It might come as a surprise to learn that Favre Leuba is the world’s second-oldest watch company. Founded in 1737 by Abraham Favre in Le Locle, the brand reached a high point in the mid-1960s with its rugged purpose-designed tool watches. Now in the hands of industry veteran Patrik Hoffmann, his “revival and renaissance” strategy […]
Last week’s selection of novelties from Geneva Watch Days were our personal picks from everything new we’ve seen during our stay in the Swiss capital. Looking back at the list, we stand by our choices, but one thing stood out: all but one watch cost tens of thousands of euros, if not more. While that’s […]
A long-established name in the watch industry, with a deep heritage in crafting some of the most impressive tool watches during the golden era of mechanical watchmaking, Favre Leuba ad to face ups and downs, with multiple owners. Recently, the brand has been revived with veteran industry leader Patrik Hoffmann at its head. Re-launched at […]
Patrik Hoffmann has been at the forefront of the watch industry for years, notably as CEO of Ulysse Nardin and Executive Vice President of Watchbox. Now, this industry veteran is leading the revival of one of the oldest Swiss watch brands with ambitious plans. Established in 1737, Favre Leuba boasts a rich heritage, particularly from […]
One of the oldest names in the Swiss watch industry, Favre-Leuba made its comeback a few years ago. The Solothurn-based manufacturer has released a series of cool, sturdy mechanical watches for activewear, featuring unique built-in functions such as a depth-gauge for the Bathy or an altimeter for the Bivouac. After a few months at the […]
Next to the bold and technical Raider Harpoon, Bivouac 9000 or Bathy 120 Memodepth, the Favre Leuba Sky Chief Date is the brand’s most classic offering. Nonetheless, the model retains an asserted personality. In particular, its round case stands out with its signature “bridge” shaping the profile of the case and its faceted bezel. After […]
283 years ago, a man named Abraham Favre started making his own timepieces in Switzerland. The company expanded and shrunk again. After a temporary knock-out in 1985, Favre-Leuba has spent decades recovering to get back on its feet. And when this story comes together with quintessentially Swiss mountaineering, it teaches us a lesson about ‘Swiss […]
Favre-Leuba is one of the oldest names in the watch industry. The brand was relaunched a few years ago with rugged retro-themed adventure watches. Among these, the Raider Harpoon stands out with its quirky retro-futuristic design. At 46mm in diameter, this beast of a dive watch does not fly under the radar and is clearly […]
Today, we’re heading to Solothurn, Switzerland, the headquarters of watch brand Favre-Leuba, a dive, action and tool watch specialist. The brand has been quiet for several years but was back in the limelight recently with a collection of rugged, functional timepieces, like the Bivouac and the Harpoon – watches that pay tribute to the rich […]
Favre Leuba is known for its rugged functional watches. The brand’s unique mountaineering credentials owe much to the Bivouac collection. Back in the 1960s, the watch was one of the first to be fitted with a mechanical altimeter. In 1975, Japanese alpinist Junko Tabel, the first women to summit Everest, did so with a Bivouac […]