Dior

Who are Dior?

Dior is a French fashion house founded in Paris in 1946 by Christian Dior (Wikipedia). It has sold Dior watches since the Black Moon of 1975, and since 2001 they have been developed and made by its Swiss watch arm, Les Ateliers Horlogers Dior, in La Chaux-de-Fonds (WorldTempus). This page covers Dior’s watches only: their history, movements, collections and ownership, then what to check when buying a Dior watch second-hand in the UK.

Dior does not make its own movements. Its watches use Swiss calibres from outside makers, some of them modified and renamed for Dior (Revolution; WorldTempus). It does not publish watch production figures.

The history of Dior watches

Dior licensed its first watches in the 1970s, set up its own Swiss watch company in 2001, and built the current collections from there. The key dates are the Black Moon (1975), Les Ateliers Horlogers Dior (2001), La D de Dior (2003), Chiffre Rouge (2004) and Grand Bal (2011).

Licensed watches. The first Dior watch, the Black Moon, came out in 1975 (Wikipedia; Swisswatches Magazine). Sources differ on who made it: Wikipedia names the licensee Benedom, which it calls Dior’s long-time watch partner, while Revolution says the first collection was made by a Swiss subsidiary of the American firm Bulova. The Bagheera followed in 1990 and La Parisienne in 1995 (Wikipedia).

Les Ateliers Horlogers Dior. In 2001 Dior created its own development and manufacturing arm, Les Ateliers Horlogers Dior SA, in La Chaux-de-Fonds (WorldTempus). Two years later it launched La D de Dior, the first watch designed by Victoire de Castellane, who designs Dior’s fine jewellery (WorldTempus; Wikipedia).

Chiffre Rouge and Christal. Chiffre Rouge, the first Dior men’s watch and its first automatic, followed in 2004 (WorldTempus; Watchonista). Wikipedia credits it to Hedi Slimane, then designing Dior Homme, and says it was recognised at the 2005 Basel watch fair. John Galliano’s Dior Christal, which used sapphire crystal in new ways such as pyramids on the bracelet, launched in 2005, and a Christal Tourbillon followed in 2008 (WorldTempus).

Dior VIII and Grand Bal. The Dior VIII collection of 2011 is named after Christian Dior’s lucky number, 8, and uses high-tech ceramic (WorldTempus). The same year Dior launched the Dior VIII Grand Bal, whose Dior Inversé calibre puts the winding rotor on the dial side (WorldTempus).

Recent years. Chiffre Rouge returned in 2024 for its 20th anniversary (Revolution), and in 2025 La D de Dior Buisson Couture won the Jewellery Watch Prize at the Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève (Tatler Asia).

What is Dior known for in watches?

In watches Dior is known for jewellery and dress watches that borrow from its couture, especially La D de Dior and Grand Bal, for the Chiffre Rouge men’s watch, and for the Dior Inversé calibre, which turns the rotor into part of the dial.

The rotor on the dial. In a normal automatic watch the rotor, the weighted part that winds the mainspring, sits behind the movement. The Dior Inversé calibre places it on top of the dial, where on the Grand Bal it is decorated like the skirt of a ball gown (WorldTempus). WorldTempus says the calibre was developed by Les Ateliers Horlogers Dior with the movement maker Soprod and the watchmaker Frédéric Jouvenot.

Movements from LVMH and outside makers. WorldTempus says Dior’s women’s watches use variations of the Elite calibre, created by Zenith in 1994: the hand-wound Elite 631 in La D de Dior and the automatic 671 and 681 in the Grand Soir. Revolution says the 2024 Chiffre Rouge uses a modified Sellita SW300, named Dior CD.002, for time-only models and a modified Zenith El Primero, named CD.001, for the chronograph. Zenith, like Dior, belongs to LVMH; see our Zenith page. Our guide to in-house and outsourced movements explains why the source of a movement matters.

Couture decoration. Dior’s decorated watches draw on its dressmaking: Swisswatches Magazine says the Grand Bal uses materials such as gold thread, silk and feathers, and the Chiffre Rouge’s dials and straps echo Dior’s quilted Cannage pattern (Revolution).

Which Dior watch collections are there?

Watchonista groups Dior’s current watches into five families: Grand Soir, Grand Bal, Chiffre Rouge, La D de Dior and Gem Dior. The collections table on this page gives a line on each. A few points help when you read listings:

• Quartz or mechanical. Dior makes both. Gem Dior watches are quartz (Watchonista), while Chiffre Rouge and Grand Bal are automatic (Revolution; WorldTempus). Check the dial, caseback and listing; our guide to mechanical and quartz watches explains the difference to own.
• Older lines. Dior VIII, Christal, Bagheera and Black Moon watches turn up second-hand but are not among the current families (Watchonista; WorldTempus).

