Despite being one of Europe's best-selling watch brands, Festina watches aren't as widely recognised in the UK or USA. This often leads people to wonder: who are Festina, and are Festina watches any good?

At Carathea, we’re passionate about watches that offer both exceptional quality and value. Festina, a brand with deep Swiss roots and a dynamic presence, offers robust watches across several impressive ranges, including their sporty "Chrono Bike" collection, a refined Swiss Made line, and rugged divers' watches. In this article, we’ll uncover their fascinating history and explore exactly why this watch brand truly deserves to be much more well-known.

The Enduring History of Festina Watches

The story of Festina began in Switzerland in 1902. While the brand now boasts its headquarters in Spain, it proudly maintains a production centre in Switzerland, alongside offices and distribution hubs across Europe.

Festina is part of a larger, impressive portfolio, as the brand was acquired in 1984 by entrepreneur Miguel Rodriguez, owner of the Lotus watch brand. Under his leadership, the Festina Group expanded further, notably purchasing the prestigious Jaguar watch brand in 1990, and later acquiring Kronaby, luxury watch brands Candino and Perrelet.

The very name "Festina" is derived from the Latin phrase "Festina Lente," meaning, "make haste, slowly" – a timeless adage believed to have originated from Augustus Caesar. This philosophy subtly reflects the brand's commitment to meticulous craftsmanship while maintaining a dynamic pace in the market. In a nod to their global appeal, renowned actor Gerard Butler became their brand ambassador in 2016.

Are Festina Watches Any Good? A Closer Look at Quality and Value

When watch enthusiasts compile lists of the best affordable watches UK, Festina consistently makes an appearance. They are celebrated for being well-built, rugged, and boasting great designs packed with ample features. Festina comfortably sits as a strong contender within the fashion watch segment, alongside popular brands like Fossil, Diesel, and Armani, but often offering a higher perceived value in terms of build quality.

According to The Watch Blog, in their review of Festina, they state: "They’re well built with good quality parts and offer some decent value for money. Overall, I’d say Festina are a very good brand that you can trust." This sentiment is echoed by many who own and wear Festina timepieces.

Explore the Festina Collections

Festina offers a diverse array of collections tailored to different styles and needs. At Carathea, we feature a range of Festina watches for you to discover.

The Chrono Bike Collection

Festina has a long and deep-seated involvement in competitive cycling. They proudly served as the official sponsor and timekeeper of the prestigious Tour de France from 1992 until 2016, and even had their own professional cycling team.

This strong affinity with the biking world – including both the Tour de France and the Tour of Britain – continues today. Each year, at the beginning of the cycling season, Festina releases a new collection of their highly-anticipated Festina Chrono Bike chronograph watches, always including a coveted Special Edition model. These watches are celebrated for their rugged, sporty aesthetic that not only looks impressive but is also highly functional, offering excellent value for money. They strike a perfect balance, appearing chunky yet not oversized, beautifully made with abundant features for a young, sporty look that exudes class and undeniable quality. Their vibrant colours, durable rubber straps, and robust steel bracelets further enhance their striking appearance.

Divers Models: Built for Adventure

As part of their sporty offering, Festina produces a selection of robust Festina divers watches. These timepieces are engineered for aquatic adventures, featuring a strong water resistance of up to 200 metres, a secure screw-down crown, and durable stainless steel bracelets or comfortable rubber straps. With three sub-dials and a date function, these watches provide plenty of features for the active wearer.

The Swiss-Made Range: A Nod to Heritage

Festina's proud Swiss heritage, rooted since 1902, truly shines through in their Festina Swiss-made collection. These watches embody precision and classic watchmaking traditions. What's more, Festina Swiss-made watches offer remarkable value for money, a rare find given that many Swiss made watches UK come with a considerably higher price tag. It's not often you can acquire a genuine Swiss-made timepiece for around £125.

The Automatic Range: Mechanical Elegance

The precision and artistry required to craft automatic watches are something Festina excels at. Their Festina automatic watch collection boasts top-class components, excellent build quality, and incredible value for money. There’s something truly wonderful about wearing a mechanical watch with its beautiful sweeping second hand, offering precision timing without the need for battery replacements. Available in more classic styles as well as a captivating range of skeleton models, the only challenge is choosing which one to add to your collection.

The Ladies' Range: Style for Every Woman

Festina Watches also presents a strong collection of Festina ladies watches. This includes contemporary "boyfriend watches" for a bolder look, alongside more elegant and refined pieces. Their "Mademoiselle" range, in particular, features many designs adorned with sparkling crystals, offering sophisticated choices for every occasion. For those who appreciate mechanical craftsmanship, Festina also offers an automatic range for ladies, including a selection of ladies' automatic skeleton models.

To Summarise

If you're in search of an extremely well-made, good-looking watch for either a man or a lady, offering plenty of variety and features, you could do a lot worse than explore Festina. It truly puzzles us why they aren't as widely known in the USA and UK markets as they deserve to be. Regularly featuring on lists of top watches, Festina remains somewhat of a well-kept secret that offers fantastic quality and style.

Explore Carathea's curated selection of Festina watches today and discover your new favourite timepiece.

Sources

The Watch Blog.