Concord : Chronological milestones

Concord : Chronological milestones

1908
Founding of the Concord Watch Company SA in Biel, Switzerland, to produce high quality watches, in particular for the American market.

1909
Founding of a subsidiary company in New York.

1915
Production of the first "Private Label" luxury watches using precious metals and gems.

1945
U.S. President Harry S. Truman presents Concord watches to Churchill and Stalin, on the occasion of the Potsdam peace conference.

1946
Production of the first wristwatches made from coins.

1968
An independent organization conducts a survey to assess consumer awareness of watch brands in the luxury segment. Concord ranks sixth.

1970
Gedalio Grinberg takes over the Concord Watch Company SA and integrates it with the North American Watch Corporation, which has its head office in New York.

1979
The launch of the "Delirium® I" makes headlines worldwide as the flattest analog watch ever made, the first ever to have a total thickness of less than 2 mm (1.98 mm). This marks the beginning of the global trend for elegant flat watches.

1980
Introduction of the Concord Mariner®, a breakthrough design that unites the functionality of a sports watch with the refinement of a dress watch, launching the sport elegance category.

Debut of "Delirium® II", the world's thinnest skeleton watch: less than 1.5 mm thick.

Shortly afterwards came the launch of "Delirium® III", the world's most slender ladies' watch with a total surface of less than 65 % of that of the men's watch.

Before the year ended, Concord crashed through the 1 mm barrier with the 0.98 mm "Delirium® IV", establishing a new world record for the world's slimmest watch.

1986
Concord creates a new leadership collection, the Concord Saratoga®, an elegantly sporty style designed with an attention to detail which makes it an artistic masterpiece of symmetry. It is a perfect illustration of the root meaning of "concord" - harmony.

1991
The Concord "Sirius" is unveiled for the first time at Basel's international watch fair. A men's platinum watch with 295 diamonds of the highest quality, totaling 64.16 carats. The price tag on this stunning piece of jewelry was only CHF 1'000'000.

1992
The sensation of the year is the "Mariner® V Centenario" collection, a limited edition of five unique original pieces with exceptionally complex mechanisms.
Shortly before the exhibit opened to the public, the entire collection was sold for the fabulous sum of CHF 3.2 million.

1994
Introduction of the Concord "Papillon" collection, watches of a tantalizing elegance. Ladies could give rein to their own flights of fancy, by adding butterflies to the leather strap version of the watch.

1995
Unveiling of an exclusive, original single piece in the Saratoga® collection, the Concord "Saratoga® Exor", featuring a highly complex tourbillion mechanism in a platinum case set with diamonds.

1996
At the Basel 96 fair, Concord introduces two new series: The Saratoga® SL (Sport Luxury), honoring the twentieth anniversary of the Saratoga®; and Veneto, part of Concord's Royal Gold Collection.

1997
Concord launches two successful new watch families: the classically bold Impresario with its signature coin-edge detail, and the gracefully geometric 18K gold Concord La Scala, a fashion-forward timepiece of Art Deco-inspired elegance.

1998
Heightening the luxury appeal of its Impresario quartz line, Concord unveils the masterful Impresario Mechanique Collection: gentlemen's mechanical chronometers of high complication and COSC-certified precision.

2000
The geometric lines of the popular La Scala take on a cool, modern edge with the debut of the La Scala Steel, a stylish stainless steel interpretation of the original design.

2001
On the forefront of style and color trends in women's watches, the Concord La Scala Steel and Diamond Chronograph style brings a brilliant blend of fashion, function and fine Swiss craftsmanship to the luxury watch market.

2002
Concord premieres the new Saratoga®, a striking re-interpretation of one of its most enduringly popular watch designs.

Highlighting the collection, named for the thoroughbred horseracing venue, comes the one-of-a-kind Saratoga® Grand Master Tourbillion.

2003
One of Concord's most popular families is extended with the introduction of the Concord La Scala Tonneau, a line of elegant timepieces distinguished by gracefully curved cases.

Concord launches the Bennington collection, featuring slim, sleekly contoured cases and crocodile straps.

Debut of the Concord Carlton, a stainless steel watch, revealing an Art Deco influence in its faceted case design.

2004
To commemorate the silver anniversary of the original Delirium®, Concord unveils the new Delirium® XXV Collection, including limited edition of hand-winding mechanical timepieces.

Concord continues to expand its Saratoga® line by introducing oversized strap models, a mid-size stainless steel chronograph with diamonds, and a series of casual, black PVD-finished models with polished stainless steel accents.

2005
Concord introduces the updated Mariner® Collection, imbued with a sportive sense of luxury, Mariner's trademark 12-sided bezel becomes a signature geometric motif reprised in many of the design's unique details, including the shape of the screws and diamond settings.

The collection is celebrated with a limited edition Mariner® Reveil featuring a 31-jewel automatic movement with moon phase, alarm function, 45-hour power reserve, date display and custom engraving.

Concord continues to expand its Delirium® collection introducing the 18K rose gold Delirium® La Nuit Reserve de Marche and Jumping Hour styles.

2006
Concord celebrates the 20th Anniversary of Saratoga® with a commemorative series of one-of-a-kind watches in solid 18K gold, with set bracelet.

2007
Concord Headquarters are moved back to Bienne, Switzerland. The Brand comes back to the centre of the watch-making stage by redefining itself with a bold new philosophy and innovative, unexpected product design. A new face is giving clear expression to Concord's personality and ambitions: to affirm its legitimacy in the high-end watch segment, while adopting an original approach.

Basel : introduction of the new C1 collection. Radical in many ways, it defines the new Concord profile - sophisticated, refined and technologically advanced. On the eve of the brand's 100th anniversary - Concord is cultivating uniqueness, reinventing performance and making exclusivity a principle.