Festina Watches

History of Festina Watches

The history of Festina can be traced back to the early 1900s. It was originally founded in 1902 in La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland. Fast forward, in the early 1980s, Miguel Rodriguez established a new company in Barcelona and launched the Lotus watch brand. This ambitious Spanish entrepreneur acquired the historic Swiss watch brand Festina in 1984. He subsequently established a company named Festina Lotus SA.

Later renamed as Festina, the group has progressively expanded its brand portfolio through strategic acquisitions. It also undertook significant steps to increase production capabilities by setting up subsidiaries in various countries in the Europe. In 1994, Festina became the Official Timer of the Tour de France.

Headquartered in Barcelona, the watchmaking conglomerate’s mass market brand portfolio is comprised of Candino, Festina, Lotus, Calypso, Jaguar and Kronaby watch brands. The group also owns prestigious luxury watch marques Perrelet and L.Loroy. Moreover, Festina Group maintains a great production facility of Swiss made mechanical movements after the key acquisition of Soprod.

Right now, Festina is one of the leading watch and movement manufactures in the world.

Festina Watch collections

(1) Festina Chrono Bike

Chrono Bike is a sports watch collection inspired by the world of cycling. Known for its original, innovative designs and functional reliability, this wristwatch series have brought the brand matchless recognition. Designed for adventurous-loving men, these quartz chronographs are available with 44.50mm or 45.50mm diameter case which is made of 316L stainless steel. Emphasizing the sporty nature of this series, every model is equipped with a graduated exterior bezel and crown-guards.

Fitted with hardened mineral glass (sapphire crystal in some limited editions), Chrono Bike models are water-resistant to 100 meters. They offer a wide variety of dial colors combined with both matte and glossy details. These cycling inspired timepieces come with a 316L stainless steel bracelet or a matching rubber strap. 

(2) Festina Chrono Sport

This sports watch collection from Festina typically consists of quartz-powered chronographs. These stainless steel wristwatches are available case sizes like 43mm, 43.5mm, 43.7mm, 44mm and 44.5mm. With water resistance to 100 meters, the watch is fitted with a mineral glass. Suitable for various sports activities and outdoor adventurous, this timepiece comes with matching straps made of stainless steel, rubber or perforated leather. Depending upon the version, the external bezel features countdown or tachymeter scale. Festina Chrono Sport is also available without bezel. 

(3) Festina Boyfriend

This series is comprised of stylish ladies’ wristwatches, typically ranging from models with minimalistic design features to dazzling creations adorned with Zirconia gem stones. Festina Boyfriend also includes sporty versions featuring with external rotating bezels.

Specially designed for contemporary women, Festina Boyfriend watches are available in various case diameters like 34.50mm, 36mm, 36.5mm, 38.5mm and 39.25mm. This collection offers an extensive selection of dial colors like beige, black, blue, bordeaux, gray, rosé, violet and white. The series also includes timepieces with iridescent mother-of-pearl dials. Driven by quartz movements, these feminine wristwatches are available in time-only (two or three hands), three hands with date and chronograph versions.

Made of stainless steel, Boyfriend watches exist in silvery, gold-toned, IP-black and dual toned versions. Offering water resistance of 30, 50 or 100 meters, they come fitted with mineral crystal glasses. 

(4) Festina Automatic

This outstanding collection is typically comprised of mechanical self-winding watches equipped with Japanese Miyota automatic movements. For men, this series offers classically styled dress wristwatches and sports models. Available in silver, gold-tone and dual-color versions, these stainless steel watches are fitted with sapphire crystal glasses.

Among Festina Automatic watches, classic versions feature refined guilloche dials with a date window and three sleek centre-hands for displaying hour, minute and seconds. This series also offers contemporary skeleton timepieces with bespoke sapphire glasses on the dial-side and the caseback so that the mechanical movement can be admired from both sides. Both classic and skeleton models come with 41.5mm diameter cases, and they have a water resistance of 50 meters.

Designed after modern diving watches, the sports variant features a 42.3mm diameter case and an external graduated bezel with monotone or bi-color theme. They feature easy to read dials with arrow-shaped hour-hand, sword-shaped minute-hand and large hour-markers. These muscular versions are water-proof up to 100 meters.

Men automatic classic and sports variants come with leather straps or stainless steel bracelets precisely matching the tone of the case. Skeleton models feature mesh pattern bracelets.

For women, the Festina Automatic series offers a number of beautifully executed wristwatches. Boasting luxurious details, these timekeepers are available with open-heart or fully transparent dial designs. Measuring 32.5mm or 33.5mm, these self-winding watches typically feature stainless steel cases with silver, gold-tone or dual-tone finish. Provided with sapphire crystal glasses, Festina Automatic ladies watches offer water resistance of 50 meters. 

(5) Festina Swiss Made

Capitalizing its manufacturing capabilities in Switzerland, Festina also offers Swiss Made watches. These highly sought-after timepieces are fitted with Swiss movements and assembled in Switzerland. Presently, this impressive series includes classically styled quartz dress models featuring silvered or gold-toned stainless steel case, sapphire crystals. Water resistant to 100 meters, these elegant wristwatches come with minimalistic dial lay-outs: with two or three hands, and with or without date. This series includes dress watches for both ladies and gentlemen. 

(6) Festina Mademoiselle

Festina Mademoiselle is an ultra-feminine collection, known for its eye-catching implementation of sparkling Swarovski crystals to adorn the bezel or hour-markers. Available in various dial colors and styles, these quartz watches feature two or three hands, with or without the date display. Additionally offered with gold-toned and bi-color renditions, these stylish wristwatches feature mineral crystal glasses. Water resistant up to 50 meters, they usually come with case sizes like 30.5mm and 32mm. These watches are fitted with steel bracelets, mesh wristbands or colored leather strap.

Summary

Festina has been renowned for its comprehensive collection of affordable fashions watches.

Festina uses 316L grade stainless steel for manufacturing most of their timepieces. Depending upon the model, they feature silvered, rose/yellow gold toned or bi-color case finishing. The brand also uses innovative materials like ceramic and titanium in some of its wristwatches.

Regarding dials, the company offers a more substantial number of shades and styles, ranging from the minimalistic design of the classic dress watches to captivating crystalline pattern of the Mademoiselle collection.

Festina watches are equipped with top-quality movements manufactured in Japan or Switzerland. Regarding bracelets and straps, the brand offers several choices. Firstly, the stainless steel bracelet is available in various styles and renditions to harmonize with the design and color theme of the watch. Depending upon the model, the leather strap comes with the alligator, perforated, textured or smooth finish. In some collections, mesh bracelets are also included. Along with some sports models, Festina offers colored rubber straps.

Among the Festina watch collections, only the ‘Swiss Made’ series carries the Swiss Made label. The brand uses high-quality mineral glass or sapphire crystal in its watches. Subject to the model, the water resistance rating can be 30, 50 or 100 meters.