Victorinox: history, models and value

Founded

1884

Founder(s)

Karl Elsener

Headquarters

Ibach (Schwyz)

Owner / group

Independent (owned by Victorinox foundations)

Victorinox: origins and founding

Victorinox began in 1884 as the knife workshop of Karl Elsener in Ibach, in the canton of Schwyz. In 1909, after his mother's death, Elsener named the brand "Victoria" in her honour. In 1921 the name became Victorinox, a blend of "Victoria" and "inox", from the French term for stainless steel. From 1908 the Swiss Army knife contract was split between Victorinox and its rival Wenger.

Victorinox history and milestones

• 1884: Karl Elsener opens his cutlery workshop in Ibach.
• 1921: The trade name Victorinox is adopted.
• 1979: The company officially becomes Victorinox AG.
• 1989: Victorinox enters the watch business in the United States under the "Swiss Army" brand name.
• 2001: Victorinox and Swiss Army Brands, Inc. form an international watch company.
• 2002: Victorinox buys the remaining shares of Swiss Army Brands, Inc. and gains control of the Swiss Army trademark.
• 2005: Victorinox takes over its former rival Wenger.
• 2014: The I.N.O.X. watch range is introduced.

That history explains why older watches may be signed "Swiss Army" or "Victorinox Swiss Army" rather than just "Victorinox".

Famous Victorinox models

• I.N.O.X.: a tough sports watch launched in 2014 and designed to resist shocks and extreme conditions.
• Maverick: sports watches with a rotating diver-style bezel, in quartz and automatic versions.
• Infantry: military-inspired field watches.
• Airboss: pilot-style watches.
• Alliance, Fieldforce and Dive Pro: dress, everyday and dive models.

Movements and technique

Victorinox does not make its own calibres. Most of its watches use Swiss quartz movements, for example a Ronda 715 in a quartz I.N.O.X. Automatic models use bought-in Swiss mechanical movements, such as the Sellita SW-220-1 in a Dive Pro Automatic. The watches are made in Switzerland, and the company runs a watch competence centre in Delémont.

Victorinox today

Victorinox is still based in Ibach. It is owned by two foundations, the Victorinox-Stiftung (90%) and the Carl und Elise Elsener-Gut Stiftung (10%), and is not part of a watch group. In watches it sits in the entry to mid-price segment of Swiss Made, next to its knives, luggage and other products.

Victorinox prices on the pre-owned market

Most Victorinox and Swiss Army watches were made in large numbers with quartz movements, so used prices are usually well below the price new. Automatic and chronograph models, limited editions and well-kept I.N.O.X. pieces tend to sell more easily than simple quartz models. Box, papers, a working battery and an undamaged crystal and bracelet all help. Vintage "Swiss Army" watches from the 1990s are not usually collector pieces, but clean examples can still find buyers.

How to recognise a genuine Victorinox

Look for "Swiss Made" on the dial and clean, even printing of the logo and text. The caseback normally shows a reference or item number that you can compare with the brand's catalogue. Fakes of such affordable watches are less common than of luxury brands, but they exist, especially for sought-after models like the I.N.O.X. Our guide explains how to spot a fake watch.

What is your Victorinox worth?

Take a few photos of the dial and caseback and get a free watch value estimate. If you need a written value for an estate or insurance, you can order a watch appraisal.

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