Founded in Geneva by Polish watchmaker Antoni Patek and Czech-Polish partner François Czapek, the company later partnered with French horologist Adrien Philippe—inventor of the keyless winding mechanism—to establish one of the most prestigious "holy trinity" watchmakers in history.
Louis-François Cartier founded the Maison in Paris after taking over his master's workshop, later becoming known as the "jeweler of kings" through innovative jewelry and iconic watches like the Santos and Tank.
Louis Brandt founded a small workshop in La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland, assembling key-wound precision pocket watches, which his sons later transformed into an industrial powerhouse that became known for the Speedmaster "Moonwatch".
Founded in the Vallée de Joux by Jules Louis Audemars and Edward Auguste Piguet, this brand is known for high-end complications and creating the iconic Royal Oak luxury sports watch.
Founded in London by Hans Wilsdorf and Alfred Davis as Wilsdorf and Davis, the company was later renamed Rolex and moved to Switzerland, pioneering the first waterproof wristwatch (the Oyster) and self-winding rotor.
Richard Mille, an experienced watch industry executive, collaborated with Dominique Guenat to launch their own brand, immediately disrupting the industry with lightweight, durable watches inspired by Formula 1 engineering.