Harry Winston

Who are Harry Winston?

Harry Winston is a New York jeweller, founded in 1932, that has made watches since 1989 and has had its own watch manufacture in Geneva since the late 2000s (Wikipedia; Europa Star, 2008). It has been owned by the Swatch Group since 2013. This page covers its watches, not its jewellery: their history, the collections, who owns the company, and what to check when buying a Harry Winston watch second-hand in the UK.

Harry Winston is best known to watch collectors for the Opus series, in which it paid independent watchmakers to build one limited edition a year under both names (Phillips, 2024). Its everyday collections are mostly gold dress and jewellery watches, many set with diamonds. Harry Winston publishes no production figures, so any number you see is an outside estimate.

The history of Harry Winston watches

Harry Winston’s watch history runs from a first collection in 1989 to the Opus collaborations from 2001, its own Geneva manufacture from the end of 2007, and the Swatch Group takeover in 2013.

The jeweller. Harry Winston opened his first business as Harry H. Winston Jewels, Inc. in 1932, and it was renamed Harry Winston, Inc. in 1936. It moved to 718 Fifth Avenue in 1960, where it still is (Wikipedia). After Winston’s death in 1978, his sons Ronald and Bruce fought over the business for a decade; in 2000 Ronald Winston and Fenway Partners bought out Bruce’s share (Wikipedia).

First watches. Europa Star says Harry Winston’s first collection of timepieces appeared in 1989. The Ocean sports collection followed in 1998 (Luxury London, 2023).

Opus. Max Büsser, then head of the watch division, conceived the Opus series: each year one independent watchmaker designed and built a limited edition, and shared the credit with Harry Winston. Opus 1 (2001) was by François-Paul Journe (Quill & Pad). Büsser worked on the first five, including Opus 5 by Felix Baumgartner of Urwerk, then left in 2005 to found MB&F; Hamdi Chatti took over (Phillips, 2024). Later makers included Greubel Forsey (Opus 6), Christophe Claret (Opus 4) and Jean-Marc Wiederrecht (Opus 9) (Quill & Pad).

Zalium and Project Z. In 2004 Harry Winston released Project Z1, the first of a line of watches cased in Zalium, its trademarked zirconium-aluminium alloy (Quill & Pad, 2019).

The Geneva manufacture. In January 2008 Europa Star reported the opening of Harry Winston’s timepiece manufacture in Plan-les-Ouates, in Geneva’s watchmaking district. About 100 people worked there; one wing handled case making, assembly, gem setting and quality control, while dials were still made at Les Cadraniers (Europa Star, 2008). Other reports place the move at the end of 2007.

Histoire de Tourbillon. From 2009 Harry Winston added a second experimental series, Histoire de Tourbillon: ten watches built around multi-axis tourbillons, with movements designed with Complitime, a special projects workshop linked to Greubel Forsey (Phillips, 2024).

The Swatch Group years. In 2004 Aber Diamond Corporation bought into Harry Winston, completing the purchase in 2006 and renaming itself Harry Winston Diamond Corporation (Wikipedia). On 14 January 2013 the Swatch Group announced it would buy the jewellery and watch business, including the production company in Geneva and 535 employees (Swatch Group). Nayla Hayek became chief executive in 2013 (Wikipedia). Opus 14 was presented in November 2015 (Quill & Pad), and Histoire de Tourbillon ended with No. 10 in 2019 (Phillips, 2024). Sources differ on whether Opus is over: Phillips says the series ended in 2014, while Quill & Pad reports that Nayla Hayek said in 2019 it would continue.

What is Harry Winston known for in watches?

In watches, Harry Winston is known for the Opus series, the Histoire de Tourbillon series, its Zalium alloy, and gold dress and jewellery watches set with diamonds.

Opus. Phillips describes Opus as 14 limited editions released from 2001 to 2015, each made with an independent watchmaker. The watchmaker shared the credit on each watch (Phillips, 2024), so an Opus is as much the partner’s work as Harry Winston’s.

Histoire de Tourbillon. The ten Histoire de Tourbillon watches were made mostly in runs of 10 or 20. No. 1 (2009) had two inclined tourbillons; No. 10 (2019) had four, and Phillips calls it the first wristwatch with four complete tourbillons (Phillips, 2024).

Zalium. Zalium is Harry Winston’s trademarked name for a zirconium-aluminium alloy previously used in aerospace and medical parts. Quill & Pad notes that the exact composition has not been published.

Gem-set watches. Harry Winston groups gem-set pieces under High Jewelry Timepieces, alongside its regular collections (Harry Winston). Diamonds also appear across the regular collections: the 2013 Midnight Monochrome came with or without diamonds and the Premier Glacier had a diamond-set dial (Worldtempus, 2013), and the 2023 Ocean Date Moon Phase put the brand’s HW3202 automatic movement in a diamond-set white gold case (Luxury London, 2023).

