Although Gevril has been making fine Swiss watches for 265 years, you may have only heard of them in the recent past.  Gevril was acquired in 2001 by Samuel Friedmann in his desire to fulfill a dream.  Friedmann envisioned the renaissance of an established, high quality watch brand through a careful balance of strong tradition with the most modern technology.  

The rich Swiss history of Gevril attracted Friedmann to the company.  The original founder of this watch brand, Jacques Gevril, was born in 1721.  Jacques was the first in a family line of watchmakers.  

As would be expected of a watchmaker of his caliber, Jacques Gevril clocked in many firsts amongst the community of timepiece makers.  Two of his most notable firsts were his invention of the repetition dial, and his becoming the first exporter of Swiss timepieces when he hand delivered a specially crafted watch to King Ferdinand VI in 1758.  The king was so impressed with the craftsmanship that he personally appointed Gevril 'Watchmaker to the Crown of Spain'.

Gevril Watches 

Watchmakers Since 1758

Gevril's son Moshe became a 'Master Clockmaker' in 1784, and many of his descendants followed in the family tradition of creating the finest quality watches and clocks. Their tradition expanded and improved it was not simply continued.  Jacques originally began restoring watches, building his first chronometer in 1743 and his repetition dial in 1744.  In the early 19th. Century the family became experts in enameling, and developed the finest artistry in the creation of dials for their timepieces. 

The combination of quality and beauty embodied in the Gevril watches earned them their rightful place in the salons of the royal and prestigious, into European museums, and into watchmaking history books.  Up until the more recent past Gevril was still a relatively unknown brand outside of the most educated rings of timepiece historians until Friedmann took ownership of the company in 2001 and breathed new life into the marketing of the brand.

Today, Friedmann's goal of Gevril's rebirth has been realized.  Gevril is once again recognized as a maker of the finest watches.  Examples of Gevril artistry and technology grace the arms of the celebrities who constitute today's royalty, and the pages of the magazines of the elite.  Collectors appreciate and admire the simple grandeur of Gevril watches.  

Because of its substantial history, Gevril has its own identity and does not, remotely, imitate any other brand.  This individuality is something which Friedmann values greatly and strives to preserve.  He says, “The watch has a face, and just like people, every watch's face is different. The watch you wear reflects the person inside you."

Gevril maintains its quality vigilantly.  Every single timepiece is expertly hand-crafted at their factory in Tramelan, Switzerland.  Each year, a maximum of 6,000 Gevril watches are created; numbers per line vary between 26 and 500.  The finest quality materials are used: mother-of-pearl dials are natural, Wesselton diamonds are calibrated by CNC machines, Gold is 18K and the Stainless steel is surgical grade (316L).   Gevril's own craftsmen expertly finish all movements for their luxury watches.  

Although only the most modern techniques are used, Freidmann is proud to say that he is not letting go of the “classic” Gevril watch "look."  In fact, the dial on the watches Gevril sells today is not so different from one by Daniel Gevril which can be found in a Geneva museum.  Samuel Freidmann explains, “I want to make sure that the new watches have something in common with past watches. I want to go closer to the past, because I feel that this will be our success: using today's technology with the core being from the historical foundation."

When Freidmann first acquired Gevril in 2001, he summed up his goal – since then he has attained it:  “I want to combine the tradition of the Gevril brand with innovative and modern watchmaking techniques.”  Gevril's combination of these core aspects has made it, once again, a prestigious watch brand – known for fine watchmaking and design.  

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