Corum (watchmakers)

In 1933, René Bannwart began his watchmaking career at Patek Philippe, then joined Omega in 1940, where he designed several models, some of which are still sold today. There, he inaugurated and led the creation department. Soon after its establishment,Corum introduced a watch made out of a $20 gold coin, which was an instant best-seller. This became one of its signature pieces. Corum is also known for its "World Premiers". Each year, it has produced a limited number of limited edition pieces. In January 2000, Corum was acquired by the Severin Wunderman Group. The American businessman had made his fortune by launching Gucci watches. and to Antonio Calce, who became Corum’s CEO in 2007. After Severin Wunderman passed away on 25 June 2008, Michael officially took over the company. In January 2010, its founder René Bannwart, died aged 95. In 2013, Michael Wunderman sold the company, acquiring partial ownership in the process. Corum was acquired by the Hong Kong–based group China Haidian Holdings Limited (HKEX listed code 256.HK), renamed Citychamp Watch & Jewellery a year later, which already controlled the Swiss brands Eterna He left Corum in April 2014 and was replaced by Jacques-Alain Vuille. From 2015 to 2017, Davide Traxler led Corum. In September 2017, Jérôme Biard became the new CEO of Corum and Eterna, a role he held until the end of 2018. In May 2025, as Corum celebrated its 70th anniversary, the company changed ownership and became Swiss once again. Corum was acquired by Haso Mehmedovic—who joined the brand as a watchmaker in 2011 and later became its International Sales Director—together with several Swiss investors from the luxury and finance sectors. Haso Mehmedovic takes the helm of the maison as CEO and Chairman of the Board. This announcement represented a milestone for the brand, symbolizing its return to the forefront of the international watchmaking scene. The global relaunch is planned for mid-2026. Corum intends to reinforce its distribution by streamlining its network of 300 retailers, revising its after-sales service, and rethinking its overall distribution strategy. ==Models==

Admiral's Cup The Corum Admiral's Cup watch was introduced in 1960 in homage to the Admiral's Cup race, first held in 1957. This first watch was square, water resistant, and had a sailboat engraved on the back. It had little resemblance to the current Corum Admiral's Cup watches with their twelve-sided (Dodecagon) case design and brightly colored nautical pennants decorating the face. Bubble Created by the owner of the brand at the time, Severin Wunderman, the Bubble had an unusual huge sapphire glass face. The line was available in three sizes - mini, midsize and XXL. It was produced from the beginning of the 2000s to the end of the decade. In 2015 this line was reintroduced with different materials. The XXL had limited edition versions including Lucifer, Baron Samedi, Bats, Joker and Royal Flush. Buckingham Released in the 1960s, the model is still produced. Part of the "dress" line of the brand, the model currently features a square 37mm x 37mm case, equipped with either an alligator leather strap or stainless steel Corum-branded mesh integrated into the case. The model is available with either a quartz movement or a manually-wound ETA (Peseux) 7001 movement. Some older models are available with automatic movements. Dials use index markers or English/French wording. Romulus Created in 1966, the Corum Romulus was the first Corum watch to display the hour numerals on the bezel. It sports a sapphire case back engraved with a laurel crown in honor of Romulus, the founder of ancient Rome. It is available in stainless steel, white or yellow gold and a dual time version in either yellow or white gold. The modern models are available in 40 mm or, more recently, 42 mm cases and leather straps or steel bracelets. Golden Bridge The Corum Golden Bridge has four sapphire sides which offer a view of the linear movement, which appears to be floating in mid-air, held only by the gold bridge that names this watch. The Corum Golden Bridge is offered in 18k gold or platinum, and is also available with diamond work. Tourbillon and Classical The Corum Tourbillon and Classical collection comprise the Corum Classical Billionaire Tourbillon, a diamond and sapphire-covered watch, the Corum Golden Tourbillon Panoramique with a tourbillon movement floating between sapphire bridges, and the skeleton-dialed Corum Classical Skylight Skeleton. Coin Watch Corum has produced coin watches for over fifty years, with automatic, manual wind or quartz movements. They are available with a $20 Double eagle, $10 or $5 “Liberty” coin for a dial. They are also available with a diamond bezel. Artisan Timepieces The Corum Artisan watch line is defined by dials depicting wild animals, exotic locales, or historic scenes. These are limited edition watches. More broadly, many Corum watches have been worn by international celebrities, especially between the 1980s and 2000s. Among the personalities associated with Corum are Elvis Presley, several U.S. presidents, Robert De Niro, Johnny Depp, Naomi Campbell, Jackie Chan, Cristiano Ronaldo, Andy Voirol, and Mike Tyson. ==References==