« The Most Popular Swiss Brands at Uhrinstinkt »
They are regarded as the spearhead of the watch world, are synonymous with quality, and have enjoyed international renown for centuries: Swiss-made watches from Swiss manufacturers. Many of the most prominent names are represented at Uhrinstinkt and enjoy immense popularity. We introduce you to the world of the most important manufactures, explain what makes each of them special, and present the current Swiss watch brands ranking for 2022 in ascending order.
Rado: Master of Ceramics
Once an insider tip, Rado is gaining ever more recognition thanks to its unconventionally elegant ceramic watches, earning it ninth place in our ranking. The Swatch Group subsidiary has perfected the processing of this lightweight, skin-friendly, and extremely scratch-resistant material, which is expressed above all in the True collection. While the True Square stands out from the crowd with its square design and includes exciting skeleton models, the True Thinline causes a stir with a wafer-thin case height of just 5 millimeters.
Equally iconic: the slim Integral collection, in which case and bracelet merge into one flowing unit. Unusual materials with timeless beauty – Rado is worth discovering in any ranking!
Rolex: Fame with a Crown
The most famous brand in the industry cannot be missing from the Swiss watch brands ranking 2022. The fact that Rolex only lands in eighth place is due to the limited availability of the legendary Datejust, Submariner, and Daytona collections, which have been regarded as the benchmarks of their class for decades. Certain references are in such high demand that waiting for years or paying steep premiums on the pre-owned market are the only options.
Our tip: Focus on the entry-level Oyster collection, the Explorer series, the Air-King, and the Milgauss to make your dream of owning a Rolex come true. If you are looking for maximum cult potential, stable value, and timeless beauty, the top Geneva brand should be on your radar.
Longines: Elegant Classics with a Rich History
Long underrated, Longines has now risen to become one of Switzerland's most popular brands and has launched some of the industry's best re-editions in recent years.
The Longines Heritage collection in particular, which has won over the trade press with the Skin Diver dive watch, the legendary Lindbergh Hour Angle Watch, and the elegant Conquest Heritage, deserves a closer look. The fact that Longines makes the Swiss watch brands ranking 2022 also has to do with the manufacturer's enormous strength in the women's segment – lines such as the sporty Conquest and the delicate DolceVita are prime examples. For men who appreciate excellent value for money, we recommend taking a look at the new Spirit Automatic collection.
Hublot: Luxury at Its Most Extreme
Big Bang – the name of Hublot's most popular collection is a fitting description of the brand's philosophy. Rather than restraint, the manufacture puts the big bang on the wrist front and center, with extravagant materials and skeletonized exotics.
Its catapult to sixth place in our ranking has as much to do with its strong differentiation from the rest of Switzerland as with an ingenious marketing strategy – ambassadors like Pelé, Usain Bolt, and Novak Djokovic aren't easy to come by. Especially on trend is the Spirit of Big Bang series, whose top models leave onlookers at the shop window open-mouthed with spectacular rainbow-colored gemstone patterns and complete transparency.
Zenith – The Fastest Chronographs in the World
Compiling the Swiss watch brands ranking 2022 without Zenith would be reprehensible on moral grounds alone. Famous for its El Primero chronograph movement, which sent shockwaves through the watch industry when it was unveiled in 1969, the brand earns fifth place with technical excellence and a radically revamped product portfolio.
Enthusiasts look first to the Chronomaster collection, which was recently expanded with several "Open" models featuring semi-skeletonized dials and has gained an entirely new, modern face with the Chronomaster Sport. If extreme technical performance is your priority, we recommend the Defy collection, where chronographs tick at up to 100 beats per second.
Oris: Swiss Quality at an Attractive Price
Oris has been a fixture in the ranking of the most popular Swiss brands for years. Since its founding in 1904, the independent company from the small town of Hölstein has produced exclusively mechanical watches, which are highly affordable thanks to the use of sourced calibers.
As the new Calibre 400 shows, however, the manufacturer is increasingly relying on in-house movements with impressive performance figures. Two Oris specialties deserve special mention: first, the distinctive "Big Crown" pilot's watches, and second, the water-resistant all-rounders of the Aquis collection. The manufacturer regularly supports global environmental projects and releases corresponding special collections – most recently the Aquis Date Upcycle with a dial made of recycled plastic. The all-too-often underrated dark horse of the 2022 ranking.
Tag Heuer: Motorsport Without Compromise
The bronze medal in the Swiss watch brands ranking 2022 goes to Tag Heuer. Inseparably linked to motorsport through its most prominent collections, Carrera and Monaco, the manufacturer is working like hardly any other on modernizing its product portfolio.
Not only is the Connected luxury smartwatch enjoying growing sales success, but so is the retro-inspired Autavia, whose legendary predecessors were first introduced in 1933. On the technical side, Tag Heuer gives you the choice between sourced movements and the more expensive but technically more powerful in-house calibers. The manufacturer demonstrates just how high its technical expertise is with a series of skeletonized tourbillon watches that bring this high-end complication to the wrist for under €20,000.
Omega: From the Mariana Trench to the Moon
The Moon landing, the Olympic Games, and James Bond are just a few of the keywords that come to mind for watch lovers when they think of Omega. The fact is: alongside Rolex and Breitling, the Swiss luxury brand is one of the most prominent names in the industry – thanks not only to its history but above all to the timepieces themselves. The Seamaster is considered the epitome of the upscale dive watch, while the Speedmaster dominates the segment of iconic chronographs.
Women take great interest in the Constellation line, which opens up countless possibilities, from lively sports models to opulent jewelry pieces. If you prefer maximum elegance and refined details, you'll find some of the most exciting Omega entry-level models in the De Ville collection – or the Tourbillon, by far the most exclusive and rarest piece from our runner-up.
Breitling: Legendary Pilot's Watches with a Big Name
And the winner is... Breitling! The luxury brand reaches the top of the Swiss watch brands ranking 2022 not only thanks to the pilot's watches of its flagship Navitimer collection, but above all thanks to CEO Georges Kern, who has been thoroughly modernizing the company since 2018.
In particular, the comeback of the burly Chronomat collection, the elegant Premier models, and the new Navitimer models for women are big steps for the company, which is moving away from its years-long course of extreme diameters and increasingly adding slimmer editions to its product portfolio. If you love chronographs, lead an active lifestyle from the cockpit to the world's oceans, and admire big brand names, Breitling is a first-class choice.
[box type="note" align="" class="" width=""]We hope the 2022 watch brands ranking has inspired you to find a new companion for your wrist – but it is no substitute for personal advice. And it's always worth looking beyond Switzerland's borders, too.[/box]
