Innovative microchip technology

The Swatch Group Ltd. acquires SID Sokymat IDent Component GmbH, Germany

(01/2003) Mr. Markus Spreng, currently General Manager of SID Sokymat IDent Component GmbH, will continue to head operations for the new Swatch Group subsidiary in Reichshof-Wehnrath as General Manager. Mr. Herbert Thyssen, General Manager of Sokymat SA in Switzerland, will become a member of the Board of Directors of SID Sokymat IDent Component GmbH, and will support the activities of SID Sokymat on an assignment basis.

Swiss watchmaker OMEGA

Pierce Brosnan opens flagship store in Milan

(11/2002) Pierce Brosnan, who plays secret agent 007 in the 20th James Bond film and is an ambassador for the prestige Swiss watchmaker OMEGA, officially opened the new OMEGA Flagship Store on Via Montenapoleone 25 in Milan. The store is the first of its kind in Italy and promises to become the address for prestige watch and jewellery enthusiasts from all over the world, due to its excellent location on the street that symbolises Italian style.

The City of Sails

OMEGA opens new store in Auckland

(10/2002) The first OMEGA boutique in New Zealand will open its doors in the heart of the America's Cup Village. In keeping with its longstanding partnership with the America's Cup and once again as Official Timekeeper of the America's Cup in 2003, OMEGA will provide not only the precision timekeeping services to this event - the pinnacle of competitive sailing - but in design consultation with Team New Zealand, skipper & OMEGA Ambassador Dean Barker, a range of America's Cup watches for competitive sailing will also be released.

Special Constellation Sky

First-ever OMEGA Flagship Store in Thailand Opens in Bangkok

(09/2002) OMEGA today opened its first flagship store in Thailand. The store in Bangkok complements the brand's global strategy of setting up retail outlets dedicated exclusively to its products in the world's major luxury shopping districts. The OMEGA flagship store, located on the 1st floor of the Gaysorn Bangkok shopping complex, covers a total surface area of 40m2.

20th James Bond movie: Die Another Day

OMEGA backs Bond for fourth time

(04/2002) OMEGA today confirmed that it will be associated with the forthcoming 20th James Bond movie "Die Another Day". James Bond actor and OMEGA ambassador Pierce Brosnan attended a press conference to talk about the association and present a new limited-edition of the OMEGA Seamaster watch worn by James Bond in the movie.

Considerable know-how

Swatch Group acquires dial producer Rubattel & Weyermann

(04/2002) The Swatch Group Ltd. acquired today 100% of the shares of the watch dial manufacturer Rubattel & Weyermann in La Chaux-de-Fonds (Switzerland) from the owner, Mr. Michel Theurillat. Mr. Theurillat will remain head of the profitable company which employs some 80 persons, thus ensuring the supply to all their present clients of the upper price segment within and outside the Swatch Group.

The brand Glashütte Original will be integrated

Swatch Group Ltd.: Acquisition of Glashütter Uhrenbetrieb GmbH

(10/2000) The shareholders and the management of Glashütter Uhrenbetrieb GmbH and the Swatch Group Ltd. agreed that the Swatch Group Ltd. acquires with immediate effect all the shares of the German watch manufacture Glashütter Glashütter Uhrenbetrieb, Glashütte (near Dresden, Germany). The Glashütter Uhrenbetrieb manufactures high-quality mechanical watches situated in the luxury segment of the “haut de gamme” watch market.

Separate profit center

Swatch Group: Acquisition of Montres Jaquet-Droz

(04/2000) The Swatch Group Ltd acquired the shares of Montres Jaquet-Droz SA, La Conversion VD (Switzerland), so far owned by Cupola Venture Partners 1 Ltd., Cayman Islands, and private Swiss minority shareholders. Montres Jaquet-Droz SA are active in the luxury segment. Their products are sold mainly on the Far Eastern markets. Beside luxury watches, the company develops and sells highly complicated automata, such as the so-called “androids”.

New acquisition

The Swatch Group Ltd. acquires Groupe Horloger Breguet from Investcorp S.A.

(09/1999) Investcorp S.A. and The Swatch Group Ltd. have reached an agreement whereby all shares of the Groupe Horloger Breguet will be taken over by the Swatch Group. Breguet whose origins date back to 1775, is one of the oldest timepiece manufacturers in the world. It produces high quality hand-assembled mechanical timepieces known for the beauty of their design as well as for their accuracy and technical innovation.

Exciting and positive cooperation

The Swatch Group sells its smart participation to Daimler-Benz

(11/1998) After the successful introduction of the smart car in Europe and considering the withdrawal of MCC for the construction of the hybrid model, the Swatch Group decided to sell its minority shareholding in MCC and offered its shares to Daimler-Benz. This step enables the majority shareholder to realize all important and necessary measures without loss of time.