The origins

The history of the House of Courbelin dates back to the 1930s, an era when women's watches took on bold shapes, inspired by Art Deco. "Tonneau" or "baguette" models appeared on the wrists of elegant women, such as the rectangular platinum watch, fully paved with diamonds, equipped with a shaped movement signed by Courbelin.

A sober identity

In the 1940s, the brand expanded its range with men's models, notably steel two-register chronographs. The dials then featured cream tones embellished with spiral tachymeter or telemeter scales, typical of the 1930s-1940s design. From the 1950s onwards, these dials evolved towards silver-toned shades, with Breguet numerals, reflecting the understated elegance of the era.

Birth of an icon

It was in the 1960s that Courbelin reached an audacious turning point: the creation of a diving watch for women, a completely unprecedented initiative at the time. While scuba diving was still the preserve of professionals—mine-clearing divers, marine commandos, and adventurers—the brand paid tribute to the pioneers of recreational diving, which was just beginning to emerge. A visionary idea, revealing Courbelin's boldness and its attention to detail. In the 1970s, Courbelin continued this underwater adventure with an impressive diving watch for men, before designing a model dedicated to elite commandos, the famous "Green Berets."

Quartz Crisis

Like many independent houses, Courbelin suffered through the "quartz crisis" of the 1970s–80s, which saw many artisanal players disappear or be absorbed into larger groups. Archives became rare, and the brand gradually fell into oblivion.

July 2022

The story (re)begins at a flea market in the South of France. Romain Réa knows how to recognize pieces that have something to say. That day, a watch from the late 1960s caught his expert watchmaker’s eye. An atypical caliber, far from current standards: 33.5 millimeters in diameter, signed Courbelin. A pioneering piece: a women's diving watch designed at a time when watchmaking did not yet think in those terms. He gifted it to his daughter Manon, who also instantly felt the same love at first sight. This piece became the catalyst: father and daughter decided together to relaunch the brand!

between memory and renewal

Since its inception, the house has designed watches for lives in motion, for demanding exploration settings, and even the most unexpected terrains.

"We want this energy, this standard of excellence to endure, and for our creations to live in their time," Manon REA.

Thus, Courbelin imagines pieces for today's adventures: freer, more personal, more multifaceted. Codes cross, blend, and are reinterpreted. Heritage is set in motion with a fresh start: the "Nouvelle Plongée" collection.

"Our ambition is to revive a forgotten house with an audacious, committed, current project that respects its Swiss watchmaking lineage," Romain REA.

This new momentum is embodied by Nouvelle Plongée, a collection born between two worlds: the heritage of the 1970s and the raw energy of today. An automatic diving watch, unisex, designed for all environments, for those who move from one terrain to another, who want both Swiss Made quality and an audacious design. From the asphalt to the ocean, without transition.