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Brand Onwership, Who Owns What Company?

daytona4me

Robert - EOW 19/01/2024
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I think it is difficult for people to wrap their minds around the many groups who own dozens of popular watches. You dont realize it until you start looking at movements and parts, etc.. and then it starts to become more obvious.

Only the real nerds might find this handy but I have seen a couple questions lately that led to typing this out from watchtime.

One thing that has baffled me after reading who owns who is that I have been told by many people that Wittnauer was made by the same company as Movado... and this simply is not true.

Swatch Group (Switzerland)
Breguet
Blancpain
Glasshutte Original
Union Glashutte
Tiffany & Co.
Jaquet Droz
Leon Hatot
Omega
Longines
Rado (seanf's favorite)
Tissot
CK/Calvin Klein
Balmain
Hamilton
Certina
Mido
Swatch

Richemont Group (Switzerland)
Cartier
Van Cleef & Arpels
Piaget
A. Lange & Sohne
Vacheron Constantin
Jager-LeCoultre
Officine Panerai
IWC Schaffhausen
Roger Dubuis
Baume & Mercier
Montblanc
Dunhill
Ralph Lauren Watches

LVMH Group (France)
Tag Heuer
Zenith
Hublot
Dior
Fred
Chaumet
Louis Vuitton

Movado Group (USA)
Ebel
Concord
Movado
ESQ Swiss
Coach
Hugo Boss
Juicy Couture
Tommy Hilfiger
Lacoste

Franck Muller Group (Switzerland)
Frank Muller
Martin Braun
Pierre Kunz
European Company Watch
Rodolphe
Barthelay
Backes and Strauss

Bulgari Group (Italy)
Bulgari
Daniel Roth
Gerald Genta

PPR Group (France)
Gucci
Bedat & Co.
Boucheron
Yves Saint Laurent

Timex Group (USA)
Vincent Berard
TX
Timex
Guess
Nautica
Versace
Salvatore Ferragamo
Valentino
Marc Ecko
Opex

Festina Group (Spain)
Perrelet
L. Leroy
Candino
Festina
Lotus
Jaguar
Calypso

Seiko Watch Corp. (Japan)
Grand Seiko
Credor
Seiko
Pulsar
Lorus
Alba

Citizen Group (Japan)
Campanola
Citzen
Q&Q
Accutron
Wittnauer (why do people say it is the same company as Movado??)
Bulova
Caravelle
Frank Lloyd Wright
Harley Davidsen

Binda Group (Italy)
Wyler Geneve
Breil Milano
D&G
Moschino
Ducati
Freestyle
Kenneth Cole
Tommy Bahama
Speedo
Mexx
 

horologie_unitas

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yeah, very intresting grouping.

i could never understand why people like Rado....

a $25 quartz movement ( mostly ) in $ 50 watch....that screams : GAY !

all that for only 1500 $

is that true sean ? you hate Panerai's and love Rados ?
 
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frenzalrhomb

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Does anyone know how many of those companies use ETA movements? Is it just those within the Swatch group and if so is there anyone else for all of those outside of it.

It strikes me as strange that we seem to lust after the ETA movements and apart from Seagull/Lemania that all other movements seem second class.
 

seanf

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horologie_unitas said:
yeah, very intresting grouping.

i could never understand why people like Rado....

a $25 quartz movement ( mostly ) in $ 50 watch....that screams : GAY !

all that for only 1500 $

is that true sean ? you hate Panerai's and love Rados ?

Half true. I hate most PAMs. I don't particularly like or dislike Rado, but at least with Rado, not every single watch they make looks exactly the same, ala PAM.
 

fakemaster

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Why did you tell wvwryone this? Now they will know that the people who make their 10k watches are the same ones who make hteir Wal-Mart watch.
 

phaedo

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hk45ca said:
man, nobody makes their own watch except rolex? my goodness!! :shock:
I don't see Breitling in the list either.... unless it was just missed - since they use ETA's in most watches, I thought they were probably owned by swatch - can't find any info though...
 

hk45ca

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they do use a eta base for their movements but they are not owned by another company to the best of my knowledge. since eta is going stop supplying other companies with their movements breitling is currently working on their own.
 

