Concord Gold Watch With Diamond Bezel

Over a century ago, five visionaries founded Concord Watch. Two master watchmakers — Walter Hugenin and Charles Bonny — and three financial partners set out to create the refined luxury watches for which they are known today and initially had their sights set squarely on discerning American consumers.

Established in 1908 in Biel, Switzerland, Concord has long been recognized for its sophisticated timepieces including its collections of what are widely known as jewelry watches, which, depending on the striking model, might feature 18-karat gold cases, an integration of rubies or emeralds or eye-catching rows of prong-set, single-cut diamonds adorning the bezel. Concord provided these timepieces to fine jewelry houses such as Cartier and Van Cleef & Arpels in the early 20th century.

The brand’s innovation quickly outpaced its competitors, as Concord became one of the first watchmakers to produce private label watches set with precious metals and gemstones, and during the 1940s, the manufacture of its sleek modernist timepieces included models made from coins. An ad during the 1950s touted the brand's Coin Bracelet watch as a “Symbol of Elegance.” 

In 1970, the North American Watch Company — under the leadership of Gedalio Grinberg, a Cuban businessman who had relationships with Piaget, Omega and other manufacturers — purchased Concord as well as Movado.

With Grinberg at the helm, Concord debuted its revolutionary Delerium line in 1979 — which included the thinnest watch ever designed at less than 2 mm thick — just as the Swiss watchmaking industry found itself challenged by the quartz crisis. During the 1980s, the brand experimented with watches that were marked by a marriage of sportiness and dressiness, which yielded the Mariner as well as the Saratoga collection. In 2008, Concord was awarded the Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève for its C1 Tourbillon Gravity.

Today Concord is a subsidiary of Movado.

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Antique, new and vintage wristwatches have captured the hearts and minds of all manner of watch collectors as well as the watchmakers themselves — it's time you found your own.

Certain vintage watches for men and iconic watch designs for women are sought after not only because of their graceful proportions or innovative materials but also because of the illustrious histories of the houses that created them, histories that they stylishly embody.

Bulgari’s legendary Serpenti watch was on everyone’s list after the collection’s bold bracelet, which technically debuted after the timepiece, graced the wrist of actress Elizabeth Taylor. If anything, elaborately crafted timepieces — the unmistakably boxy silhouette of Cartier Tank watches, the elegant and minimal Calatrava designed by legendary Swiss house Patek Philippe — are even more effective than the shape we associate with traditional wristwatches.

Form watches — the all-encompassing moniker bestowed upon non-round watches — are making headlines and completing contemporary fashionable ensembles the world over. At the same time, both casual fans and careful collectors are drawn to the unbeatable charm of vintage styles, such as the icons designed by Omega that even James Bond can’t resist.

In the early days of watchmaking, watches were fragile enough that they necessitated protection from the elements. Now, wristwatches made of gold and steel can withstand the harshest climates — even 100 meters underwater, in the case of Rolex’s Submariner. Designer Gérald Genta, whose range of clients included Rolex, created for Audemars Piguet the first luxury sports timepiece to be made from stainless steel. First introduced in 1972, the Royal Oak was a perfect choice for blending the form and function that are now synonymous with sports watches.

Are you shopping for a wristwatch? It’s good to keep your needs as well as your specific personal style in mind: A smaller, subtle timepiece is a good fit for small wrists. When will you be wearing your new accessory? There’s a versatile model out there for everyday wear, while a rugged, feature-heavy watch is a safe bet if you’re prone to embarking on all-weather activities in the great outdoors.

Find antique, new and vintage wristwatches on 1stDibs.