News first broke last week that Rolex was shuttering Carl F. Bucherer, the watch brand it acquired when it bought Bucherer in the summer of 2023, but neither Rolex nor Bucherer would confirm details to German language business paper Bilanz, which first ran the story.
Neither Rolex nor Bucherer wanted to comment on the end of CFB, Bilanz reports today in an update to its article.
Rolex referred questions to Bucherer, while Bucherer dismissed the information as mere rumours.
WatchPro winkled a brief reply from Bucherer’s spokesperson this morning, who said: “We didn’t deny nor comment any further”.
Rolex did not respond to questions.
It is understood that Carl F. Bucherer employees were informed this morning that the brand’s watchmaking operation and stores, are closing.
Carl F. Bucherer was launched by the Bucherer family of jewellers in 1888, and remained the only Swiss watch manufacturer still owned and led by its founding family until the acquisition by Rolex.
A relaunch of CFB in 2023, just ahead of the Rolex purchase, reduced its wholesale operation from 350 doors to 260, including 56 Bucherer showrooms in Europe and the United States.
The United States was CFB’s largest wholesale market at the time with around 50 doors.
According to the Bilanz report, CFB has always run at a loss, but was a pet project for Bucherer’s family owners.
Rolex appears to have taken a more pragmatic approach. In addition to ongoing losses, keeping CFB alive meant devoting management time and resources, skilled watchmakers and square footage at Bucherer stores that could be put to better use for more desirable brands.