Favre-Leuba

Who are Favre-Leuba?

Favre-Leuba is a Swiss watch brand that traces its history to 1737, when Abraham Favre was registered as a watchmaker in Le Locle (Wikipedia). It is known above all for tool watches of the 1960s, such as the Bivouac with its mechanical altimeter, and has changed owners several times since the family sold it in the 1980s. It was relaunched in 2024 under new owners and management (Worn & Wound). This page covers its history, collections and ownership, then what to check when buying a Favre-Leuba watch second-hand in the UK.

The relaunched company usually writes its name without the hyphen, as Favre Leuba (Watchonista). Wikipedia calls it the second-oldest watch brand after Blancpain, and its chief executive describes it as “the second oldest Swiss watch brand” (Watchonista); see our page on Blancpain.

The history of Favre-Leuba

The Favre family. Abraham Favre (1702–1790) was registered as a watchmaker with his own workshop in Le Locle on 13 March 1737. In 1792 his son, also Abraham, and two grandsons founded A. Favre & Fils. In 1815 Henry-Augustus Favre worked with Auguste Leuba, from a family of watchmakers and merchants, to create the Favre-Leuba name (Wikipedia). Fritz Favre married Adele-Fanny Leuba in 1855 and took the business into markets across Europe, the Americas and Asia (Wikipedia).

India. Favre-Leuba began selling in India in 1865, and Wikipedia says it was the first Swiss watch company to establish itself there. By the end of the Second World War India was its most important market, served from an office in Mumbai (Wikipedia).

In-house calibres and tool watches. In 1955 the hand-wound FL101, the company’s first in-house calibre, appeared in the Sea Chief, Sea King and Sea Raider, followed by the automatic FL103 and FL104 in 1957 (Wikipedia). The Bivouac of 1962 used calibre FL251 and had an altimeter and aneroid barometer; the Deep Blue of 1964 was water-resistant to 200 metres; and the Bathy of 1968 showed dive time and depth (Wikipedia). Wikipedia says Walter Bonatti wore a Bivouac in 1964 and Junko Tabei wore one on her 1975 ascent of Everest.

Owners after the family. Wikipedia says the family was forced to sell in the 1980s, dating the sale to 1985 because of the quartz crisis, and lists later owners including Benedom SA and LVMH. When Titan, the watch business of India’s Tata Group, agreed to buy the brand in November 2011, the sellers were Valfamily S.L. of Spain and Maison Favre Leuba SA of Switzerland; Titan said the deal would give it global rights to the trademarks (Titan Company). Under Titan the brand launched the Raider Harpoon in 2016 and the Raider Bivouac 9000 in 2017 (Wikipedia).

Ethos and the relaunch. In May 2023 the Indian watch retailer Ethos announced that its subsidiary Silvercity Brands AG had bought Favre Leuba GmbH; Bar & Bench reported that Ethos “fully acquired Favre Leuba from Titan”. Patrik Hoffmann, formerly chief executive of Ulysse Nardin, led a relaunch at Geneva Watch Days in 2024 (Watchonista). Watchonista and Worn & Wound count 22 new references, while Wikipedia says 26. Luxury Tribune reported in April 2026 that India accounted for more than half of the company’s business.

What is Favre-Leuba known for?

The Bivouac. Wikipedia describes the 1962 Bivouac as “the first mechanical watch with an altimeter and an aneroid barometer”. It was worn by mountaineers including Walter Bonatti and Junko Tabei (Wikipedia), and the 2017 Raider Bivouac 9000 brought the idea back with a mechanical altimeter reading up to 9,000 metres (Wikipedia).

The Bathy and Deep Blue. The 1968 Bathy measured dive time and depth mechanically, and the 1964 Deep Blue was rated to 200 metres (Wikipedia). The 2024 Deep Blue Revival is described by Worn & Wound as “a near one for one remake of the original”.

Movements. Favre-Leuba made its own calibres in the 1950s and 1960s (Wikipedia). The relaunched range uses Swiss movements from La Joux-Perret and Chronode, and Watchonista reported plans to bring assembly and movement building in-house eventually. Our guide to in-house and outsourced movements explains the difference.

Which Favre-Leuba collections are there?

