Top 10 List of Best Watch Brands in the World | Watch Industry
What are the best watch brands in the world? This is BizVibe’s top 10 list of best watch brands in the world in 2020 taking innovation, popularity, and revenue in context. These are companies known for their endless timepieces, complicated engineering, and prestige throughout the world.
Just how big is the watch industry? The global watch industry is projected to grow at a CAGR of 9.92% in the next few years, with North America being the largest market in the world for the buyer’s market. Rolex is currently the most valuable watch brand in the world, valued at around USD 8.05 billion.
- Discover who are the best watch brands in the world in 2020?
- Global watch industry trends you should know.
- Which watches are consumers likely to buy in 2020?
- List of top watch brands by affordability and reliability
BizVibe is already helping the top watch brands in the world connect. Connect and track the latest news and insights from these companies.
Global Watch Industry Trends and Stats
- Lower-priced and mid-priced watches are gaining market traction, due to increasing demand for ‘value-for-product’ watches and accessories among women.
- Brands, like Casio and Timex, are continuously investing in R&D for product innovations to blend some of the features of smartwatches with the long-lasting battery life of digital watches, while offering the product in attractive design and affordable prices.
- Rolex is the leading Swiss watch brand in the world, the Rolex brand was valued at around USD 8.05 billion.
Top 10 List of Best Watch Brands in the World 2020
What are the best watch brands in the world in 2020? Before we get to reliability and affordability, the following is a list of the top 10 luxury watch brands in 2020, ranked by reliability ratings and business performance by revenue.
1. Jaeger-LeCoultre
Jaeger-LeCoultre is number 1 on this list of the top 10 list of best watch brands in the world in 2020. This Swiss luxury watch and clock manufacturer founded by Antoine LeCoultre in 1833 and is currently based in Le Sentier, Switzerland. Jaeger-LeCoultre is known for a leading Richemont brand and has hundreds of inventions under the brand. This top watch brand is known for one of the most complicated wristwatches with its Grande Complication.
Jaeger-LeCoultre is owned by parent company Richemont, a Switzerland-based luxury goods holding company founded in 1988 by South African businessman Johann Ruper. Jaeger-LeCoultre is the #1 watch in the world.
- Founded: 1833
- Jaeger-LeCoultre Industry: Luxury watchmaking
- Jaeger-LeCoultre Headquarters: Le Sentier, Vaud, Switzerland
Top Jaeger-LeCoultre Products
- Watches
- Clocks
2. Audemars Piguet
Audemars Piguet is known as one of the top 10 luxury watch brands around known for making over 36,000 of their prestigious timepieces a year. Audemars Piguet is a Swiss manufacturer of luxury mechanical watches and clocks, headquartered in Le Brassus, Switzerland. One of the top luxury watch brand makers in the world, the company is might be best known for introducing the Royal Oak wristwatch in 1972. In 1892, one of Audemars Piguet’s crowning achievements was creating the world’s first minute-repeating movement for wristwatches, putting the company at the top of innovation. Due to being a pioneer in the industry, Audemars Piguet is number 2 on BizVibe’s watch brand ranking list of 2020.
- Founded: 1875
- Audemars Piguet Industry: Luxury watchmaking
- Audemars Piguet Headquarters: Le Brassus, Switzerland
- Audemars Piguet Revenue: USD 1.1 billion
Top Audemars Piguet Products
- Watches
- Clocks
3. Vacheron Constantin
Number 3 on the top 10 list of best watch brands in the world in 2020 is another Swiss watchmaker owned by parent company Richemont. Vacheron Constantin is a Swiss luxury watch and clock manufacturer founded in 1755. The company is one of the oldest watchmakers in the industry and known for their brand of fine and luxury watches. The company employs over 1,200 people and operates two factories in Switzerland. Vacheron Constantin still holds the title of the most complicated mechanical watch ever made with its 57 horological complications.
- Founded: 1755
- Vacheron Constantin Industry: Luxury watchmaking
- Vacheron Constantin Headquarters: Plan-les-Ouates, Canton of Geneva, Switzerland
Top Vacheron Constantin Products
- Watches
- Clocks
4. Patek Philippe
Patek Phillipe ranks 4th on BizVibe’s top 10 list of best watch brands as a company known for its complicated, but impressive watch mechanics. This brand is especially known for its consistent and leading marketing and promotional efforts. The company is one of the top watch brands by revenue, bringing in USD 1.3 billion last year. Patek Philippe employs over 2,000 people. Patek Philippe is known for its high production output, making over 62,000 watches a year.
