February 17, 2025 – Rolex has announced its decision to shut down the Carl F. Bucherer (CFB) watch brand, following its acquisition of the renowned Swiss watchmaker in September 2023. The closure, which will impact the watchmaking division, will not affect the Bucherer retail chain, including its Tourneau stores in the United States.
According to Bilanz, a Swiss business magazine, CFB has incurred losses amounting to $278 million since Rolex took control. Rolex, however, stated that it intends to offer positions to 70 of CFB’s 100 watchmaking employees at its new facility in Bulle, Switzerland.
Strategic Acquisition and Retail Network Control
The acquisition of Bucherer, one of Switzerland’s oldest luxury watch brands founded in 1888 in Lucerne, aligns with Rolex’s long-term strategy to enhance control over its distribution network. The Bucherer retail chain, which sells a variety of luxury watches including Rolex, provided Rolex with valuable insights into its competitors and greater oversight of retail operations.
Although Rolex’s acquisition included Bucherer’s watchmaking operations, the primary focus was on its retail business, which operates Tourneau, a major retail brand in the U.S.
A Legacy of Watchmaking Collaboration
Jorg G. Bucherer, the former chairman of the company, made the decision to sell the family business at the age of 87, citing a lack of direct heirs to take over the brand. Bucherer, who had worked alongside Hans Wilsdorf, the founder of Rolex, was the last person with direct ties to Wilsdorf’s legacy still active in the company.
Rolex had emphasized at the time of the purchase that its goal was to preserve the long-standing partnership with Bucherer and to honor the shared history between the two companies, which had worked together for nearly 90 years.
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