Gucci was one of the first fashion brands to lean into the world of watchmaking. Before then, the Fashion House was renowned for its bold, influential designs that could be worn by men and women alike. The Italian company’s unisex designs have been a big part of its watchmaking story. The brand was founded in 1921 in Florence and became popular for its high-quality horseback riding accessories. Founder Guccio Gucci was inspired by his own equestrian background and directed his focus towards a wealthy, upper-class clientele.
Despite two turbulent decades and several creative director change-overs, 2015 marked a new creative era for Gucci. Company culture and creativity became a key focus for the brand, along with a more serious approach to watchmaking. But this was not the start of the Gucci watch story. In fact, it was back in 1972 that Aldo Gucci met with a man named Severin Wunderman who already produced timepieces and was the founder of Severin Montres in California. After the meeting, a license was obtained to produce watches using his contacts, marking the brand’s first wristwatches. Gucci chose the city of La Chaux-de-Fonds in the canton of Neuchâtel to craft its watches, with its headquarters also located in Neuchatel. As Gucci’s watchmaking universe grew, so did the popularity of its timepieces. In 1974, the brand broke the record for selling more than a million units in two years.
Over the years, Gucci has offered watches that feature the brand’s House symbols, as well as having dabbled in mechanical watches too. Up until recently, this was made possible by partnering with Kering stablemate, Girard-Perregaux, who specialises in dive watch movements. It was 2021, however, that shifted Gucci’s horological ambitions up a gear. The brand’s first High Watch Manufacturing collection appeared. The transition was years in the making. It dipped into a more complex world of precision timekeeping, with the third generation of the series dedicated to the golden age of space travel.
The watches from Gucci’s High Watch Manufacturing series boast high-level horological features and look incredibly striking. These complex timepieces sport complications like tourbillons and moonphases and have been adorned with exquisite stones that harness the brand’s creativity and avant-garde artistry. The Gucci 25H watch collection, for example, is home to skeleton tourbillons that showcase a high level of watchmaking prowess, not to mention designs that have been masterfully set with baguette diamonds and gemstones. Other exquisite creations include the G-Timeless Planetarium and Dancing Bees models, as well as the G-Timeless Moonlight timepiece, showcasing bespoke detailing. The Gucci Grip series is another impressive range that combines the 1970s skateboarding culture with sleek, contemporary craftsmanship.
Aside from Gucci’s High Watch Manufacture timepieces, the Italian brand also offers its usual staple models, like the Gucci Dive series. Enhancing performance with its range of recycled steel and brass, Gucci Dive watches promise a water resistance of 300 meters and feature straps that have been crafted from bio-based plastic. Modern interpretations aside, Gucci continues to be a world-renowned manufacturer of timepieces that are loved the world over for their savoir-faire. Like the brand’s jewellery designs, Gucci’s House symbols have become part of the brand’s unique dial marquetry, offering Italian chic designs for collectors with the most discerning tastes.