Which Harry Winston watch collections are there?

Harry Winston’s current watch range is grouped into Ocean, Emerald, Avenue, Premier, Midnight, Harry Winston Moments, High Jewelry Timepieces, and Histoire de Tourbillon & Opus (Harry Winston).

A few points help when you read listings:

• Gem setting. The same model may be made with or without diamonds, as the Midnight Monochrome was (Worldtempus, 2013). The setting is part of the watch’s description, so check it against the reference and papers.
• Ocean. The Ocean range, introduced in 1998, includes complicated models such as the Ocean Biretrograde Perpetual Calendar and the Ocean Tourbillon Jumping Hour (Harry Winston, 2018; Worldtempus, 2013).
• Project Z. Project Z watches are cased in Zalium; Z13 was a limited edition (Quill & Pad, 2019). Match any edition number on the caseback to the papers.
• Opus and Histoire de Tourbillon. These were made in very small numbers, most Histoire de Tourbillon models in runs of 10 or 20 (Phillips, 2024). Phillips, an auction house, has published a guide to the series.

Who owns Harry Winston?

Harry Winston is owned by the Swatch Group. On 14 January 2013 the Swatch Group, based in Biel/Bienne, announced it was buying 100% of HW Holdings Inc., the owner of Harry Winston, Inc., including the brand, its jewellery and watch business and the production company in Geneva (Swatch Group). The mining business of Harry Winston Diamond Corporation in Toronto was not included (Swatch Group).

Nayla Hayek has been chief executive of Harry Winston since 2013 (Wikipedia). The company remains headquartered in New York (Wikipedia), while its watches are made in Geneva (Europa Star, 2008).

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

Check the gem setting and the case metal, match the serial and reference numbers to the papers, find out what remains of the warranty, ask for the service history, and run a stolen-watch check.

1. Papers and the full set. Harry Winston includes a warranty card in the box, which it says confirms the watch’s authenticity and its eligibility for the international warranty (Harry Winston). Ask whether the card is the original and whether its details match the watch. Our guide to what “full set” means explains what each item proves.

2. Diamonds and setting. Many Harry Winston watches are set with diamonds. Ask whether every stone is original and whether any setting work has been done, and by whom; stones replaced outside Harry Winston may not match. Our guide to watch condition grades explains the terms dealers use.

3. Warranty. Harry Winston gives a five-year international warranty on watches bought new from a Harry Winston salon or authorised retailer on or after 1 March 2026, and says work by anyone not authorised by its services voids it (Harry Winston). Older watches were sold under earlier terms, and the page does not say whether the warranty passes to a second owner. See watch warranties explained.

4. Servicing. Harry Winston recommends a full service every five years at an official Harry Winston service centre, and its service work carries a 24-month warranty (Harry Winston). Ask when the watch was last serviced, by whom, and for the paperwork.

5. 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.

6. Stolen-watch check and insurance. Check the serial number against a stolen-watch register before you pay; our stolen-watch check guide lists the UK registers. For cover once you own it, see watch insurance in the UK.

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

Frequently asked questions

Who owns Harry Winston?

The Swatch Group, which agreed to buy Harry Winston’s jewellery and watch business in January 2013 (Swatch Group).

When did Harry Winston start making watches?

Its first collection of timepieces appeared in 1989 (Europa Star, 2008).

Where are Harry Winston watches made?

At the brand’s manufacture in Plan-les-Ouates, Geneva, which opened at the end of 2007 or the start of 2008 (Europa Star, 2008).

What is the Harry Winston Opus series?

A series of limited editions made with independent watchmakers, from Opus 1 by François-Paul Journe in 2001 to Opus 14 in 2015 (Quill & Pad).

Which watchmakers made Harry Winston Opus watches?

Among them François-Paul Journe (Opus 1), Antoine Preziuso (2), Vianney Halter (3), Christophe Claret (4), Felix Baumgartner of Urwerk (5), Greubel Forsey (6), Andreas Strehler (7) and Ludovic Ballouard (13) (Quill & Pad).

What is Zalium?

Harry Winston’s trademarked zirconium-aluminium alloy, used for the cases of its Project Z watches since 2004 (Quill & Pad, 2019).

What warranty does a Harry Winston watch have?

Five years internationally for watches bought new from a salon or authorised retailer on or after 1 March 2026 (Harry Winston).

Does Harry Winston make its own movements?

Some of its watches use Harry Winston movements, such as the HW3202 automatic in the 2023 Ocean Date Moon Phase (Luxury London, 2023). Its experimental series used movements designed by partners: Opus by independent watchmakers, Histoire de Tourbillon with Complitime (Phillips, 2024).

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

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.