====== Invicta ======

{{wst>author|[[Foskett, Stephen|Stephen Foskett]] ([[https://grail-watch.com/|Grail Watch]])}}

**Invicta** is a long-running watch brand, currently known for mid-priced [[fashion watch]]es.

===== Picard Invicta =====
Raphael Picard founded a watch company in [[La Chaux-de-Fonds]] Switzerland in [[1837]] selling Swiss watches at moderate prices. The company, **Les Fils de R. Picard** introduced the **Invicta** brand name in [[1911]].

Invicta claims to have produced its first [[automatic]] watch in [[1932]]. In [[1959]] the company produced a watch for USSR navy officer use.

**Invicta SA** of La Chaux-de-Fonds was a mass-market brand in the 1950s. The company advertised their watches as "waterproof" and "shockproof".

Other brands used by Invicta in the 1960s included [[Seeland]] and [[Eno]], and these brands were distributed in the United States by Morris Hoffman, Invicta-Seeland.

===== Sagiter, SGT, ONDIX, Sector =====
Invicta SA became a member of the [[Sagiter|Société Horlogeère de Production et de Participation SA (Sagiter)]] federation by [[1970]] alongside other mid-priced brands like [[Sandoz]] and [[Camy]]. Invicta, Sandoz, [[Waltham]], [[Elgin]], and others were members of [[SGT|Société des Garde-Temps SA (SGT)]] by [[1974]], giving the brand access to [[quartz]], [[LED]] [[digital]], and [[electronic]] movements.

Invicta was part of [[ONDIX SA]] by [[1984]] but appears dormant by the late 1980s.

===== Artime and Sector =====
In [[1991]], Invicta was re-launched. The modern company claims that this was "descendants of the Invicta family" but it is not clear who they are referring to. Invicta was distributed by the Italian [[Artime Group]] along with [[Sector]], [[Lucien Rochat]], [[Philip Watch]], [[Chronostar]], and [[MoDe]].

In [[2000]], Artime was renamed [[Sector Group]] with the primary focus being the [[Sector]] brand in Italy, but continuing to market Invicta, [[Lucien Rochat]], [[Chronostar]], and [[MoDe]] and launching , [[Roberto Cavalli]]. These watches were manufactured in Switzerland at first, with sourcing from Japan and China as well by the mid 2000s. Later sister brands included [[Just Cavalli]], [[Pzero Tempo]], [[Moschino]], [[Valentino]], [[Xenia]], and [[Mariella Burani]]. An agreement with Benetton Group in [[2003]] added [[Sisley]] and United Colors of Benetton.

Invicta added [[Technica Swiss Ebauche]] in [[2000]] as a Swiss producer of watch movements, though many were sourced from mainstream or Asian suppliers. In [[2002]] Invicta was permitted by [[ETA]] to continue using their movements, even as [[Swatch Group]] began restricting access.

===== Invicta Watch Group =====
In [[2004]], Invicta became part of the American company, **Invicta Watch Group**. The company sells inexpensive watches with a focus on [[skeleton]] movements and cases inspired by Swiss luxury brands like [[Hublot]]. But Invicta still sells Swiss-made watches with [[COSC]] certifications as well. Invicta presented at [[Baselworld]] in [[2011]], demonstrating their rise as a major world watch brand.

Invicta added the [[S. Coifman]] brand in [[2004]]. The group purchased the [[TechnoMarine]] brand in [[2015]] and the [[Glycine]] brand (from [[Maurice Lacroix]] owner [[DKSH]]) in [[2016]].


{{tag>Watch_brands Watch_brands_Switzerland Watch_brands_America Invicta_Watch_Group}}