2025 marks the 70th anniversary of the Corum watch brand, and they’re celebrating in a somewhat unconventional manner. Rather than releasing a special edition or new collection, they’ve had a change of ownership. Since 2013 they have been owned by Hong Kong based Citychamp Watch & Jewellery Group Limited but as of now they have been bought out and Corum is returning to Swiss ownership.
Specifically, the buyout was orchestrated by the former Sales Director Haso Mehmedovic, who now takes the position of CEO and Chairman of the Board. Mehmedovic is perfectly positioned to oversee the transition, having worked for the brand for 15 years after initially joining as a watchmaker. His passion and focus has always been on the watches themselves and now he has even greater control with management and the manufacture now more closely aligned in La Chaux-de-Fonds.
In the short term there won’t be any dramatic changes however the brand has retained all of its patents, intellectual property and archives, creating a strong base from which to move forward. The reasons for the change are described as boosting the brand’s creative freedom to explore their identity within the industry. Something which has been much needed after years lost in the woods, spinning their wheels and really not doing much of anything despite having some arguably really strong creations in their stable. Their niche of producing high end watches with Avante Garde designs as epitomised by classic collections like the Golden Bridge, Bubble, Admiral and Coin should be a strong one. Hopefully the return to Switzerland will be just the shot in the arm they need.
Moving forward, the brand intends to host a relaunch in mid-2026, which will presumably indicate the new direction they plan to pursue. So far 2025 has been a great year for relaunches and new directions with other brands like Galet and Favre-Leuba coming closer and closer to relaunch too. It’s an exciting time for heritage brands reinventing themselves for the modern world. In Mehmedovic’s own words:
“We have a tremendous opportunity ahead: to restore Corum’s rightful place in Swiss watchmaking. I know this company inside and out, its strengths and its untapped potential. Corum was the very first brand I applied to after graduating in 2011 — and I never looked back. I grew up with this company and went through every high and low with the teams. Today, we’re putting bold creativity and innovation back at center stage, and building on Corum’s unique DNA. We will be reinforcing our distribution, consolidating key markets, opening new horizons — and above all, bringing Corum back into the spotlight for collectors and enthusiasts around the world.”
More details at Corum.
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