FeatureA Cuban Revolution In Swiss Watchmaking: Introducing Cuervo Y Sobrinos And Their Top Timepieces

Founded in Havana, Cuba, in 1882, Cuervo y Sobrinos started off as a jewellery and luxury watch boutique, importing high-end brands such as Rolex and Patek Phillipe. Inspired by their imports, Cuervo y Sobrinos started making their own timepieces in the 1920s, even establishing their own workshop and factory in La Chaux de Fonds, Switzerland. In Havana, their clientele included visitors to Cuba, like British Prime Minister Sir Winston Churchill, Chilean poet and diplomat Pablo Neruda, and American actor Gary Cooper. The brand also served Cubans and expats who spent their best years in the country, like Nobel Prize-winning writer Ernest Hemingway. Years later, long after the brand was revived in 1997, in 2002 at Baselworld, they presented new timepieces inspired by their history. These new collections led to their present-day line-up of timepieces, including those named after patrons Churchill and Hemingway. Now an established Swiss luxury brand, the 142-year-old Cuervo y Sobrinos are known for timepieces inspired by the crests and troughs of Cuban history, staying as true to their heritage as they are committed to the future.

Cuban Calypso: A Brief Background Of Cuervo Y Sobrinos

The Cuban brand now known for their watches started out as a jewellery store in Havana, established by Spanish immigrant Ramón Fernández Cuervo in 1862. His nephews joined in his business and in 1882, Cuervo y Sobrinos (which literally translates to ‘Cuervo and nephews’) was established. The island of Cuba was, at the time, recognised for its sugarcane production, pristine beaches and extravagant lifestyles, which attracted tourists from the Americas and all over Europe. Cuervo y Sobrinos, now prospering, opened new stores in Cuba, and expanded operations to Germany, France and later, Switzerland. In the 1940s and 50s, the boutique in Havana became a landmark of sorts, attracting visitors like Churchill, Albert Einstein, Clark Gable, Ernest Hemingway and Pablo Neruda.

Spanish immigrant Ramón Fernández Cuervo established the Cuervo y Sobrinos (which literally translates to Cuervo and Nephews) brand in 1882 with his nephews

As Cuervo y Sobrinos grew, they opened new stores in Cuba, and expanded operations to Germany, France and later, Switzerland

The brand’s greatest setback came in 1965. After Fidel Castro took over the Cuban administration, industry and businesses were nationalised, and the Cuervo family were forced to leave Cuba. Cuervo y Sobrinos continued to manufacture watches for the Cuban army, and while historical models were still sought after, the brand faced their inevitable decline. In 1997, watch aficionados and distributors Luca Musumeci and Marzio Villa revived the brand, and five years later, at Baselworld, they presented a contemporary collection based on the brand’s historical sketches. Now based in Capolago, Switzerland, Cuervo y Sobrinos collections are defined by their pre-revolution history, with distinctive design codes that evoke the brand’s—and Cuba’s—rich heritage. Collections are named after people and places that have a special association with the brand, and the watches themselves are distinctly Caribbean in their colours and inspiration.

Cuervo Y Sobrinos Historiador

The Historiador collection is named after Dr Eusebio Leal Spengler, a Cuban historian credited with the restoration of many of Havana’s buildings, including the Cuervo y Sobrinos boutique, which was converted into a museum in 2009. Distinct horn-like lugs and round steel cases define the vast Historiador collection, which includes tributes to the founder’s hometown in Asturias, Spain, the Cuban Grand Prix. Other inspirations include the brand’s 1950s boutique on Calle San Rafael, Havana, and Ernest Hemingway, who purchased his Rolex Oyster from a Cuervo y Sobrinos boutique in Havana where he spent 20 years of his life.

Historiador Asturias

A tribute to the birthplace of Ramón Fernández Cuervo, the classical design of the Historiador Asturias features striking horn-shaped lugs on a round 40mm case. Elegant ‘Lozangé-style’ hands and clean baton indexes decorate a sunray-finished gradient dial, where the hues darken to almost black around the periphery. Balancing the brand’s logo at 12 is a date window at six o’clock. This time-and-date watch is powered by the CYS 5124 calibre, with an approximate power reserve of 68 hours.

The classical design of the Historiador Asturias line features striking horn-shaped lugs on a round 40mm case, that frames a sunray-finished gradient dial

₹2,37,600

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This time-and-date watch is powered by the CYS 5124 calibre, with an approximate power reserve of 68 hours

In 2022, the brand added the Asturias Pequeños Segundos watches to the Historiador collection, with a small seconds sub-dial at six o’clock, powered by the CyS 5158 calibre. Paired with cordovan leather straps, the Asturias collection is a timelessly elegant one.

