FAVRE-LEUBA WATCHES
Favre-Leuba is one of the oldest and most iconic Swiss watch brands, a true legend that has preserved its heritage without interruption. Founded in Le Locle, in the Neuchâtel Mountains, in 1737, the brand is now headquartered in Grenchen, in the canton of Solothurn.
History of Favre-Leuba
From its founding by master watchmaker Abraham Favre in 1737 to pioneering innovations like the Bivouac and Bathy, Favre Leuba’s history is a testament to its relentless pursuit of excellence. Each era has seen the brand push boundaries, whether through groundbreaking collaborations with legendary Breguet or creating timepieces favored by explorers and adventurers.
1700s
The story of Favre Leuba begins with Abraham Favre, a master watchmaker passionate about his craft. In 1792, his son Frédéric joined him and the workshop was officially incorporated as ‘A. Favre & Fils.’ Innovation quickly became their hallmark, with the introduction of new mechanisms and novel designs.
In 1815, Frédéric’s son Henry-Auguste partnered with watchmaker and merchant Auguste Leuba, marking the birth of Favre Leuba. In 1855, his grandson Fritz married Adèle-Fanny Leuba, which further strengthened the family and commercial ties.
In 1764, Abraham Favre collaborated with iconic figures like Jacques-Frédéric Houriet and Abraham-Louis Breguet, cementing a long tradition of excellence.
1800s
In the 19th century, under the leadership of Fritz Favre, the company expanded internationally, exporting its watches to India, China, and the Americas. Explorers and adventurers, especially, prized Favre Leuba watches for their quality combined with robustness and precision.
In 1851, Favre Leuba pocket watches received international awards, solidifying their global reputation. In 1865, Favre Leuba became the first Swiss watch brand to enter the Indian market, establishing a lasting presence.
1900s
Throughout its history, Favre Leuba never stopped innovating. Under the leadership of Henry A. Favre during the years following the Second World War, the company continued efforts to improve the technology of the watch movements, focusing on improving their properties under temperature variations.
In 1962, the brand introduced the Bivouac, the world’s first wristwatch equipped with an aneroid barometer, capable of mechanically measuring atmospheric pressure and altitude – an innovation acclaimed by mountaineers and extreme sports enthusiasts.
1964 saw the launch of one of the earliest diving timepieces, the “Deep Blue”, which was waterproof to 200m.
In 1968, the brand launched the Bathy, a revolutionary watch featuring a mechanical depth gauge for divers, further enhancing its reputation in the realm of technical watches.
The “Sea Raider” followed in 1970, with a true techno-logical break-through : their first high frequency movement of 36’000 vibrations per hour giving the watch unparalleled accuracy.
The 1970s and 1980s were marked by the quartz crisis, which upended the Swiss watchmaking industry.
Despite its many innovations, Favre Leuba felt the impact of this challenging period. The brand faced turbulent times, but its heritage and craftsmanship remained intact.
Proud of its 300-year history, the watch company was managed by eight generations of Favres and Leubas, before a short ”eclipse” at the end of the twentieth century. Two sons of Henry A. Favre, Florian A. & Eric A. Favre, continued to lead the company as the eighth generation.
The introduction of cheap quartz movements in 1969 nevertheless plugged the Swiss watch industry into serious crisis, which did not stop at the gates of Favre-Leuba’s workshops.
After integration into the Saphir Group, to which Jaeger-LeCoultre also belonged, the family was subsequently compelled to sell the brand in the 1980s. After that, the company changed ownership, with owners including Benedom SA and LVMH.
2000s
Favre Leuba made a notable return to the forefront of the watchmaking scene in 2007 with the Mercury Collection – a striking trio featuring a Chronograph in rose gold, a Big Date in rose gold, and a Power Reserve in steel.
In November 2011, Titan Company Limited, the watch manufacturing company of the Tata Group acquired the brand and transferred its company headquarters to Zug.
At BaselWorld 2017, they introduced the Raider Bivouac 9000, the only watch to measure altitude up to 9000m mechanically.
Throughout the decade, Favre Leuba has supported athletes and explorers, such as Pen Hadow’s Arctic Mission and mountaineer Adrian Ballinger, who set a record on Mount Everest with the Raider Bivouac 9000 in 2018. Celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Bathy in 2018, they launched the Raider Bathy 120 MemoDepth.
In 2023, Favre Leuba’s holding company Silvercity Brands AG was acquired by Ethos Limited, the largest luxury watch retailer in India. The new management has appointed Patrik Hoffmann as the CEO of the brand.
Ethos is a subsidiary of KDDL Limited, an India based watch business conglomerate specialised the production of watch components. This group also owns Switzerland-based watch hands and dial making companies Estima AG and Pylania SA.
In 2024, Favre Leuba began a fresh chapter with three collections comprising 22 all new references presented at Geneva Watch Days.
Favre Leuba Historic Watch Models
BIVOUAC (1962)
The revolutionary BIVOUAC has been regarded as an essential instrument for mountaineers since its launch in 1962. It is equipped with multiple measurement functions, one of which indicates the altitude and the weather based on barometric pressure.
The aneroid barometer is a real mechanical marvel that functions by means of a partial vacuum in a metal capsule, which contracts when the air pressure is high and expands when it is low. These variations are amplified and transmitted to a mechanism which, coupled with an altimeter, displays the information on the dial.
– Rotating bezel with mobile altitude scale
– Barometric scale with red marker at 760 mmHg
– Red altimeter-barometer hand
Before worrying about rust, watchmakers sought a way to combat dust. It was from research into sealing their timepieces against air-born impurities that the first water-resistant watches were born. But it was thanks to the invention of the screw-down crown that the first truly waterproof watch was made. Since then, diver’s watches have undergone spectacular progress, aided by their use in submarine combat units.
Bathy (1966)
It was with the BATHY that Favre-Leuba created the first depth gauge graduated in metres (50 m) and feet (160 ft). Besides indicating the length of time spent underwater, the BATHY gave divers a direct and accurate reading of their depth.
Mercury Collection (2007)
Launched in 2007, the Mercury collection was inspired by the eclipse of the planet Mercury by Venus in 1737 – the year that the Favre Manufacture was officially registered.
Timeline
1718: Abraham Favre begins his watchmaking apprenticeship.
1737: Abraham Favre is established as an independent watchmaker in Le Locle.
1764: Collaboration with Jacques-Frederic Houriet and Abraham Louis Breguet.
1792: Abraham’s sons Frédéric and Henry-Louis join the business, marking the start of the ‘A. Favre & Fils’ dynasty.
1815: The Favre family partners with watchmaker Auguste Leuba, creating the Favre Leuba brand.
1851: Favre Leuba pocket watches win international awards.
1865: Favre Leuba is the first Swiss brand to enter the Indian market.
1945: International expansion regains momentum after World War II.
1962: The Bivouac, the world’s first wristwatch with an aneroid barometer is introduced.
1968: The Bathy, the first watch to mechanically display the dive depth, is launched.
1985: The quartz crisis leads to a change in ownership.
2024: The brand is relaunched internationally at Geneva Watch Days.
