CORUM

The origins of Corum can be traced back to 1955, when Rene Bannwart founded the company in La-Chaux-de-Fonds. Bannwart, who had a lot of experience working with some of the world's most recognized watch makers, set out to start the watch firm with his uncle, Gaston Ries, motivated by a desire to produce his own timepieces.

The Swissman used his strong entrepreneurial spirit to create the company he named "Corum," which was derived from the word "quorom," which is defined as "the minimum number of persons present and necessary to hold discussions and make valid decisions," and was a true reflection of Bannwart and Ries' solid partnership at the time. The Corum insignia is a key pointing upwards, symbolizing the brand's curiosity and invention, as well as its courage and tenacity in the face of adversity.

Corum broke into the watch market a year after its launch and was praised for its innovation. The Golden Tube watch was one of the company's earliest items, followed by the Chinese Hat watch in 1958. These models laid the groundwork for the Heritage family, one of the brand's three pillars, and were crucial in establishing Corum's presence in the watch industry.

The second of Corum's pillars was born in 1960. The Admiral's Cup collection was named after the renowned sailing competition in honor of sailors and their love of the sea. Its original model was one of the earliest square-shaped water-resistant watches, with a square casing.

Slowly, the brand became known for its unique designs and use of only the highest-quality materials. Corum introduced the innovative Coin Watch in 1964, which used a real gold coin, a $20 Double Eagle Coin, to house an ultra-thin mechanism. The Coin Watch became the watch of choice for six straight US Presidents, including Lyndon B. Johnson, Richard Nixon, Jimmy Carter, Ronald Reagan, George H. W. Bush, and Bill Clinton. It is a magnificent reflection of Corum's legacy.

Rene Bannwart's son, Jean-Rene, joined the watchmaking firm ten years after the launch of Corum's first watch. Father and son collaborated to expand the brand's goods, particularly the Admirals Cup line.The Romvlvs timepiece was debuted in 1966.

Corum introduced the Feather watch in 1970, displaying real artisanship. The clock displayed the brand's competence in merging creativity and technical know-how, with a dial beautifully embellished with genuine family, one of the brand's three pillars, and bird feathers.

Toward the end of the 1970s, the company celebrated a series of firsts. In 1976, Corum formed a relationship with Rolls-Royce, a premium vehicle manufacturer. The avant-garde Rolls-Royce watch was born from this unique cooperation, which was inspired by the legendary automobile's radiator grille. The Golden Bridge, Corum's third pillar, was installed in 1980, upping the ante. The Golden Bridge, which is powered by the world's first hand-engraved baguette movement, was created to seem as if it were floating in the center of a transparent sapphire crystal casing. The game-changing timepiece (and its innovative movement) was essential in strengthening Corum as a legitimate watch manufacturer, spearheaded by master watchmaker Vincent Calabrese.

In 1983, Corum created a new design to maintain the Admiral's Cup line's continuance. The square design was changed into a dodecagon with a twelve-sided bezel and nautical pennants as hour markers that followed the international maritime code. The improvements in the watch were highly liked by sailors, including members of the Corum sailing team in 1991, because of its athletic design and readability. Since then, the line has been closely tied to important sailing races and prominent sailors, having won the famed Admiral's Cup sailing race.

Corum released a new edition of the renowned collection two years later, in 1993, with new features to better appeal to sailors, both amateur and professional. The Admiral's Cup Tides was powered by the proprietary Corum CO 277 movement and displayed the lunar cycle, tide time and strength, estimated sea levels, and current strength.

Corum announced the arrival of a new helmsman to usher in the year 2000. Severin Wunderman, a well-known figure in the watchmaking business, gave the brand a boost in the new century, allowing it to thrive. Corum introduced the Bubble watch under Wunderman's direction.

The use of a thick sapphire crystal – 11 mm to be exact – created a magnifying effect that allowed the wearer to see the time clearly. With the Trapeze, the brand experimented with a totally new form a year later.

Corum, no stranger to global firsts, debuted the Classical Vanitas in 2005. For the first time on a watch dial, marquetry-work was used. Corum celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2005, and the Golden Bridge was magnificently redesigned for the occasion. The watch underwent some modern tweaks to bring the classic item into the twenty-first century while remaining true to the line's design guidelines.

The Admiral's Cup, which now has a bolder design, and the Romvlvs, which now has a new double-curving case and unique bezel with engraved Roman numerals, were both updated in 2006. Corum, a successful watchmaker, demonstrated great ingenuity in 2009 when it introduced its second in-house movement, the CO 007 calibre, which is housed in the stunning Ti-Bridge wristwatch.

In 2010, the brand celebrated its 55th anniversary, the Admiral's Cup's 50th anniversary, and the Golden Bridge's 30th birthday. These events cleared the way for the Corum automated baguette movement with linear winding to be unveiled.

Corum's enormous expansion and technical advancement over the years were clearly reflected in this astonishing new model.

The Admiral's Cup Legend 46 Minute Repeater Acoustica, released in 2012, was another example of the company's technological progress. The clock was a musical treasure, marking time with chords and delivering an audio feast to the wearer.

Corum extended the Ti-Bridge line the next year. The Ti-Bridge Automatic Dual Winder, the brand's first self-winding movement, was entirely conceived, developed, and patented by the company. Along with this astonishing accomplishment, China Haidan Holdings Limited, now known as Citychamp Watches & Jewellery Ltd, purchased Montres Corum. This evolution provided the brand with new options and chances, not only in the field of watchmaking, but also in the areas of positioning and distribution.

In 2014, a new version of the Admiral's Cup j was released. The Admiral's Cup ACOne 45 Tides pays homage to the brand's maritime heritage. The Admiral's Cup Legend 42 Flying Tourbillon was launched in 2015 to commemorate the watchmaker's 60th anniversary. With a history rooted in traditional notions, Corum wants to show the legendary tourbillon as a masterwork that can be worn every day, not just on special occasions.

Corum's watchmaking experience is still unfolding, much like the trip of one of the brand's highly coveted 1964 Coin Watches, which was recently discovered and rescued. The painting remained in the Warhol Collection until the early 1990s, when it was purchased by a private collector in the United States. It is presently on display at the Corum Museum.

Corum takes great pleasure in its place in haute horology as a brand, and the Corum Museum, which gives guided tours of its workshops every Tuesday, proudly shares its unique legacy with watch aficionados and travelers. Every visit, the company invites up to eight individuals to experience the huge Corum world – with a total of 150 significant models distributed across its three unique pillars – as the first watch factory to open its doors to the public on a weekly basis.

Corum has made fantastic use of the previous 60 years to dive deeper into the aesthetics and precision technology inherent in fine watchmaking, bringing us closer to conquering time. The brand's remarkable selection of clocks has shown its worth, and it merits its well-deserved place in the elite world of luxury watchmaking.