In 2022, the brand added the Asturias Pequeños Segundos watches to the Historiador collection, with a small seconds sub-dial at six o’clock, powered by the CyS 5158 calibre

Historiador Tradición ‘San Rafael’

Based on the brand’s vintage 1950s ‘Tradition’ timepieces, the Historiador Tradición ‘San Rafael’ watch features a grid-shaped pattern or ‘frappage’ on the dial. The minute track on the periphery sits against a contrasting smooth finish, while dauphine hands tell the time. A central sweeping seconds hand features a red arrowhead and at six o’clock are the day and date windows. The caseback is engraved with the brand’s erstwhile San Rafael boutique, a reference to their glory days.

Historiador Ernest Hemingway Iconico And ‘The Fisherman’

To commemorate novelist and Cuervo y Sobrinos patron Ernest Hemingway, the brand released three timepieces in collaboration with Hemingway Limited, an organisation founded by the writer’s sons. The Iconico sub-series features a pointer date function, while The Fisherman version displays a GMT complication on the dial. On the minute track, numerals at five-minute intervals are marked in red to match the ‘Ernest Hemingway’ text at six o’clock. The caseback features an ‘H’ with a marlin engraved over it, with the word ‘Hemingway’ embossed under it as a nod to Hemingway’s The Old Man and the Sea. Inside, the CYS 8121 calibre powers the timepiece. Interestingly, unlike other Historiador sub-collections which are resistant to 50m, these Hemingway timepieces offer a water resistance of upto 100m, as a nod to the writer’s love for the sea.

To commemorate novelist and Cuervo y Sobrinos patron Ernest Hemingway, the brand released the Iconico sub-series features a pointer date function. On the minute track, numerals at five-minute intervals are marked in red to match the ‘Ernest Hemingway’ text at six o’clock

On the 40mm Historiador Hemingway GMT ‘The Fisherman’ model, a 24-hour scale marked on the bezel corresponds with a white arrow-tipped GMT hand on the dial. Offering a view of the CYS 8122 movement housed within, the sapphire crystal window on the caseback of the dial features an etched ‘H’ with the marlin across it.

Historiador Gran Premio De Cuba

Inspired by the Cuban Grand Prix of 1957, the Historiador Gran Premio de Cuba timepiece is a 42mm timepiece with a bright red dial housing three sub-dials, two of which stand out in cream. A tachymeter scale in black surrounds the dial, with a telemeter scale marked against a cream background just inside it. This timepiece is the brand’s tribute to Cuba’s rich history, marking an iconic race when an Argentinian driver walked away with the trophy, just three years before the last Gran Premio de Cuba was held.

Inspired by the Cuban Grand Prix of 1957, the Historiador Gran Premio De Cuba is a 42mm timepiece with a red dial housing three sub-dials, and telemeter and tachymeter scales

₹4,10,400

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This timepiece is the brand’s tribute to Cuba’s rich history, marking an iconic race just three years before the last Gran Premio de Cuba was held

₹4,10,400

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Historiador Cronógrafo 1946

A Cuervo y Sobrinos bicompax chronograph inspired by the brand’s inaugural Historiador model in 1946, this Historiador Cronógrafo 1946 timepiece is contemporary in its execution. A tachymeter scale sits around the dial, while leaf-shaped hands keep the time. Two counters stand out in a contrasting ‘panda’ treatment. An exhibition caseback offers a view of the CYS 8123 calibre within, which is based on the ETA 2094, with a power reserve of approximately 42 hours.

A Cuervo y Sobrinos bicompax chronograph inspired by the brand’s inaugural Historiador model in 1946, this Historiador Cronógrafo 1946 watch is contemporary in its execution

₹4,21,200

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An exhibition caseback offers a view of the CYS 8123 calibre, which is based on the ETA 2094, with a power reserve of approximately 42 hours

₹4,21,200

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Cuervo Y Sobrinos Lonsdale

Named after a premium cigar, the Cuervo y Sobrinos Lonsdale is a modern watch with a vintage aesthetic. This limited series was created in collaboration with international watch collectors club CronotempVs, Watchonista watch magazine, and watch designer Eric Giroud’s personal brand Somewhere. Straight lugs on the 40mm case of the Lonsdale are vastly different from the brand’s unique horn-shaped lugs. On either side of the case, at three and nine o’clock, stepped grooves define the Lonsdale collection. Dial hues are inspired by and named after cigar wrapper leaves, with a vertically brushed finish that gives the timepieces a retrospective charm. Vintage-looking numerals, alpha timekeeping hands and a small seconds sub-dial at six complete the retro aesthetic of the timepieces. The watches are powered by the automatic CYS 5159 calibre, which is based on the reliable Sellita SW 261 movement.

