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The story
In 1933, René Bannwart began his watchmaking career at Patek Philippe, then joined Omega in 1940, where he designed several models, some of which are still sold today. There, he inaugurated and led the creation department. He left the company in 1955 to establish his own brand. Meanwhile, his uncle, Gaston Ries, had been running a watchmaking workshop in La Chaux-de-Fonds for about thirty years.
Corum was founded in 1955 in La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland, by Gaston Ries and his nephew, René Bannwart. The first Corum watches were produced one year later.
The name "Corum" comes from the Latin word quorum, which refers to the minimum number of people required to hold discussions and make decisions in a deliberative assembly. René Bannwart simplified its spelling to “Corum.” The logo is a key pointing toward the sky, symbolizing riddles, mystery, innovation, and watchmaking precision.
Soon after its establishment, Corum introduced a watch made out of a $20 gold coin, which was an instant best-seller. This became one of its signature pieces. Corum is also known for its "World Premiers". Each year, it has produced a limited number of limited edition pieces.
After René, his son Jean-René took over the business.
In January 2000, Corum was acquired by the Severin Wunderman Group. The American businessman had made his fortune by launching Gucci watches. Following the Wundermans’ purchase of Corum, Severin and Michael Wunderman introduced twelve new models for the 2000 Basel Watch Fair. He expanded the brand into the American market and multiplied its points of sale. He later entrusted the company’s redeployment to his son, Michael, and to Antonio Calce, who became Corum’s CEO in 2007.
After Severin Wunderman passed away on 25 June 2008, Michael officially took over the company. In January 2010, its founder René Bannwart, died aged 95.
In 2013, Michael Wunderman sold the company, acquiring partial ownership in the process. Corum was acquired by the Hong Kong–based group China Haidian Holdings Limited (HKEX listed code 256.HK), renamed Citychamp Watch & Jewellery a year later, which already controlled the Swiss brands Eterna and Ernest Borel. Antonio Calce remained at the head of both Corum and Eterna.
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He left Corum in April 2014 and was replaced by Jacques-Alain Vuille. From 2015 to 2017, Davide Traxler led Corum. In September 2017, Jérôme Biard became the new CEO of Corum and Eterna, a role he held until the end of 2018.
In May 2025, as Corum celebrated its 70th anniversary, the company changed ownership and became Swiss once again. Corum was acquired by Haso Mehmedovic—who joined the brand as a watchmaker in 2011 and later became its International Sales Director—together with several Swiss investors from the luxury and finance sectors. The acquisition was a management buy-out, orchestrated from within the company by Haso Mehmedovic. Haso Mehmedovic takes the helm of the maison as CEO and Chairman of the Board.
While the year 2025 was dedicated to strengthening the collections, in September 2025 Corum announced its participation— for the first time—at Watches and Wonders Geneva 2026, one of the most prestigious watchmaking events in the world. This announcement represented a milestone for the brand, symbolizing its return to the forefront of the international watchmaking scene. Haso Mehmedovic aims to consolidate existing markets and open new horizons.
The global relaunch is planned for mid-2026. Corum intends to reinforce its distribution by streamlining its network of 300 retailers, revising its after-sales service, and rethinking its overall distribution strategy.
From Wikipedia’s article on Corum (watchmakers), shared under CC BY-SA 4.0.4