Victorinox

Founded 1884 · Ibach, canton of Schwyz, Switzerland · Karl Elsener (Carl Elsener)

Victorinox began as a Swiss cutlery works in 1884 and is the house behind the famous Swiss Army Knife; its name joins "Victoria" (the founder's mother) and "inox" (stainless steel). As a watch brand it is much younger: it launched its first watch in 1989 and is today an accessible-to-mid-range Swiss watch firm known for tough, functional, solidly finished pieces.

History

In 1884 Karl Elsener opened his cutlery workshop in Ibach, and in 1891 began supplying knives to the Swiss army — the origin of the iconic Swiss Army Knife. After his mother's death in 1909 he adopted the "Victoria" mark and added the Swiss cross emblem; in 1921 he fused "Victoria" with "inox" to create the definitive name Victorinox. In 1989 the company extended its standing into watchmaking with the "Swiss Army" watch, a great success in North America, where the knife was hugely well known. In 2001 it formed the watch company Victorinox Swiss Army Watch, and in 2002 took full control of the "Swiss Army" name for the watch business. In 2005 Victorinox absorbed its historic rival Wenger, unifying Swiss knife production. In 2014, for its 130th anniversary, it presented the I.N.O.X. collection, built to pass 130 extreme resistance tests and today its most emblematic line.

Iconic models

I.N.O.X.
Launched in 2014 for the 130th anniversary; it passed 130 resistance tests and survives 10 m drops, 200 m of water and an 8-tonne truck driving over it.
Maverick
The house all-rounder: rotating bezel, sapphire crystal and high legibility, one of the brand's best sellers.
Airboss
An aviation-inspired collection; its mechanical versions carry the Sellita SW200 automatic in a steel case.
Alliance
The dressiest, most classical proposal, with the toughness of a field watch but a slim profile for daily wear.
Dive Master 500
A diver rated to 500 m, the most maritime and technical calling in the catalogue.

Worth knowing

The name "Victorinox" comes from cutlery, not watchmaking: it joins "Victoria", the mother of founder Karl Elsener, with "inox", short for the French acier inoxydable (stainless steel), a term he adopted in 1921 when he began using the material.