The relaunched range was built around three collections, Chief, Deep Blue and Sea Sky, themed around land, sea and air (Watchonista), with the Harpoon Revival added later (Luxury Tribune). The collections table on this page gives a line on each.

Second-hand listings fall into three groups, and they are different purchases:

• Vintage watches from before the 1980s, such as the Bivouac, Bathy, Deep Blue and Sea King, many with the company’s own FL calibres (Wikipedia).
• Titan-era watches from 2011 to 2023, such as the Raider Harpoon and Raider Bivouac 9000 (Wikipedia).
• Relaunched watches from 2024, in the Chief, Deep Blue, Sea Sky and Harpoon collections (Worn & Wound; Luxury Tribune).

Model names repeat across these periods, so a “Deep Blue” or “Harpoon” listing could be a 1960s original or a recent revival. Check the reference, the movement and the date on the papers.

Who owns Favre-Leuba?

Favre-Leuba is controlled by Silvercity Brands AG, a holding company based in Grenchen, which Luxury Tribune describes as owned by the Indian retailer Ethos. Ethos announced in May 2023 that Silvercity, then its subsidiary, had bought all of Favre Leuba GmbH (Bar & Bench; Enrich Money). Ethos’s own shareholding in Silvercity has since fallen: in May 2025 Ethos reported that its stake would move from 34.39% to 33.88% (Enrich Money), so Silvercity is no longer wholly owned by Ethos itself. Reports suggest Ethos’s parent company, KDDL, holds most of the rest directly and indirectly.

Before 2023 the brand belonged to Titan, which agreed to buy it in 2011 (Titan Company). Patrik Hoffmann has been chief executive since 2024 (Luxury Tribune).

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

1. Which era the watch is from. Decide whether you are buying a vintage watch, a Titan-era watch or a relaunched one, because the movement, parts and warranty position are different for each. Check the reference and papers against the period.

2. Vintage tool watches. On a Bivouac or Bathy, ask a watchmaker to check that the altimeter, barometer or depth gauge works, and ask about replacement parts for in-house FL calibres before you buy. Our guide on how to care for a mechanical watch covers what a service involves.

3. Water resistance. A dive watch’s rating depends on its seals, not the dial. Ask when the water resistance was last tested; our guide to water resistance explains what to ask.

4. Papers and warranty. Ask which items come with the watch and whether they are originals; our guide to what “full set” means explains what each item proves. For a relaunched watch, ask whether any manufacturer’s warranty remains and how it would be claimed. See watch warranties explained.

5. Authenticity and theft. Buy from a seller who will put authenticity in writing and accept returns. Our guide on how to spot a fake watch covers what a watchmaker looks at, and our stolen-watch check guide lists the UK registers to search before you pay.

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

Frequently asked questions

How old is Favre-Leuba?

It dates its history to 1737, when Abraham Favre was registered as a watchmaker in Le Locle (Wikipedia).

Who owns Favre-Leuba?

Silvercity Brands AG, which bought Favre Leuba GmbH in 2023 as a subsidiary of the Indian retailer Ethos (Bar & Bench). Ethos’s direct stake in Silvercity was reported at 33.88% in May 2025 (Enrich Money).

Does Titan still own Favre-Leuba?

No. Titan bought the brand in 2011 (Titan Company) and it passed to Ethos’s subsidiary Silvercity Brands in 2023 (Bar & Bench).

What is the Favre-Leuba Bivouac?

A watch launched in 1962 with a mechanical altimeter and an aneroid barometer (Wikipedia).

What is the Favre-Leuba Bathy?

A 1968 dive watch that measured dive time and depth mechanically (Wikipedia).

Is it Favre-Leuba or Favre Leuba?

Both are used. The historic name is usually hyphenated (Wikipedia), while the relaunched company writes Favre Leuba (Watchonista).

Where are Favre-Leuba watches made?

In Switzerland. Sources differ on the base of the current company: Wikipedia and Watchonista say Grenchen, while Luxury Tribune says Le Locle.

What movements do new Favre-Leuba watches use?

Swiss movements from La Joux-Perret and Chronode, according to Watchonista; the Deep Blue Revival uses the La Joux-Perret G100 (Worn & Wound).

This page is general information. Watch60 is independent and has no commercial relationship with Favre-Leuba, Ethos or Titan.

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.