The luxury watch market is a competitive one. There are hundreds of brands vying for attention in the space, each with their own unique histories and stories to tell. With so much competition, it's no wonder that some brands have managed to rise above the fray and become household names, commanding respect and admiration from watch enthusiasts around the world. Read on for our deep dive into five iconic companies: Omega, Rolex, Patek Philippe Audemars Piguet , Panerai , Piaget , Blancpain , A. Lange & Söhne , Ulysse Nardin and Hublot.

Omega

Omega was founded in 1848 by Louis Brandt, a jeweler from Switzerland. The company has been making watches since that time and continues to do so today. It's one of the few watch brands still manufacturing its own movements (the mechanical parts inside of your watch). Omega's most famous achievement is likely being named official timekeeper at the Olympics, which they have been doing since 1932. Their first Olympic win was at the 1936 Summer Games in Berlin--and they've won every year since!

Rolex

Rolex was founded in 1905 in London, but has its headquarters in Geneva. It is a Swatch Group brand and the largest single luxury watch brand in the world. Rolex watches are famous for their durability and functionality. The company has been known to take up to five years to design a new watch, which means that if you buy one of these iconic timepieces you can be sure it will last you well into your old age!

Patek Philippe

Patek Philippe is a Swiss luxury watchmaker founded in 1839. The company has a long history of innovation, with many firsts in watchmaking. It was the first manufacturer to make a wristwatch for mass consumption and the first company to produce perpetual calendar chronographs (watches that display both date and day of week). Patek Philippe watches are known for their high quality, which comes from their use of traditional manufacturing methods as well as modern technology like diamond-cut hands on some models. They also have some unique features: for example, some models have a "sound" option so you can hear the time being told by an acoustic signal rather than looking at it on your wrist!

Audemars Piguet

In 1875, Jules-Louis Audemars and Edward-Auguste Piguet founded their company in Le Brassus, Switzerland. The two men had met as apprentice watchmakers at Le Brassus. Audemars Piguet has a long history of producing some of the most beautifully designed watches in the world, including their Royal Oak series that remains popular today. The Royal Oak was first introduced in 1972 and has since become one of the most iconic luxury watches on the market today--it even inspired an entire subgenre within our industry called "sports luxury."

Panerai

Panerai is a luxury watch brand that was founded in 1860. The company's founder, Giovanni Panerai, was an engineer who designed and built underwater equipment for the Italian Navy. He also invented luminous paint that could glow in dark conditions--a technology he would use to create some of his most iconic timepieces. In addition to being water-resistant, many Panerai watches have special features like luminescence on their dials and cases so they can be read easily even when submerged in water or darkness (giving them an advantage over other dive watches). These watches can cost anywhere from $7000-$12000 depending on their style and materials used during manufacture; however there are cheaper versions available if you're looking for something more affordable!

Piaget

Piaget watches are known for their elegance, sophistication and attention to detail. The company was founded in 1874 by Georges Piaget who was born in Geneva and spent his early years learning the art of watchmaking in his father's workshop. Piaget has a long history of producing high-quality watches that are worn by celebrities like Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie. In fact, it is one of only two Swiss companies that have been authorized by the Swatch Group (the other being Rolex) to use their trademarked name on their products--and this allows them access to parts from all over the world!

Blancpain

Blancpain has a long history, as it was founded in 1735. The company has been making watches since then and is known for its high quality timepieces. It's also the first watchmaker to use the tourbillon, which helps prevent accuracy issues due to gravity by moving the escapement (the mechanism that controls when beats occur) away from its usual position under one side of a balance wheel. Blancpain still operates out of Le Brassus, Switzerland where they employ over 400 people who work on everything from movement design to case finishing and assembly.

A. Lange & Söhne

A. Lange & Söhne was founded in 1845 by Ferdinand Adolph Lange, who had been working for his father's watchmaking company since he was 15 years old. He and his brother ran the business until they were forced to sell it due to financial difficulties in 1857.

Over the next century, A. Lange & Söhne produced thousands of watches--including pocket watches, marine chronometers and alarm clocks--but did not return to its original name until 1990 when it was revived by Walter Lange (grandson of Ferdinand) after being purchased from Germany's Durowe Group by Seiko Holdings Corporation for $12 million USD ($18 million today). At that time there were only 12 employees left; today there are over 200!

The first watch ever made under this new name was called "Grand Complication No 1"--a magnificent timepiece featuring a perpetual calendar with day/night indication as well as moon phase display at 6 o'clock; two separate balance wheels running at different speeds so they can be adjusted individually; minute repeater with gong striking mechanism activated by pushers on either side; split seconds chronograph function with flyback capability; power reserve indicator showing how many hours remain before needing rewinding; annual calendar function showing date moving forward automatically each month until 2026 when it will reset itself automatically again (January 1st); hour hand displaying seconds while minute hand displays minutes elapsed during chronograph mode operation with red line marking center point between them both so user knows exactly where they should place their finger during resetting process.

Ulysse Nardin

Ulysse Nardin is a Swiss manufacturer of luxury watches, founded in 1846. The company was originally founded by Ulysse Nardin, a watchmaker from Le Locle, Switzerland. Ulysse Nardin was born on March 15th 1816 and began working as an apprentice at age 14 under Jean-Adrien Philippe & Fils (JAP). It is said that he learned how to make pocket watches there before moving on to create his own company which produced both pocket and decorative clocks until its bankruptcy in 1887 due to financial hardship caused by the Long Depression.

Hublot

Hublot is perhaps the most unique luxury watch brand in the world. It's a giant company, with over 2,000 employees and revenues of more than $700 million per year, but it has maintained its founder's penchant for bold designs and innovative materials.

Hublot was founded in 1980 by Cuban-born businessman Ricardo Guadalupe as a reaction to what he saw as an overly conservative market for luxury watches at that time. The first Hublot watches were designed by Michel Bodin (who had previously worked for Patek Philippe) and featured bold colors like orange or black on white faces; these models were quickly dubbed "Panda" due to their resemblance to pandas' black-and-white fur patterns.

Since then, Hublot has continued to push aesthetic boundaries while maintaining high quality standards--which has earned them some prestigious awards including Best Watchmaker at the Grand Prix d'Horlogerie de Genve (GPHG) two years in a row between 2015-2016!

Richard Mille

Richard Mille is a French watch brand that produces luxury timepieces. The company was founded in 1999 by Richard Mille, who had previously worked as an engineer and an amateur boxer. He wanted to create watches with cutting-edge technology that would be strong enough to withstand the rigors of boxing matches but also lightweight enough to be worn on the wrist.

Since its inception, Richard Mille has become known for its unique designs and high quality materials used in their construction--including carbon fiber and titanium--which have helped make them some of the most expensive watches on earth (the most expensive model ever sold sold for $4 million).

Hopefully, this article has given you a better understanding of the history and culture behind some of the most iconic watch brands in existence. It's important to remember that these companies started out with humble beginnings and have since grown into something much bigger than themselves. Each one has its own unique story that makes it special--and we hope that someday our readers will be able to say the same about their own businesses!