A Moment at Mondaine
Part 1 of our series: “A Moment at the Maison”
Mondaine & Luminox – Two Brands, One Philosophy
The two brands not only share a location in Biberist, Switzerland, but also a common philosophy: design, precision, functionality, and sustainability. Yet their personalities could hardly be more different:
Mondaine – Swiss time design in its purest form
Since 1951, Mondaine Watch Ltd. has been synonymous with iconic Swiss design and clean functionality.
Founded by the Bernheim family, the brand became known worldwide for the official Swiss station clock—with its distinctive red second hand, inspired by Hans Hilfiker’s original design (1944).
Today, it is a symbol of precision, punctuality, and simplicity.
Mondaine combines minimalism, sustainability, and Swiss-made quality—from classic quartz and automatic models to modern lines such as the essence collection, made from bio-based materials.
As part of the Mondaine Group, the company is considered a pioneer in CO₂-neutral watch manufacturing—authentic, durable, and unmistakably Swiss. The entire group, every brand, and every product are fully CO₂-neutral, but more on that later.
Luminox – Light That Never Goes Out
Luminox was founded in the United States in 1989 and today—as part of the Mondaine Watch Group—is known for uncompromising performance and adventure watches built with Swiss precision.
The brand gained fame through its collaboration with the U.S. Navy SEALs, for whom it developed extremely rugged watches that remain legible under all conditions. Today, the collection includes the Sea, Air, and Land lines, each optimized for its respective area of use.
One of the core features of every Luminox watch is Luminox Light Technology (LLT)—tiny glass tubes filled with tritium gas that ensure a permanent glow lasting up to 25 years—without an external power source.
Sustainability is also a priority at Luminox: durable materials, resource-efficient production, and a design that prioritizes longevity over replaceability.
A Visit to Biberist – Where Light, Precision, and Sustainability Come to Life
Even the first impression in the courtyard of the watch manufacturing facility speaks to functionality and thoughtful design. The modern building in the small industrial park appears bright and open—large windows reveal that something is being created here that requires light.
Visitors are welcomed on the first floor, where a floor-to-ceiling glass wall offers a view of the spacious warehouse area, the order-picking section, and the shipping area. The flexible warehousing system is particularly impressive—a flexible, digitally controlled system without fixed storage locations. Each item is stored wherever there happens to be space—the system knows exactly where every item is located.
Right next to the warehouse is the actual watch manufacturing facility, where traditional watchmaking craftsmanship meets modern manufacturing processes.
André Bernheim, Mondaine Group:
“When designing and planning our manufacturing facilities, we also consulted with experts from the automotive industry to optimize our production processes. As a result, we now have several ‘production lines’—for example, for automatic, manual-winding, and quartz watches—as well as separate areas for both brands.”
The individual production steps—from mounting the dials and hands onto the movements, to casing, and on to functional tests (at least 48 hours)—are clearly structured and carried out in a logical sequence in separate areas. Despite all the modern planning and processes, automation is used only where it makes the watchmakers’ work easier.
Sustainability in Our DNA
The Mondaine Group is a true pioneer in sustainability within the watch industry.
André Bernheim:
“Of course, you can always debate whether sustainable practices make sense on a small scale or not. But that’s not really the question. The question is rather: Why shouldn’t we actually do it, when it’s so easy to do? And we prove every day throughout the Mondaine Group and with our products that it works.”
Sustainability at Mondaine – At a Glance
- Carbon Neutrality: Since 2019, the entire Mondaine Group has been fully carbon neutral—from production to products to logistics. This is achieved through a wide range of on-site measures, thoughtful manufacturing, special materials, and reforestation programs.
- Renewable Energy: 70–80% of solar power comes from our own photovoltaic system.
- Recycling & Materials: Use of recycled materials such as stainless steel, PET, cork, and castor oil-based plastics (e.g., in the Essence collection).
- Sustainable packaging: Made from recycled materials.
- Durability & Repairability: Focus on easy maintenance and long-lasting designs.
Mondaine combines classic Swiss watchmaking with environmental responsibility—making it one of the pioneers of sustainable industrial production in the watch industry. In addition, the Mondaine Group is known for other high-tech achievements that can be experienced firsthand on the production floor and are central to the brands. This is particularly true for Luminox:
High Tech in Detail: Luminox Light Technology & Carbonox
Luminox Light Technology (LLT)
LLT technology ensures perfect readability under all conditions. Tiny tritium tubes glow continuously—without any charging or power source.
Approximately 1,000 of these tubes are applied to the dials and hands before assembly.
The colors can be varied depending on the application: Underwater, short-wavelength colors such as green or blue are used (red disappears at depth), while in field operations, muted tones are chosen so as not to reveal the wearer’s position, for example.
At the factory, the tubes are assembled by hand and inspected in a light-tight darkroom.
Tritium – the soft light of the night
Tritium is a slightly radioactive isotope of hydrogen—completely harmless in very small quantities.
Encapsulated in glass tubes, it excites a phosphor that emits light continuously—for up to 25 years. By way of comparison: A banana contains more natural radioactivity than the tritium tubes in a watch.
But that’s not all when it comes to high-tech features, because mission watches must be, above all, rugged, durable, and as lightweight as possible. Luminox has found a solution for that, too:
Carbonox
Carbonox is a high-performance material developed by Luminox that combines carbon fibers and polymer—it is lightweight, robust, and durable. It is about one-third lighter than titanium, rust-proof, anti-magnetic, extremely shock- and temperature-resistant, and—often an important consideration, especially under extreme conditions—very gentle on the skin.
With its matte, non-reflective surface, Carbonox is perfect for mission-specific and outdoor watches—from Navy SEAL to Bear Grylls Survival. Durable and—unlike pure carbon—recyclable, it also embodies the brand’s sustainable material philosophy.
André Bernheim on product development:
“In product development, we work closely with our partners—with SBB on Mondaine and with the Navy SEALs or Bear Grylls on Luminox. This is how we guarantee 100% operational reliability and 100% design precision.”
Our takeaway after spending a moment at Mondaine: Swiss precision with style
As soon as you step into the building—and certainly after a brief tour—you can feel:
Here, every department embodies the DNA of the timepieces manufactured here. Design, high-tech, functionality, and sustainability are not just buzzwords, but genuine values that are lived out and visible everywhere.
At the same time, everything remains accessible, personal, and unmistakably Swiss—a piece of authentic watchmaking culture in the here and now.
Thank you, André and Giovanni, for taking the time to give us a tour of the manufactory and for all the fascinating information and insights! Thank you also to all the employees and watchmakers for letting us look over your shoulders!
More articles with additional details about the brands will follow.
Here you’ll find all the articles published so far about the Mondaine and Luminox brands
