guilloche |
| Weiss Watch Company | Nashville | United States | Independent | Cameron Weiss | 2013 | American-made mechanical atelier |
| Jacob & Co | New York | United States | Independent | Jacob Arabo; Benjamin Arabov | 1986 | High-jewellery complication house; Astronomia |