The Lotus watch brand existed from 1907 to 1927 as a brand of Fabrique d’Horlogerie de Fontenais S.A. based in Swiss municipality Porrentruy. In 1927 there was also the Lotus S.A. watch company in Swiss town Solothurn.

The founder of the brand, Spanish businessman Miguel Rodrigue, started his own watch production under the brand of the famous automobile brand Lotus in 1980. The first Lotus collection attracted attention not only with its big name, but also with the combination of modern design, reliable functionality and very reasonable prices. These watches, made using modern technologies, met all the highest European quality standards.

Lotus’s more than 45-year success story is proof of its enduring concept.

In Spain, Lotus has held the position of absolute market leader for years, and it is now available in many other countries.

In 1984, Rodríguez acquired the historic Swiss watch brand Festina (established in 1902 in La Chaux-de-Fonds). During WWII, the company operated from Barcelona, Spain.

Lotus is the “parent brand” of the Festina Lotus Group, which has now grown into a group, which also includes the internationally very successful watch brands Festina and Calypso as well as luxury historical watches such as:

• Jaguar (Swiss watch brand, since 1938)
• Candino (Swiss watch brand, since 1947)
• Perrelet (Swiss watch brand with a history dating back to the 18th century)
• L. Leroy (established in 1785 in France)
• Joseph Chevalier (Swiss watchmaker, 17th century)
• Soprod (Swiss Swiss-made mechanical and quartz watch movements manufacturer)
• Manufacture Horlogère de la Vallée de Joux (MHVJ)
• Kronaby (Swedish watch manufacturer)

The group also owns two jewelry brands: Lotus Style and Lotus Silver, expanding their offerings beyond watches.

Today the Group, which has seven subsidiaries (France, Germany, Italy, Benelux, Switzerland, Czech Republic, Poland and Chile) is present in more than 90 countries on five continents with more than 5 million watches sold per year.

The Lotus factories are located in different European and Asian countries and are monitored 24/7 from the Group headquarters via Internet and satellite. This enables Lotus to optimize production and satisfy customer wishes in the shortest possible time.

1980 – Miguel Rodriguez founds the Spanish brand Lotus.
1984 – Acquisition of Festina; Festina Lotus SA Group is formed.
1985 – Launch of Lotus’s first watch featuring a moon phase indicator, which has become an instant hit. Previously, such functionality was only available in expensive watches, but Lotus has provided a unique opportunity to purchase a watch with a complication at an affordable price.
1989 – Acquisition of Swiss luxury watch brand Jaguar.
1990-1992 – Introduction of sports chronographs and launch of the “Super Chrono” collection featuring high-precision watches.
1993-1994 – Opening of subsidiaries in France (Besançon) and Italy (Milan).
1995 – Launch of the Lotus watch made of titanium, which at that time was used only by companies producing expensive watches
1996 – Acquisition of the Calypso brand.
1999 – Introduction of a collection made with aluminum cases.
2002 – Merger with Swiss holding company Candino.
2003 – Launch of the jewelry watch collection for women, “2gether”. Models decorated with precious stones in an exclusive design were intended for the broadest layers of consumers, and not for selected wealthy buyers.
2004 – Founding of the Lotus Style jewelry brand and release of the “Shiny” collection.
2004 – The company sells more than one million Lotus watches and becomes the undisputed leader in sales in Spain. Introduction of Lotus in Germany, France and Italy.
2007 – Lotus presents the “Lotus Code” collection.
2008 – Launch of the Lady Cool collection — stylish and affordable watches for modern women.
2008 – Lotus brand begins cooperation with teams participating in motorsport championships. The brand sponsors the Fortuna Lotus Aprilia and Belson Derbi Lotus teams, as well as the famous Spanish motorcycle racer Jorge Lorenzo
2009 – Lotus presented its series of ceramic watches in an ultra-modern urban design.

Lotus holds a significant place in the global watchmaking industry thanks to its longstanding commitment to quality, innovative spirit, and distinctive style. Since its modern establishment in 1980, the brand has successfully combined the principles of traditional Swiss craftsmanship with contemporary design trends, creating timepieces that are both reliable and fashionable.