Blancpain, founded in 1735 in Villeret, Switzerland, by Jehan-Jacques Blancpain , is recognized as the world’s oldest surviving watch brand . For more than two centuries, it remained family-owned, producing finely crafted mechanical timepieces. The brand is known for its commitment to mechanical watchmaking , famously declaring it has never made a quartz watch and never will .
Longines Watches - Founding and Early Years Founded: 1832 in Saint-Imier, Switzerland. Founder: Auguste Agassiz (along with partners Henri Raiguel and Florian Morel). Initially a small workshop producing pocket watches, using the établissage system (outsourcing parts to local artisans). Agassiz’s nephew, Ernest Francillon , took over in the 1850s and modernized operations.