Harry Winston—the "King of Diamonds"—built the world's most prestigious jewelry house. When the brand entered watchmaking, it brought that same pursuit of exceptional quality, creating timepieces as spectacular as the gems that made the name famous.
The Diamond King
Harry Winston opened his first New York jewelry salon in 1932. He acquired and sold the world's most famous diamonds: the Hope Diamond (donated to the Smithsonian), the Jonker, the Taylor-Burton. Hollywood called him "Jeweler to the Stars." His Fifth Avenue salon became synonymous with ultimate luxury.
Entering Watchmaking
Harry Winston introduced watches in 1989, initially as canvas for gem-setting rather than serious horology. Early pieces featured extraordinary diamonds surrounding relatively simple movements. The watches were jewelry first, timepieces second.
The Opus Series
In 2001, Harry Winston transformed its horological reputation with Opus 1, created with F.P. Journe. The Opus concept: collaborate annually with independent watchmakers to create groundbreaking complications unavailable elsewhere. Each Opus pushed boundaries.
Subsequent Opus collaborations with Urwerk, MB&F, and others produced some of the most innovative watches ever created. Opus pieces sell at auction for multiples of original prices.
Geneva Manufacture
Harry Winston established serious watchmaking capability in Geneva, eventually producing in-house calibers. This transformed the brand from jeweler-with-watches to genuine haute horlogerie manufacture—though gem-setting excellence remained central.
Swatch Group Acquisition
Swatch Group acquired Harry Winston in 2013, providing manufacturing resources while maintaining brand positioning. Under Swatch ownership, the watch division gained access to movement expertise while preserving the Harry Winston identity.
Haute Joaillerie
Harry Winston's high jewelry watches remain unmatched. The expertise acquired setting the world's finest diamonds applies to watch cases and dials. These pieces are wearable art, combining mechanical timekeeping with gem-setting mastery few can equal.
Harry Winston Today
Under Swatch Group stewardship, Harry Winston continues producing both serious haute horlogerie and spectacular jewelry watches. The brand occupies unique territory: genuine watchmaking capability combined with the world's finest gem-setting tradition.