Who owns Cartier? Plus the owners of 19 other big watch brands

Richemont owns Cartier. Three groups own most big watch names, namely Richemont, Swatch Group and LVMH, while Rolex, Patek Philippe, Audemars Piguet and Richard Mille stay independent. The table below shows who owns 20 big brands and, where a source confirms it, the year each one joined. Bizak & Co. is a sourcing desk, not an authorized dealer for Cartier or any other brand on this page: every watch here is found to order, not held in stock.

Last updated on November 2, 2026. Sources: Richemont, Swatch Group, LVMH, Rolex, Patek Philippe, Audemars Piguet.

Who owns the biggest luxury watch brands?

Thirteen of the 20 brands below belong to Richemont, Swatch Group or LVMH. The other seven have a different kind of owner: a foundation, a family, a private company, a private equity firm or the Seiko Group.

Vendôme was a luxury group that Richemont set up in 1993. It grouped Cartier with brands such as Dunhill, Montblanc and Piaget. Vacheron Constantin and Panerai joined through Vendôme. Richemont took full ownership of its luxury interests in 1998.

Who owns Cartier?

Richemont owns Cartier. Cartier is a French house, founded in Paris in 1847, but its owner is Swiss. Richemont is a luxury group that Johann Rupert founded in 1988. Its shares trade on the SIX Swiss Exchange and in Johannesburg. Richemont lists Cartier as a jewelry brand, next to Van Cleef & Arpels and Buccellati. Its watch brands include IWC, Jaeger-LeCoultre, Vacheron Constantin, A. Lange & Söhne, Panerai, Piaget and Roger Dubuis.

We can source the Cartier Santos 100 W20106X8 to order. For the head-to-head with Rolex, read Cartier vs Rolex.

Who owns Omega?

The Swatch Group owns Omega. The group lists 16 watch brands, including Breguet, Blancpain, Longines, Tissot, Hamilton and Swatch itself. Omega and Tissot merged in 1930 to form SSIH. SSIH and ASUAG, two older Swiss watch groups, merged in 1983. The merged group later took the Swatch Group name. Its shares trade on the SIX Swiss Exchange.

We can find the Omega Speedmaster Moonwatch Professional 310.30.42.50.04.001 on request. Weighing Omega against Rolex? Read Rolex vs Omega.

Who owns Tudor?

The Hans Wilsdorf Foundation owns Tudor, the same private Swiss foundation that owns Rolex. Hans Wilsdorf created the company Montres TUDOR S.A. on March 6, 1946. In the early years, Rolex backed Tudor on quality, distribution and after-sales service. That makes Tudor the sister brand of Rolex, not part of a listed group.

We can track down the Tudor Black Bay 58 M79030N-0001 to order. For the watch-by-watch gap, read Tudor vs Rolex. Our guide to who owns Rolex covers the foundation in full.

Who owns Breitling?

Partners Group, a private equity firm, holds the majority of Breitling. In December 2022 it agreed to take over the majority from CVC Capital Partners. CVC bought 80% of the brand in April 2017 and the last 20% in November 2018. Before CVC, the Schneider family owned Breitling. Ernest Schneider bought it from the founding family in 1979. Breitling is not part of Richemont, Swatch Group or LVMH.

We can source the Breitling Navitimer B01 Chronograph 43 AB0121211B1A1 to order.

Who owns Patek Philippe?

The Stern family owns Patek Philippe. Charles and Jean Stern bought the company in 1932. They ran the dial maker Cadrans Stern Frères and had supplied Patek before the deal. Thierry Stern has been president since 2009. Patek says independence still guides its strategy.

We can find the Patek Philippe Nautilus 5712G-001 on request. For prices at the top end, read the most expensive Patek Philippe watches.

Who owns TAG Heuer?

LVMH owns TAG Heuer. It bought the brand in 1999. TAG Heuer sits in the Watches & Jewelry group of LVMH, next to Hublot, Zenith, Bulgari and Tiffany & Co. LVMH shares trade in Paris, and the Arnault family is the largest shareholder.

We can source the TAG Heuer Carrera Chronograph CBK2110.BA0715 to order.

Who owns Audemars Piguet?

The Audemars and Piguet families own Audemars Piguet. The brand says it has stayed independent and in family hands since 1875. Jules Louis Audemars and Edward Auguste Piguet founded it that year in Le Brassus. No group controls it.

We can find the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Chronograph 26300ST.OO.1110ST.08 on request. You can also browse the wider Audemars Piguet range.

Who owns Richard Mille?

Richard Mille belongs to the private Richard Mille Group, and no big group owns it. Richard Mille and Dominique Guenat started the brand in 2001. It counts as one of the four big privately owned brands, with Rolex, Patek Philippe and Audemars Piguet.

See the Richard Mille range or read about the most expensive Richard Mille watches.

Who owns Hublot?

LVMH owns Hublot. It bought the brand in April 2008, mostly from Carlo Crocco, who founded Hublot in 1980. Hublot sits in the same LVMH group as TAG Heuer and Zenith.

We can track down the Hublot Big Bang Unico King Gold Blue 441.OX.5181.RX to order.

What does group ownership mean for a buyer?

It tells you who stands behind the brand, not how good one watch is. Group ownership can reach into parts and resale. The Swatch Group says it makes components for the watches of its 16 brands. Richemont also owns Watchfinder & Co., a UK pre-owned watch specialist it bought in 2018. So one group can own the maker and a resale channel.

Independent houses answer to no group. Rolex, Patek Philippe and Audemars Piguet each stress their independence. Owners can change, too. LVMH bought Hublot mostly from its founder in 2008, and Partners Group agreed in 2022 to take the majority of Breitling from CVC.

None of this changes the watch in your hand. The reference, the condition and the papers matter more than the owner. The verdict: pick the watch first and the owner second. Buy a group brand if you like a maker with a large company behind it. Buy an independent brand if you want a maker that answers to a family, a foundation or a private owner.

Related reading: who owns Rolex and the top luxury watch brands.

Quick answers

Who owns Cartier?

Richemont, a Swiss luxury group, owns Cartier. Cartier began in Paris in 1847, and Johann Rupert founded Richemont in 1988.

Who owns Omega?

The Swatch Group owns Omega, along with Breguet, Blancpain and Longines. Its shares trade on the SIX Swiss Exchange.

Who owns Breitling?

Partners Group, a private equity firm, holds the majority of Breitling. In December 2022 it agreed to take over the majority from CVC Capital Partners.

Which watch brands are independent?

Rolex, Tudor, Patek Philippe, Audemars Piguet and Richard Mille are not part of Richemont, Swatch Group or LVMH. A foundation owns Rolex and Tudor, and families own Patek Philippe and Audemars Piguet. Richard Mille is a private company.

Who owns TAG Heuer, Hublot and Zenith?

LVMH owns all three. It bought TAG Heuer and Zenith in 1999 and Hublot in 2008.

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Want a Cartier, Omega, Tudor or another watch from this list found? Tell us the model, size, material and strap or bracelet, whether you want new or pre-owned, and your budget and timing, through our sourcing enquiry form. We confirm the specific watch, photographs and final price before you commit, and a $200 deposit, credited to the price, starts your sourcing request.