- Founded: 1839
- Patek Phillipe Industry: Luxury watchmaking
- Patek Phillipe Headquarters: Plan-les-Ouates, Canton of Geneva, Switzerland
Top Patek Phillipe Products
- Watches
- Clocks
5. Blancpain
5th on BizVibe’s top 10 list of best watch brands in the world is Blancpain, a Swiss luxury watch manufacturer, headquartered in Paudex/Le Brassus, Switzerland. The company designs, manufactures, distributes, and sells prestige and luxury mechanical watches. Owned by the parent company The Swatch Group, Blancpain for its modernized production rates and innovation. Founded in 1735. Blancpain is one of the oldest watch brands around.
- Founded: 1735
- Blancpain Industry: Luxury watchmaking
- Blancpain Headquarters: Paudex/Le Brassus, Switzerland
6. Cartier
More than just a watchmaker, Cartier is 6th on top 10 list of best watch brands in the world due to its high revenues and exceptional production output. Cartier’s most famous watch is arguably the Tank Watch, known for being modeled after a military tank.
Cartier is a French luxury goods conglomerate that designs, manufactures, distributes, and sells jewelry and watches. Last year, the company brought in revenues of USD 6.1 billion — making it one top watch brands ranked by revenue in the world.
- Founded: 1847
- Cartier Industry: Jewelry manufacturing, watchmaking
- Cartier Headquarters: Paris, France
- Cartier Revenue: USD 6.1 billion
Top Cartier Products
- Jewelry
- Watches
7. Chopard
Known for producing over 75,000 watches per year, Chopard is famous for its impressive production output. Chopard is a Swiss manufacturer and retailer of luxury watches, jewelry, and accessories. Outside of impressive production output, the company is also known for its high-quality watches under its product line. Chopard’s current headquarters are in Geneva, Switzerland.
- Founded: 1860
- Chopard Industry: Watchmanikg, luxury watches and goods
- Chopard Headquarters: Geneva, Switzerland
Top Chopard Products
- Jewelry
- Watches
8. International Watch Company
Ranking 8th on BizVibe’s watch brand ranking 2020 list is the International Watch Company best known for the precise engineering of its timepieces. The company is a luxury Swiss watch manufacturer located in Schaffhausen, Switzerland. IWC was founded by American watchmaker Florentine Ariosto Jones in 1868. The company is also known for its high-quality watches made with titanium.
- Founded: 1868
- IWC Industry: Watchmaking
- IWC Headquarters: Schaffhausen, Switzerland
Top IWC Products
- Watches
9. Rolex
9th on BizVibe’s top 10 list of best watch brands in the world in 2020 is Rolex, the Swiss luxury watch manufacturer based in Geneva, Switzerland. Rolex products are known to be some of the most expensive watches in the world, with Paul Newman’s Rolex Daytona still holding the title of the second most expensive wristwatch and the third most expensive watch ever sold at an auction. The watch brand currently employs over 6,000 people and brought in annual revenues of USD 4.6 billion last year.
- Founded: 1905
- Rolex Industry: Watch manufacturing
- Rolex Headquarters: Geneva, Switzerland
Top Rolex Products
- Watches
10. Omega
Rounding out BizVibe’s top 10 list of best watch brands in the world in 2020 is Omega, Swiss luxury watchmaker based in Biel/Bienne, Switzerland. The company is known for its extensive line of popular brands of luxury watches. Its watches have ap[pear in famous movies like the James Bond series of films. Omega watches were the choice of NASA and the first watch on the Moon in 1969.
- Founded: 1848
- Omega Industry: Watch manufacturing
- Omega Headquarters: Biel/Bienne, Switzerland
Top Omega Products
- Watches
This is BizVibe’s top 10 list of best watch brands in the world in 2020 taking luxury prestige, production output, and revenue into context. These companies are changing the way businesses are pushing the boundaries in the global watch industry and are leveraging tactics that have made them famous for generations.
Reach out to the best watch brands today on BizVibe.
Most Reliable Watch Brands by Affordability
Luxury watches are great but the market for every day, affordable watches is important too. These are the best watch brands that won’t break the bank in 2020.
Ranking |
Company |
Headquarters |
| 1 | Seiko | Japan |
| 2 | Casio | Japan |
| 3 | Orient | Japan |
| 4 | Citizen | Japan |
| 5 | Hamilton | Switzerland |
| 6 | Tissot | Switzerland |
| 7 | Timex | USA |
The Future of the Global Watch Industry
What’s the future of the global watch industry? The industry is trending towards affordability and luxury at the same time. The popularity of smartwatches is also sure to change and disrupt the market in the future as consumers gravitate towards functionality as opposed to just status pieces. Expect the top 10 list of best watch brands to innovate with consumer demand shifting to digital segments
