First production of wristwatches: Girard-Perregaux delivers a special series of 2,000 watches equipped with a metallic grate to be placed over the glass to protect it from shocks.

Louis Brandt & Frère launches the Omega caliber, which features easily replaceable parts and a crown used both to set the time and to wind the watch. This caliber will give its name to the company in 1903.

A Rolex watch is the first wristwatch in the world to receive the Swiss Certificate of Chronometric Precision.

Audemars Piguet presents the first wristwatch with full calendar and moonphase display.

John Harwood files a patent for his invention: a self-winding wristwatch that will be produced by Fortis and Blancpain.

Creation by Patek Philippe of the first wristwatch with perpetual calendar.

Creation by Rolex of the first waterproof and dustproof wristwatch, the Oyster, which features a hermetically sealed case.

Invented by Jean-Léon Reutter, and then perfected and manufactured by Jaeger-LeCoultre, the Atmos clock extracts its energy from the slightest variations in temperature.

Rolex invents and patents the world's first self-winding mechanism with the renowned Perpetual rotor. This system is at the origin of the modern automatic watch.

The Reverso by Jaeger-LeCoultre meets the needs of polo players thanks to its swivel case designed to protect the glass against violent shocks.

Omega launches the first commercially available divers’ watch, the Marine, water resistant to 135 m.

Birth of Incabloc, the famous shock protection system.

Breitling creates the first chronograph set with a second independent reset push button.

Launch of the Mido Multifort, water resistant, antimagnetic and impact resistant, equipped with a new cork sealing system later known as Aquadura.

Universal launches the first hour-counter wrist-chronograph, the Compax.

From this date, IWC starts producing the Big Pilot’s Watch 52 T.S.C. with a central second hand in accordance with military specifications for navigation or observation watches.

Vulcain begins mass production of its famous mechanical alarm watch, the Cricket, whose name is inspired by the distinctive chirping sound of its alarm.

A patent is filed for the ingenious Eterna-Matic ball bearing system by Eterna, which facilitates the movement of the rotor in self-winding watches; this system is subsequently used to equip the collection named after it.

Heuer launches the Solunar wristwatch displaying the tide times.

Blancpain creates the Fifty Fathoms, the first modern diver’s watch, equipped with luminous indexes, unidirectional bezel, automatic and antimagnetic movement and water resistant up to 50 fathoms.

Vacheron Constantin develops the ultra-thin calibre 1003 (1.64 mm thick), the thinnest in its category at the time.

The Certina DS (for Double Security), with special movement suspension and reinforced case, becomes the brand’s star model.

Mido launches the Ocean Star, equipped with a monocoque case and a cork joint that ensure exceptional water resistance.

Bulova presents the first electronic watch, the Accutron, which is the most accurate of its time.

Rado introduces a revolutionary innovation: the Diastar 1, the first scratch-resistant watch, with a tungsten carbide case and sapphire crystal.

Launched as a new-generation chronograph, the Cosmograph by Rolex soon gained the name that will become the mark of an icon: Daytona.

Girard-Perregaux builds the first mechanical high frequency caliber, at 36,000 vibrations per hour.

Presentation at the Neuchâtel Observatory’s Timekeeping Competition of Beta 1 and Beta 2, the first quartz movements, developed by the Centre Electronique Horloger.

Zenith produces the first self-winding chronograph equipped with a central rotor and fitted with a balance oscillating at 36,000 vibrations per hour: the famous El Primero movement is born.

The Speedmaster chronograph, launched by Omega in 1957, is the first watch worn on the moon.

Tissot innovates with the Tissot Idea 2001, the first mechanical watch with synthetic case and movement.

Launch of the Longines LCD (Liquid Crystal Display), the first digital watch created by the brand.

Heuer produces the Chronosplit, the first quartz wrist-chronograph with LCD/LED display and accurate to 1/10th of a second.

Omega launches the first chronograph wristwatch combining an analog display for the time functions and a digital LCD display for the chronograph.

Chopard introduces an exclusive model, Happy Diamonds: mobile diamonds dance and spin freely between the glass and the dial.

Concord Watch launches the Delirium I, the thinnest analog display quartz watch (just 1.98mm thick), followed in 1980 by the Delirium IV, just under 1mm thick.

Corum creates the Golden Bridge, equipped with the only linear baguette movement in the world.

Birth of Swatch: the unexpected appearance of an affordable, Swiss made, plastic watch.

Ulysse Nardin launches the Astrolabium Galileo Galilei, the first in its trilogy of astronomical watches; it is to be followed by the Planetarium Copernicus (1989) and the Tellurium Johannes Kepler (1992).

Audemars Piguet develops the first self-winding wristwatch equipped with a tourbillion mechanism.

The Rado Integral is the first watch made of high-tech ceramics.

Introduction of the Samara model by Jean d’Eve, the first Swiss battery-free automatic quartz watch.

To mark the company’s 150th anniversary, Patek Philippe unveils the Calibre 89, the most complicated watch in the world with its 33 complications.

Audemars Piguet presents the world’s smallest ladies’ wristwatch with minute repeater.

Omega launches its new self-winding Co-Axial movement. Devised by master watchmaker George Daniels, it features a new type of escapement ensuring greater precision over the long term.

Tissot launches the Tissot T-Touch, the first Swiss touch-screen watch, equipped with six functions (meteo, altimeter, alarm, chronograph, thermometer and compass).

Ulysses Nardin creates the Freak, the first watch equipped with some silicium parts. No dial, no hands and innovative case back winding, including a 7 days power reserve.

Parmigiani presents the first mechanical watch with a transverse movement, in association with Bugatti, a legendary name in automobile construction.

Greubel Forsey invents the Double tourbillion 30°, a mechanism with one tourbillion rotating inside another, to average out gravity-induced errors on the oscillator.

Hublot launches the Big Bang, featuring an innovative combination of materials such as steel, ceramics and rubber.

Van Cleef & Arpels introduces the Poetic Complications. The Lady ArpelsTM Féérie watch is launched in 2008.

Girard-Perregaux invents the Constant escapement, in the form of butterfly wings, allowing constant amplitude and operation to the very end of the power reserve.

Swatch unveils the Sistem51, equipped with a self-winding mechanical movement made of a total of only 51 parts. It is the first mechanical watch with fully automated assembly.