Who owns Dior?

Dior watches belong to the Dior fashion house, Christian Dior Couture, which LVMH has owned outright since 2017. The deal was agreed in April 2017 (Inside Retail) and completed on 3 July 2017, when LVMH became the controlling owner of Christian Dior UK Limited in place of Christian Dior SE (Companies House). Les Ateliers Horlogers Dior is the watch arm of the house.

The names can confuse. Christian Dior SE, the listed company that used to own the fashion house, is now a holding company above LVMH, controlled by the Arnault family through Financière Agache (Wikipedia). In September 2026 the family set out a plan to merge its holding companies into Christian Dior SE and rename it Agache, to be put to a general meeting in December (FashionUnited).

In the UK, Christian Dior UK Limited (no. 02809988) was incorporated on 16 April 1993 and lists the retail sale of watches and jewellery among its activities (Companies House).

Buying a Dior watch second-hand in the UK: what to check

Check whether the watch is quartz or mechanical and which calibre it has, check that any stones and the strap are original, match the serial number to the papers, and run a stolen-watch check.

1. Papers and the full set. Ask which items come with the watch, whether they are originals, and whether the serial number on the case matches the card or receipt. Our guide to what “full set” means explains what each item proves.

2. Movement. Ask the seller for the calibre. A Chiffre Rouge from 2024 should have a Dior CD.001 or CD.002 (Revolution), and a Grand Bal the Dior Inversé (WorldTempus). Gem Dior watches are quartz (Watchonista).

3. Stones, decoration and ceramic. Many Dior watches are set with diamonds or decorated with feathers, lacquer or other fine materials (Swisswatches Magazine). Ask whether every stone is original and whether the dial has been restored. Look for chips on high-tech ceramic cases and bracelets such as the Dior VIII.

4. Warranty. Dior’s watch warranty terms, and whether they pass to a second owner, are not confirmed here. A dealer’s own warranty is a promise from the dealer, not from Dior. See watch warranties explained.

5. Servicing. For a mechanical Dior, ask when it was last serviced, by whom, and for the paperwork; decorated dials and dial-side rotors need a watchmaker who will handle them with care. Our guide on how to care for a mechanical watch covers what a service involves.

6. Authenticity. Buy from a seller who will put authenticity in writing and accept returns, and have the watch checked by a watchmaker you choose. Our guide on how to spot a fake watch covers what a watchmaker looks at.

7. Stolen-watch check. Check the serial number against a stolen-watch register before you pay. Our stolen-watch check guide lists the UK registers.

For the full process from setting a budget to collecting the watch, see the guide to buying a luxury watch.

Frequently asked questions

When did Dior start making watches?

Dior’s first watch, the Black Moon, came out in 1975 (Wikipedia). Its own Swiss watch company, Les Ateliers Horlogers Dior, was created in La Chaux-de-Fonds in 2001 (WorldTempus).

Where are Dior watches made?

In Switzerland. Les Ateliers Horlogers Dior is in La Chaux-de-Fonds (WorldTempus), and the watches are marked Swiss made (WorldTempus).

Does Dior make its own movements?

No. Dior uses Swiss calibres from outside makers, including Sellita-based and Zenith-based movements (Revolution; WorldTempus). The Dior Inversé calibre was developed for Dior with Soprod and Frédéric Jouvenot (WorldTempus).

Who owns Dior?

LVMH has owned the Dior fashion house, Christian Dior Couture, outright since July 2017 (Companies House). LVMH is controlled by the Arnault family (Wikipedia).

Who designed La D de Dior?

Victoire de Castellane, Dior’s fine jewellery designer. La D de Dior, launched in 2003, was the first watch she designed (WorldTempus).

What is the Dior Chiffre Rouge?

Dior’s first men’s watch and first automatic, launched in 2004 (WorldTempus) and relaunched in 2024 for its 20th anniversary (Revolution). Wikipedia credits the design to Hedi Slimane.

What is the Dior Grand Bal?

A collection launched in 2011 whose Dior Inversé calibre puts the winding rotor on the dial side, decorated like a ball gown (WorldTempus).

Are Dior watches quartz or automatic?

Both. Gem Dior watches are quartz (Watchonista); Chiffre Rouge and Grand Bal are automatic (Revolution; WorldTempus).

This page is general information. Watch60 is independent and has no commercial relationship with Dior.

We check the facts on this page against the sources listed, and it is correct to the best of our knowledge as of October 2026. Brands change their warranty, servicing and sales terms, so confirm them with the brand or the seller before you buy.