Founded

1955

Established

La Chaux-de-Fonds

Corum’s history

1955 The founder of Corum, René Bannwart, was called upon by his uncle Gaston Ries to assume joint management of the watchmaking workshop he had been running since 1924 in La Chaux-de-Fonds. Together they transformed this small private label watch factory into a unique brand all their own.

This partnership was perfect – the uncle brought an eye for detail and the nephew an eye for beauty. All that was lacking was a name.

The partners were fascinated by one particular word: “Quorum” which means “the minimum number of persons present required to enable a meeting to hold discussions and take valid decisions. The Quorum is then said to have been reached”. They simplified the spelling of the word to “CORUM”.

The emblem, a key pointing skywards, which embellishes the dial, symbolizes the brand slogan “the key to perfect time.”

1956 The first CORUM watches to appear on the market were greeted with great success. The distinctive CORUM style was born.

1958 Creation of the “Chinese hat” watch for woman whose bezel recalls the famous head covering worn by the people of China.

1960 First interpretation of the Admiral’s Cup model with a square case. The first ever water-resistant square watch.

1964 The Coin Watch was created around an authentic $20 Double Eagle Coin, a symbol evoking the spirit of free enterprise and, a model worn by numerous U.S. Presidents and prominent civilians alike.

1965 Launch of the “Buckingham model” with its oversize proportions, something of a revolution in its day.

1966 The Romulus watch was created with an hourless dial and hour markings on the bezel.

1970 Creation of watches with a “Feather” dial made using genuine bird feathers. Beginning of the use by the brand of materials of extreme delicacy.

1976 The “Rolls-Royce” watch created in an avant-garde partnership with the most famous and prestigious automobile marque of the day.

1980 The “Golden Bridge” with its delicately hand-engraved baguette movement reveals, behind the perfect transparency of its sapphire surround, the very summit of technical mastery of watchmaking style.

1983 The famous Admiral’s Cup design was reinterpreted in a contemporary spirit. It featured nautical pennants that correspond to the international maritime code and a twelve-sided bezel

1986 The Meteorite model featured a dial cut from authentic meteorites

1992 Launch of the Admiral’s Cup “Tides” watch fitted with an exclusive CORUM movement indicating the current state of the tide and also enabling the height of the water and strength of the currents to be estimated.

2000 Buying of CORUM by Severin Wundermann.