Lucien Piccard
Geneva, Switzerland · Fondée en 1923
Fondée par Lucien Piccard
Lucien Piccard était un importateur américain de montres suisses actif dans les années 1950-1970, connu pour ses montres élégantes avec des cadrans ornés de pierres précieuses. La marque ciblait le marché américain de la montre de luxe accessible.
- Fondée en
- 1923
- Siège social
- Geneva, Switzerland
- Groupe
- Other
- Segment de prix
- Entrée de gamme
- Statut
- Disparue
Cessation: 2000
Lucien Piccard décline dans les années 1970-80 lors de la crise du quartz et de la transformation du marché de la montre aux États-Unis.
Lucien Piccard ornait les poignets de l'Amérique des Sixties avec des cadrans étoilés de diamants — Hollywood pour le prix du Grand Canyon.
Collections phares
- Seashark — The flagship diving watch collection that established Lucien Piccard's reputation for robust, water-resistant timepieces in the American market during the 1960s and 1970s.
- Dufonte — A diffusion line introduced to offer more affordable Swiss-made watches, though it later became associated with the brand's decline into mass-market territory.
- LP Chronograph Series — Mechanical chronograph watches produced during the brand's golden era, featuring Swiss movements and classic mid-century styling.
Chronologie
- 1923 — Lucien Piccard founded in Geneva, Switzerland, establishing a watchmaking enterprise focused on quality Swiss timepieces.
- 1940 — The brand expanded significantly into the American market, becoming a popular choice for quality Swiss watches at accessible prices.
- 1960 — Introduction of the Seashark collection capitalised on the growing demand for sport and diving watches.
- 1980 — Following the quartz crisis, the brand began licensing its name for increasingly lower-quality products.
- 2000 — Lucien Piccard effectively ceased to exist as a legitimate Swiss watchmaker, reduced to a licensed name on cheap quartz imports.
Questions fréquentes sur Lucien Piccard
- Lucien Piccard fabriquait-elle ses propres montres ?
- Lucien Piccard était principalement un importateur qui achetait des montres en Suisse et les commercialisait aux États-Unis sous sa propre marque, avec des designs de cadrans propres.
- Are Lucien Piccard watches still valuable?
- Vintage Lucien Piccard watches from the 1950s through 1970s, particularly mechanical Seashark divers and chronographs with Swiss movements, retain modest collector value. Later quartz-era pieces have minimal collectability.
- Can I still buy a Lucien Piccard watch today?
- Watches bearing the Lucien Piccard name are still sold through mass-market retailers, but these bear no connection to the original Swiss company and are typically inexpensive quartz watches manufactured in Asia.
- Was Lucien Piccard a real person?
- Yes, Lucien Piccard was the founder of the eponymous brand in 1923, though detailed biographical information about him is scarce in horological records.
- What happened to Lucien Piccard during the quartz crisis?
- Like many mid-tier Swiss brands, Lucien Piccard struggled to compete with cheap Japanese quartz watches in the 1970s and 1980s. The company's response was to license its name rather than innovate, leading to a gradual erosion of quality and reputation.