Barrymore
Laureate
Metropolitan
Montserrat
Orpheum Collection
Savoy
Astor Collection
Ceramic

About The Wittnauer Collection

Designed from the start to apply exquisite Swiss craftsmanship to the challenges and demands of American life, Wittnauer has, for almost 125 years, been America’s own Swiss watch.

Only 16 when he arrived in New York from Switzerland in 1872, Albert Wittnauer, already a skilled watchmaker, quickly became a dedicated student of American life. Working for his brother-in-law, an importer of fine Swiss watches, young Wittnauer soon became convinced of the need for a watch designed expressly for the growing U.S. market. The result, in 1880, was the Wittnauer brand, manufactured in Geneva for the New York-based company with all the functions and durability demanded by the active American consumer.

Making its mark as the timepiece of choice when performance was crucial, Wittnauer rapidly became a favorite of navigators, astronomers, geographers and explorers, accompanying polar aviator Commander Richard E. Byrd to both the Arctic and Antarctica. By the early years of the 20th century, Wittnauer chronometers, prized for extreme accuracy, had become essential equipment at observatories and military installations throughout the country. And, in 1918, the Wittnauer All-Proof debuted as the world’s first waterproof, shock-proof and anti-magnetic watch, testing its mettle through the years by being dropped from airplanes, thrown from the Empire State Building and subjected to the rigors of both the Amazon and the Himalayas.

Innovation was to be expected at Wittnauer – after all, by then it was one of the few major American companies to be headed by a woman. Martha Wittnauer, sister of Albert and long an important force in the business, followed brothers Louis and Emile to the helm in 1916 – a full four years before women were given the vote – and steered the company to some of its greatest successes in her two decades of leadership.

Today’s extraordinary Wittnauer designs draw from this classic tradition. With a matchless blend of luxurious styling and superb craftsmanship, Wittnauer brings watchmaking excellence into the night with America’s most exquisite special occasion watches. Continuing to offer the finest Swiss craftsmanship to the most discerning U.S. consumers, and still headquartered in New York, Wittnauer presents elegance and precision with an unmistakably American accent.