Natron

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LVMH Group (France)
Tag Heuer
Zenith
Hublot
Dior
Fred
Chaumet
Louis Vuitton

some additions to Louis Vitton Moet Hennessy (LVMH). I know they are not watch related, but from my industry.

Moet Chapagnes
Dom Perignon
Krug
Domaine Chandon
Veuve Cliquot
Ruinart
Hennessy Cognac
Belvedere Vodka
Chopin Vodka
Glenmorangie Scotch
10 Cane Rum
 

Dizzy

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very interesting info. I wonder what breitling is doing for movement design.. i can see some monster price increases in their future. maybe they will start using Asian ETA copy movements? lol
 

phaedo

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Dizzy said:
very interesting info. I wonder what breitling is doing for movement design.. i can see some monster price increases in their future. maybe they will start using Asian ETA copy movements? lol
They have come out with the Bentley GMT which I think might be in house, with how complicated it is. Lets get the rep of it soon!
 

daytona4me

Robert - EOW 19/01/2024
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Breitling is not a part of an ownership group.

Rolex is the same... well..with the exception that it is owned by The Wilsdorf Foundation.

That is why I did not list them.
 
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robmpulse

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it is important to remember that just because they are owed by another company, does not actually mean they are all being built by the same people in the same factories.

i am sure there could be some integration from time to time due to costs, but i am sure they all stay true to their brand. at least the higher end watches. well, one would like to think so......
 

boo

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I always thought Hamilton was an American company. I feel like a Harley owner who just found most of his bike parts are made in Japan...
 

cybee

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This is a nice list and it seems to be changing all the time. Now high-end companies like Hublot, Martin Braun and Roger Dubuis have been sold to other groups.

What about those other watch companies like Maurice Lacroix, Jacques Lemans, Wohler and way too many others too mention. These are companies that say their watches retail for $ 3,000 then sell them for $300.00 LOL...they all sell quartz chronographs for less than $200 but then also sell chronos with a 7750 movement in them. I guess it's all part of the Swiss-Asian connection.

Worst watch name: 'Juicy Couture', which is owned by the Movado Group. Watches should not be juicy.
 

Para

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Natron said:
LVMH Group (France)
some additions to Louis Vitton Moet Hennessy (LVMH). I know they are not watch related, but from my industry.

Moet Chapagnes
Dom Perignon
Krug
Domaine Chandon
Veuve Cliquot
Ruinart
Hennessy Cognac
Belvedere Vodka
Chopin Vodka
Glenmorangie Scotch
10 Cane Rum
We now know who to turn to for champaign recommendation... :wink:
 

ahw676

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Worst watch name: 'Juicy Couture', which is owned by the Movado Group. Watches should not be juicy.

Okay, I found that really funny. And I'm sure that it's going to be followed by some irreverent comment by seanf that in some way incorporates the words: Hooligan, Legend of Speed, Panerai, and juicy. But until we get there, I'll giggle on blissfully in my own little world.
 

cybee

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ahw676 said:
Worst watch name: 'Juicy Couture', which is owned by the Movado Group. Watches should not be juicy.

Okay, I found that really funny. And I'm sure that it's going to be followed by some irreverent comment by seanf that in some way incorporates the words: Hooligan, Legend of Speed, Panerai, and juicy. But until we get there, I'll giggle on blissfully in my own little world.

It is at once sad and giggily...Ebel is probably the most high-end company of the Movado Group but you have to wonder whether or not they are aware of the fact they are part of a watch group that owns a company that sells knit boxer shorts...imagine someone asks, "hey buddy where did ya get those nice boxer shorts" ? uh I bought them from the Movado Group. :shock:
 

eightfooticeman

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It is at once sad and giggily...Ebel is probably the most high-end company of the Movado Group but you have to wonder whether or not they are aware of the fact they are part of a watch group that owns a company that sells knit boxer shorts...imagine someone asks, "hey buddy where did ya get those nice boxer shorts" ? uh I bought them from the Movado Group. :shock:[/quote]

Hey I buy my shorts from the Movado group and I love them and they don't have the seconds @ 6 problem.