03/ Going In-house

Most Swiss mechanical watches feature off-the-shelf movements from firms such as ETA and Sellita. While there’s nothing wrong with those, extra clout is earned by brands with the resources to create their own. Here are the industry movers and shakers

1/ NOMOS GLASHÜTTE Germany’s Nomos Glashütte offers remarkable value: each one of its affordably priced, design-led watches contains in-house movements to rival many of the specialised Swiss brands – and at half the price. Defining factor Nomos Swing System, the brand’s in-house design of escapement, developed at a cost of €11.4m. Nomos Glashütte Minimatik £2770

2/ ROLEX Rolex’s movements are renowned for their bulletproof construction, shrewd use of materials and a commitment to quality control. Aficionados generally claim they’re the most trustworthy movements around. Defining factor Rolex’s most advanced movement – the Calibre 3255 – packs in no fewer than 14 patents. Rolex Day-date 40 White Gold £27,650

3/ GRAND SEIKO Besides producing reputable quartz watches, the Japanese behemoth’s luxury division, Grand Seiko, makes some of the finest in-house watches on the market, with a level of detail few Swiss manufacturers match. Defining factor Each watch is assembled and adjusted from start to finish by one dedicated watchmaker. Grand Seiko Hi-beat 36000 GMT £5800

4/ PATEK PHILIPPE The pioneer of complications and still the emblematic house of haute horlogerie, Patek Philippe’s movements are expressions of traditional Swiss watchmaking at its very finest – the epitome of technical artistry. Defining factor Every movement part is hand-finished and assembled using a precision blueprint. Patek Philippe Perpetual Calendar 5940G £66,850