Bucherer
 | |
 First Bucherer boutique in Lucerne, Switzerland | |
Native name | Bucherer AG |
|---|---|
| Founded | September 2, 1888 |
| Founder | Carl F. Bucherer |
Number of locations | 100 stores (2023) |
Key people | Guido Zumbühl (CEO) Daniel Egli (CFO) Patrick Graf (CCO) |
| Revenue | $1.8 billion (2022 estimate) |
Number of employees | 2,400+ (2022) |
| Parent | Rolex SA (since 2024) |
| Website | bucherer.com |
Bucherer (also Bucherer Group) is a multibrand watch and jewellery retailer based in Switzerland with over 100 stores worldwide. It was founded in 1888 by Carl F. Bucherer, who also became the namesake of a luxury Swiss watch brand.
Bucherer retails brand including Rolex, Carl F. Bucherer, Baume & Mercier, Blancpain, Breguet, Cartier, Chopard, Girard-Perregaux, Jaeger-LeCoultre, Longines, Oris, Panerai, Piaget, Rado, Roger Dubuis, TAG Heuer, Tissot, Tudor, Ulysse Nardin and Vacheron Constantin.
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History
[edit]Bucherer began as a hardware shop, opened by Carl Friedrich Bucherer and his wife, Louise in Lucerne, Switzerland. Originally a subsidiary of the Basel Trading Company, it became independent in 1892, diversifying into toys. In 1897, Bucherer opened a separate dedicated location specialising in jewellery and luxury goods.[1]
In 1919, the company introduced its first own-branded collection of watches, aimed at women.[2]
In the 1920s, their sons Ernst and Carl Eduard joined the business, and pioneered international expansion in Berlin and Chile.[2] Multiple locations followed in popular tourist destinations including Interlaken, Lugano and Hotel Rigi in Lucerne.[1]
Ernst partnered with Rolex founder Hans Wilsdorf in 1924, adding Rolex watched to the store's inventory and starting a partnership that lasted until Rolex acquired the company in 2023.[1]
Under third-generation leader Jörg G. Bucherer, the company began expanding internationally again in 1986. That same year, Bucherer entered the modern German market by opening a boutique in Berlin.[3]
Bucherer expanded further into Germany in 2002 by buying the Munich-based watch retailer Andreas Huber, later rebranding the stores under the Bucherer name.[4][5]
Bucherer entered the US market in 2018 by buying Tourneau, a major American watch retailer. This acquisition greatly grew the company's global footprint, making it one of the largest watch and jewellery retailers in the world.[6]
Rolex announced it was buying Bucherer in August 2023. The deal was finalized in 2024 after regulatory approval, officially making the retailer part of Rolex. This deal solidified a business relationship between the two companies that goes back to 1924.[7][8]
References
[edit]- 1 2 3 Donzé, Pierre-Yves (2025-06-03). The making of a status symbol: A business history of Rolex. Manchester University Press. ISBN 978-1-5261-8325-5.
- 1 2 Chandrasekhar, Anand (2023-08-29). "Bucherer: a Swiss luxury brand ahead of its time". SWI swissinfo.ch. Retrieved 2026-07-31.
- ↑ Wilson, James (2025-10-07). The Illustrated Directory of Watches: A Collector's Guide to Over 1100 Wristwatches, From Classic Designs to Luxury Fashionware. Simon and Schuster. ISBN 978-1-5107-5686-1.
- ↑ '''Andreas Huber Records''' North Data GmbH, ''Andreas Huber GmbH & Co. KG, München (HRA 15972)'', commercial registry profile.
- ↑ '''Bucherer Corporate Records:''' Amtsgericht München (District Court of Munich), Corporate Registry Division, Commercial Register Filing for Bucherer Deutschland GmbH / Andreas Huber GmbH & Co. KG, Reference number: HRB 149582, September 12, 2002.
- ↑ Naas, Roberta. "Why Bucherer Group Bought Tourneau, America's Largest Watch Retailer". Forbes. Retrieved 2026-07-31.
- ↑ DeMarco, Anthony. "Rolex To Acquire Watch Retailer Bucherer". Forbes. Retrieved 2026-05-13.
- ↑ "Watches of Switzerland shares slide after Rolex buys Bucherer". Reuters. Archived from the original on 2024-01-28. Retrieved 2026-07-31.
External links
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