16th [March 2025 Latest] Luxury Watch Current Affairs News: The History of Carl F. Bucherer and the Future of the Prestigious Jewelry and Watch Store Bucherer

*This article provides a comprehensive explanation of Carl F. Bucherer, a long-established luxury watch brand and prestigious jewelry and watch store, from its historical background to its future prospects.

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introduction

Luxury watches are supported by enthusiasts and collectors around the world for their brand value, which is backed by outstanding technical capabilities and historical background. In this article, we will look into the history of Carl F. Bucherer, a long-established brand originating in Lucerne, Switzerland, and provide a detailed explanation of the brand's history from its founding to its latest trends and future prospects. We will also provide an easy-to-understand explanation from an economic perspective, by analyzing market changes over the years and the impact of industry restructuring.

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1. Brand History (1888-2023)

The history of Carl F. Bucherer began in 1888 when founder Carl Friedrich Bucherer opened the jewelry and watch store "Bucherer" in Lucerne, Switzerland. While initially dealing in jewelry, the company honed its watchmaking skills and released its first original wristwatch collection bearing the family name in 1919. Its Art Deco designs for women in particular captured the trends of the time and were highly popular.

In the first half of the 20th century, Bucherer was at the forefront of watchmaking, contributing to innovative technological developments such as participating in the world's first quartz wristwatch, the Beta 21 Project. In the 1960s, the company achieved mass production of high-precision chronometers and grew to become one of the top manufacturers in Switzerland at the time.

In 1976, Jorg G. Bucherer, the third generation of the founding family, took over management, and in 2001 the brand was restructured with a view to global expansion. In the same year, the sporty "Patravi" collection was born, and in 2007, the company achieved innovation in watchmaking with the launch of its own in-house movement, the "CFB A1000."

• 1888: Founded in Lucerne, Switzerland
• 1919: Launch of the first original wristwatch collection
• 1960s: Mass production of high-precision chronometers
• 2001: Rebranding and global expansion begins

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2. Background and details of the 2023 Rolex acquisition

In August 2023, shocking news hit the watch industry. The long-established Bucherer company was to be acquired by Rolex, with which it had a partnership of over 90 years. According to reports, the acquisition price was not disclosed, but one of the major factors was that the founding family had no direct successor.

Rolex indicated its intention to maintain Bucherer's independent management even after the acquisition, and stated that "there will be no changes to product allocation or distribution systems." This aimed to secure a stable management base without compromising the existing retail store network (more than 100 stores worldwide) or Carl F. Bucherer's brand image. On the other hand, there were concerns in the market about Rolex's direct sales strategy and the superiority of its distribution channels, and this marked a turning point that attracted attention throughout the industry.

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3. Carl F. Bucherer announces the closure of its brand

Changes in the times are inevitable. In 2025, Carl F. Bucherer, which had continued to exist under Rolex, finally decided to close its doors. Several media outlets, including the Swiss economic magazine Bilanz and Handelszeitung, reported the news of the brand's closure, and Carl F. Bucherer Japan made an official announcement.

The background to the brand's closure was the company's long history of low profitability and failure to recoup investments totaling approximately 250 million Swiss francs (approximately 36 billion yen). Even in good years, sales remained at around 80 to 100 million Swiss francs, calling into question the sustainability of the business. The Rolex Group decided to liquidate unprofitable businesses in order to reconstruct an efficient management structure.

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4. Latest quantitative data and position within the Rolex Group

Carl F. Bucherer, as a luxury brand backed by its history and tradition, has maintained a stable production system and sales network in recent years. According to the most recent data, about 25,000 watches are produced annually, with about 60% of the products being men's models and 40% being women's models, and the average price range is 5,000 to 30,000 Swiss francs (about 800,000 to 4.8 million yen).

In addition, just before the brand was discontinued, a network of about 250 authorized dealers was established around the world, of which about 50 were directly operated by Bucherer itself and its American subsidiary Truneau. The brand's influence in the global market is still significant, with sales in Asia, including China, accounting for about 40% of total sales.

This data shows that Carl F. Bucherer's position within the Rolex Group is one of a fusion of tradition and technological innovation, but it also highlights the fact that, in comparison with Rolex, which is said to produce more than one million watches per year, economic rationality is being questioned and the company has been subject to business reorganization in consideration of costs and profits.

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Future outlook

The Rolex Group plans to use the closure of Carl F. Bucherer as an opportunity to pursue a more efficient brand strategy and reallocation of management resources. In December 2022, Rolex surprised fans around the world by introducing Certified Pre-Owned (CPO). And Bucherer, as a retailer, became the first partner in selling certified pre-owned Rolex watches. In the future, it is expected that Bucherer will not only disseminate information as a Rolex direct dealer, but also further increase its competitiveness in the global market.

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summary

In this article, we have introduced in detail the traditions and techniques of Carl F. Bucherer that have been accumulated for over 137 years since its founding in 1888, and the trajectory of the brand up to its closure following its acquisition by Rolex in 2023. In the future, as a prestigious jewelry and watch store, Bucherer is expected to play a role in globally expanding the distribution of not only Rolex but also luxury watches.

As the economic situation and the market change with every passing moment, how will traditional brands evolve and be passed on to the next generation? Carl F. Bucherer's journey is not just the history of a watch brand, but also an important indicator of the future of the luxury watch industry as a whole. We will continue to pay close attention to industry trends and strive to pave the way for a new era together with you.

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