What Herbelin is known for
French watchmaker founded in 1947 by Michel Herbelin in Charquemont, in the Jura mountains - a historic center of French watchmaking. Herbelin began as a solo workshop on the top floor of his parents' house; the Newport nautical model, created by his sons Jean-Claude and Pierre-Michel, became the maison's signature.
Michel Herbelin set up his own watchmaking workshop at age 26 on the top floor of his parents' house in Charquemont, a village in the Jura mountains long associated with French watchmaking. In 1947 he named his first watch 'IMPEC' - short for 'impeccable' - to declare his ambition of making flawless, France-made timepieces. The Newport, the brand's best-known model, was designed by Michel's sons Jean-Claude and Pierre-Michel Herbelin as a tribute to their father and his interest in sailing; it became the maison's emblematic nautical watch. Herbelin remains a family-run, France-based watchmaker built around accessible pricing relative to Swiss competitors.
Best for — Elegant French watches; Antarès interchangeable; Newport yachting chrono; Watches
France
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