Since its beginning, Corum has taken pride in being a distinctively "different" Swiss watch manufacturer. Founded in 1955, its roots began and remain in La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland. Gaston Ries, a talented watchmaker, with the help of his nephew Rene Bannwart, transformed his small private label watch factory into a unique brand all their own. The Ries-Bannwart partnership was perfect: the uncle brought an eye for detail and the nephew an eye for beauty. This was the birth of the distinctve Corum style. Many years later, entrepreneur and philanthropist, Severin Wunderman began his search for a watch brand he could call his own and purchased the venerable Swiss watch house known as Corum. When asked about his future plans for Corum he replied: "Making watches that meet the criteria of savoir faire and aesthetics with the daring approach that has always characterized Corum."