Named after a premium cigar, the Cuervo y Sobrinos Lonsdale is a modern watch with a vintage aesthetic

₹2,91,600

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Straight lugs on the Lonsdale are vastly different from the brand’s unique horn shaped lugs. On either side of the case, stepped grooves define the Lonsdale collection

₹2,91,600

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Vintage-looking numerals, alpha timekeeping hands and a small seconds sub-dial at six complete the retro charm of the Lonsdale timepieces

₹2,91,600

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Cuervo Y Sobrinos Churchill

The Cuervo y Sobrinos Churchill collection is named after former British prime minister and a famous patron of the brand’s Havana boutique. In 2020, the brand released the Robusto Churchill ‘Yalta Edition’ to mark 75 years since the historic meeting between Churchill, Roosevelt and Stalin in Yalta, Crimea, Ukraine. Fluid curves of the 43mm case made from steel and titanium lend the watch a distinct elegance. A sapphire crystal window on the caseback features an etching of Churchill and Roosevelt during the deliberations. The guilloche dial is decorated with rose gold indexes and numerals and matching sword hands. Following the success of this timepiece, in 2023, the brand released the Robusto Churchill ‘Sir Winston’ timepieces, with clous de Paris guilloche dials in blue, green and deep red. A day-and-date window rests at six o’clock on the decorated dial. Powered by the CYS 8127 automatic calibre, the watches offer a 38-hour power reserve and are paired with alligator leather straps in hues that match the dials, or steel and titanium bracelets.

Cuervo Y Sobrinos Vuelo

A series of pilot’s watches inspired by vintage timepieces, the Cuervo y Sobrinos Vuelo collection is the brand’s ode to Mexican aviator Emilio Carranza Rodríguez, who piloted the first transnational flight in 1928 between Mexico and the United States. The Vuelo (meaning ‘flight’) Emilio Carranza timepieces are sized at 44mm, and feature the brand’s screwed-in horn-shaped lugs. A portrait of the revolutionary pilot has been etched onto the closed caseback of the three timepieces, with the name of the secret aviation club he was associated with ‘Conquistadores del Cielo’ (tranlating to ‘conquerors of the sky’) engraved alongside. Against black dials, large lume-filled Arabic numerals and retro-looking cathedral hands make for easy time-telling. The series includes a three-handed timepiece, with a date window at six, and a bicompax time-and-date watch with the small seconds at nine and the pointer date in a sub-dial at three o’clock. The third timepiece is a chronograph with a central GMT hand, and a date window at six. This chronograph also displays a tachymeter scale engraved on the polished bezel. Red arrow-tipped central chronograph and GMT hands enhance easy reading of the watch’s functions at a single glance. These three timepieces are paired with vintage leather straps in brown that bring out the black of the dial.

The Cuervo y Sobrinos Vuelo Emilio Carranza series includes a three-handed timepiece (left), a bicompax time-and-date watch with the small seconds at nine and the pointer date in a sub-dial at three o’clock (right), and a chronograph with a central GMT hand, and a date window at six (centre)

Cuervo Y Sobrinos Buceador

A collection of dive watches with a water resistance rating of 200m, the Cuervo y Sobrinos Buceador Caribe collection is named after the Spanish word for ‘diver’. Robust 43mm cases in steel or DLC-coated steel have a unique octagonal shape, with short, curved lugs that provide an ergonomic fit. A pusher at four o’clock on the case unlocks a crown at two that in turn adjusts the internal rotating dive bezel. On the left of the case, at nine o’clock is another crown that controls time-setting and winding of the mainspring. A curved sapphire crystal glass gives the dial a microscopic effect, while the closed caseback displays marine-inspired engravings. Numerals and markers are generously filled with Super-LumiNova, as are the large alpha timekeeping hands. Shades of Caribbean blue and coral black serve as the inspiration for the bright dials. These uber-cool and extremely functional dive watches are paired with rubber straps or a new Milanese bracelet.

A collection of dive watches with a water resistance rating of 200m, the Cuervo y Sobrinos Buceador Caribe collection is named after the Spanish word for ‘diver’

₹3,24,000

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Robust 43mm cases in steel or DLC-coated steel have a unique octagonal shape, with short, curved lugs that provide an ergonomic fit

₹3,24,000

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A pusher at four o’clock on the case unlocks a crown at two that in turn adjusts the internal rotating dive bezel

₹3,24,000

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On the left of the case, at nine o'clock is the crown that controls setting the time and winding the mainspring. A curved sapphire crystal glass gives the dial a microscopic effect

The closed caseback of the Cuervo y Sobrinos Buceador Caribe timepieces display marine-inspired engravings

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As inspired as they are by the brand’s Cuban roots, culture and history, Cuervo y Sobrinos are just as firmly grounded in the present. The stories that each of these watches embodies encompass the crests and troughs the brand have been through for the last 142 years. In a modern-day setting, Cuervo y Sobrinos then earns the respect of all those who hear these tales of time and the history of timekeeping.