News The Official Swiss Chronometer lnspectorate (COSC) ended the second millennium on a high note, having certified last year more than a million chronometers: 1,032,258 to be exact, compared to 946,536 in 1999 (+ 9.1 %). Another record was broken with the number of watches registered: 1,066,938 (+ 8.6 %), with an increase of 10.0 % for mechanical movements, to 996,115, but a decline of 7.5 %, to 70,724 for quartz models.
In terms of brands, Rolex as usual is still well in the lead with 635,209 certifications. It is followed by Breitling (148,380), which snatched second place from Omega (146,144), Bulgari (21,345), Panerai (19,231) and TAG Heuer (13,270). Then come: Chopard (5,430), Vacheron Constantin (5,046), Zenith (4,902), Ebel (3,476), Krieger (2,468), Patek Philippe (1,803), lkepod (1,662), Ulysse Nardin (1,588), Montega (1,559), Mühle-Glashütte (1,385), Hermès (1,379), Bertolucci (1,292), Concord (1,253) and Edox & Vista (1,000).
August 30, 2001