Michel Herbelin founded his eponymous watch company in 1947. Today, this French brand is one of the world’s few remaining Independent watch companies still in the hands of the founder’s family.  Now run by the third generation of the family, Herbelin watches stand for quality and good design.

In France, the brand is hugely popular with 1 in 4 watches sold in its market segment: a Herbelin.

At Watch Specialists we offer the widest selection of IN-STOCK Herbelin watches in the UK. With over 120 watches to choose from: all from inspiring Independent Authorised Stockists – you need look no further.

Herbelin: Brand History

In small village called Charquemont in the Jura mountains, a region famous for French watchmaking, a young Michel Herbelin dreamed of working with precision mechanics. However, his parents intended for their son to take over the family business. Against his parents’ wishes, he began to study watchmaking. Michel spent several years working in a local watch factory. Frustrated that the products did not live up to his standards of high quality, he took the bold step of starting his own venture.

At the age of 26, Michel opened his own watchmaking studio on the top floor of his parents’ house.

It was not by chance that Michel named his first watch “IMPEC” in 1947. He clearly wanted to communicate his dreams and ambitions: to create elegant watches that worked perfectly – “impeccable watches”. He relied on the French and Swiss suppliers based in the area around Charquemont to give his customers flawless watches. In 1965, given the success of his collections, he decided to create his eponymous brand. IMPEC became MICHEL HERBELIN.

Michel was joined by his sons Jean-Claude and Pierre-Michel in the company. When quartz first made an appearance in the 1970s, some saw this as a sign that French watchmaking would weaken. However, Michel Herbelin and his sons saw it as an opportunity to unleash the creativity of their designers and to take on the challenges of the future.

Herbelin into the 2020s

Now more than 70 years on from the first IMPEC watch, Herbelin has stayed true to its original values. All Herbelin watches are designed, hand-assembled and inspected in the brand’s Franche-Comté workshops. The philosophy is the same: the creation of timepieces that are designed to last, all the while respecting artisanal know-how and adding a touch of French elegance.

In 2020, Michel’s grandsons Maxime and Mathieu, the third generation of the Herbelin family, took over the running of the company.

Michel Herbelin: Benefits

• French design, Swiss movements
• Largest IN-STOCK selection of Herbelin watches in the UK
• All watches offered with full Two-Year Warranty (or Three Year for Automatics)
• All watches sold by UK Authorised Dealers
• Free UK delivery
• Free Bracelet Sizing and Gift Wrapping
• 28 Day Return Policy