| Cartier and Corum watches are considered by many | | | | company. The familys involvement surely must help to |
| to be some of the finest timepieces ion the world. | | | | keep alive the artistic vision of the founders while |
| What follows are brief histories of each company.With | | | | maintaining the high standards that have always been |
| a relatively short history compared to other well | | | | associated with the tradition of Swiss watch making. |
| known Swiss watch making companies, Corum has | | | | |
| been well established on the list of fine watches that | | | | Available in an unusually wide range of prices and a |
| continue to come out of Switzerland. | | | | somewhat topsy-turvy ride through the history of |
| | | | | watch making, the Cartier watch continues to |
| Started in 1955, the cofounder, Gaston Reis got his | | | | represent a unique style and design that makes these |
| start in watch making at a time when the | | | | timepieces some of the most stunning in the world. |
| watch-owning public was making a switch from | | | | Since beginning design of its first wristwatch in 1904, |
| traditional pocket watches to the new wrist watches. | | | | Cartier watches have graced the wrists of the fashion |
| Along with his daughter Simone and other cofounder | | | | conscious the world over. Ironically, style and fashion |
| Rene Bannwart, Reis worked to make Corum a name | | | | was not the initial goal of the founder Louis Francois |
| for quality. The resulting is that Corum has indeed | | | | Cartier. The Santos model was developed in response |
| become known for modern and innovative design | | | | to the demand for a reliable timepiece for use by early |
| styles combined with traditional Swiss precision and | | | | aviators and a redesigned version of Santos remains |
| accuracy.Still operating in the Swiss watch capital of | | | | in production. |
| Chaux-de-Fonds, the Corum line features a wide | | | | |
| variety of watches with an equally wide range of | | | | Practicality again became the goal of the design for a |
| pricing. Corum wrist watches sport unique styles from | | | | rugged yet uniquely styled timepiece called the Tank. |
| the traditional to the artfully designed. Singular styling | | | | Initially released in 1917, the Tank is still being produced |
| can be seen in models such as the Trapeze with its | | | | and, like the Santos, has been redesigned to |
| distinctive quadrilateral bezel shape. With fun names | | | | incorporate modern watch making techniques but |
| Bubble, Sugar Cube and Toboggan, these watches | | | | retaining the unique style that has made these so |
| combine precision and classic styling with identities all | | | | watches popular over the years. |
| their own. | | | | |
| | | | | Cartier watches have featured precision movements |
| Corum received high praise for the creation of the | | | | produced by other watch makers, but the outward |
| Liberty Eagle which uses a twenty dollar gold coin as | | | | style and chic image of these timepieces had always |
| the basis for a truly unique and carefully crafted watch | | | | reflected the artistic dream of the founder. After |
| design. It would appear that Corum works hard to | | | | Louis Cartier died in 1942, the company suffered from |
| avoid the pitfalls of recycling old designs striving to stay | | | | a lack artistic vision that would take many, many years |
| on the cutting edge of technology. Manufacturing | | | | to recapture. The company was able to right itself |
| companies that fail to stay focused on the advances | | | | during the nineteen seventies under new leadership |
| of technology and trends in the market are doomed to | | | | though success was based somewhat on a return to |
| fail, whether the product is fine watches or widgets. | | | | the past, relying on tried and true designs like the Tank |
| | | | | and the Santos. |
| The Bannwart family is still intimately involved in the | | | | |