OUR HERITAGE
FOR OVER 130 YEARS
Carl Friedrich Bucherer
The history and development of the Lucerne-based watch brand is closely linked to the person of Carl Friedrich Bucherer. A visionary who created timepieces that moved with the times, in the truest sense, always combining extravagance and aesthetic appeal in extraordinary ways.
In 1888, Carl Friedrich Bucherer opened a jewelry and watch shop in Lucerne, and his name rapidly became a synonym for quality and originality. His two sons were destined from the cradle to follow him into the profession: one learned to become a watchmaker while the other trained as a goldsmith. Today, the combination of these two artistic skills is still reflected in the perfect form of watches, which are truly pieces of jewelry.
“The surprising marriage of jeweler skills and watchmaker expertise is what made
Carl F. Bucherer’s creations unique from the beginning.”
1888 - 1926
FOUNDATION AND FIRST CREATIONS
Foundation of the company and creation of the first ladies’ watch collection. At the end of the nineteenth century, the pocket watch is an essential accessory for gentlemen. Yet Carl Friedrich Bucherer believes that wristwatches will replace the traditional pocket watch in the near future – and he is proven right. At the same time both sons, Carl-Eduard and Ernst Bucherer, start to work in the company.
1949 - 1959
FIRST CHRONOGRAPHS AND WORLD TIMER
Bucherer develops an entire line of chronographs featuring one, two, or three subdials, a tachometer and a big date. As a consequence of a new cosmopolitan spirit, the need for carefree timekeeping makes the world timer and tracking the hour in different time zones very popular.
1960 - 1979
CHRONOMETERS AND ARCHIMEDES SUPERCOMPRESSOR
High-precision certified watches become icons of the era and the company becomes one of the top three Swiss chronometer manufacturers. New milestones are set with the Archimedes Supercompressor, water-resistant to 200m and combined with a world time mechanism.
1980 - 1999
A MORE DARING DESIGN AND THE GOLDEN NINETIES
As timepieces reach a certain technical and qualitative maturity, watchmakers start to rethink the design codes and aesthetics become more unconventional and extravagant. In the nineties, mechanical timepieces play a considerable role – primarily in the high-end segment – making Switzerland the leading source of luxury watches.
2001 - 2007
AN AUTONOMOUS WATCH BRAND AND A NEW ERA
The 2001 launch of a truly autonomous watch brand, Carl F. Bucherer, heralds a new era. Its arrival on the scene is proclaimed by the Patravi TravelTec, a chronograph with COSC-certified chronometer movement and three different time-zones. The bar is raised again with the launch of the Patravi ChronoGrade – a unique timepiece with six different functions.
2008 - 2013
FIRST IN-HOUSE MOVEMENT AND TOURBILLON
Carl F. Bucherer presents the new in-house CFB A1000 caliber with a unique peripheral rotor and a 55-hour power reserve, presented in the Patravi EvoTec and the Manero PowerReserve. Followed by the first Patravi, the first tourbillon is launched in 2013.
2016 - 2018
NEXT TWO INHOUSE MOVEMENTS
The industry leader in peripheral technology, Carl F. Bucherer launches the new Manero Peripheral with in-house CFB A2000 caliber, Chronometer COSC, in 2016. Soon afterward, the Manero Tourbillon DoublePeripheral with a CFB T3000 caliber movement is presented and Carl F. Bucherer becomes a member of the Fondation de la Haute Horlogerie.
2019
TREASURING VALUES – THE NEW HERITAGE COLLECTION
The new Heritage line is a tribute to both our multifaceted tradition and our hometown of Lucerne. The Heritage timepieces combine timeless design with contemporary sophistication – a watch born of more than 130 years of style and savoir faire. Each exclusive, limited-edition timepiece is an ode to our rich heritage.
2021
SETTING NEW STANDARDS IN PERIPHERAL TECHNOLOGY
Carl F. Bucherer’s in-house MR3000 caliber sets new standards in the field of peripheral technology. The brand’s unique peripheral rotor is combined with a peripherally suspended and floating tourbillon as well as a peripherally-mounted regulator of a minute repeater mechanism.
free spirit
since 1888
Self-confidence is an essential precondition for becoming established as an entrepreneur. Carl Friedrich Bucherer’s self-confidence was based on creativity, technical skills, prudence and a steadfast adherence to his goals. Since its formation more than 125 years ago, the company formed by this visionary figure has remained in the sole ownership of the Bucherer family. Continuity, a free spirit and entrepreneurial independence are thus hallmarks of our brand, as is the dynamism that has again and again put us decisively ahead of time.
