Hermès

Thierry Hermès founded Hermès in Paris in 1837 as a harness workshop serving European nobility. The company first ventured into watchmaking in 1928 with its Ermeto pocket watch. In 1978, Jean-Louis Dumas established La Montre Hermès SA in Bienne, Switzerland to formalize the brand's horological ambitions. The Cape Cod watch, designed by Henri d'Origny, debuted in 1991 and remains a signature piece. In 2006, Hermès acquired a 25% stake in Vaucher Manufacture Fleurier to secure high-quality movements, followed by the acquisition of dial maker Natéber in 2012 and case manufacturer Joseph Erard in 2013. The first proprietary movements, the H1837 and H1912, launched in 2012, marking Hermès as a serious manufacture.