88 Rue du Rhône

88 Rue du Rhône was an independent Swiss watch brand established in 2012 by brothers Elie Bernheim and Pierre Bernheim, grandsons of Swiss watchmaker Raymond Weil. The brand took its name from Rue du Rhône, Geneva’s prominent luxury-shopping and watchmaking avenue, as well as from the Rhône River that runs through the city. Its identity combined Swiss-made watchmaking with a contemporary, accessible-luxury presentation aimed at customers seeking mechanical and quartz watches with a modern design language. The company introduced its first collection, Double 8 Origin, in 2012. The collection comprised 100 quartz, automatic, and chronograph timepieces in case sizes ranging from 29 to 45 millimetres. This launch established the brand’s core proposition: a broad assortment spanning different movement types and sizes while retaining a recognizable design vocabulary associated with the Double 8 name. The watches were positioned above mass-market timepieces and within the upper-mid to luxury segment of the Swiss watch market. Brand visibility was supported through entertainment and cultural partnerships. In 2014, 88 Rue du Rhône served as the official watch partner of the Miami International Film Festival. It was also identified as the Official Watch and Timing Partner of the British Academy of Film and Television Arts and the Miami International Film Festival, and sponsored the inaugural Past Forward BAFTA Art Exhibition. These relationships connected the brand with film, awards, timing, and contemporary art rather than relying solely on traditional horological promotion. The company later encountered financial difficulties. It was declared bankrupt in November 2016, and reference material describes the watchmaker as no longer in business by 2020. Publicly available information does not establish a detailed account of its manufacturing arrangements, distribution footprint, collection evolution after Double 8 Origin, or the precise legal entity involved in the bankruptcy. Accordingly, 88 Rue du Rhône is best documented as a defunct independent Swiss watch brand whose active period was concentrated in the 2010s.

88 Rue du Rhône emerged in Geneva in 2012 as an independent Swiss watch brand founded by Elie Bernheim and Pierre Bernheim. The founders were grandsons of Raymond Weil, the Swiss watchmaker whose name became associated with a separate established watch house. Rather than using a family surname, the new brand adopted a geographic name referring to Rue du Rhône, one of Geneva’s best-known luxury and watch retail streets, and to the Rhône River flowing through the city. The brand’s first major commercial introduction was the Double 8 Origin collection, launched in 2012. It consisted of 100 timepieces using quartz, automatic, and chronograph formats. The stated case-size range of 29 to 45 millimetres gave the collection a broad span intended to accommodate different wrist sizes and consumer preferences. The mixture of movement types also allowed the brand to address both buyers seeking mechanical watchmaking and customers prioritizing convenience or a more accessible entry point. 88 Rue du Rhône’s market identity combined Swiss-made credentials with a contemporary visual approach. It was associated with the upper-mid and luxury portions of the watch market, while its collection structure and modern branding differentiated it from more traditional Swiss maisons. Available reference material does not provide enough detail to establish the company’s own manufacturing facilities, movement suppliers, retail network, export markets, or the full range of collections released during its active years. Promotion extended beyond conventional watch-industry channels. In 2014, the brand became the official watch partner of the Miami International Film Festival. It was also presented as the Official Watch and Timing Partner of the British Academy of Film and Television Arts and the Miami International Film Festival. In addition, it sponsored the inaugural Past Forward BAFTA Art Exhibition. These associations placed the brand within film, awards, timing, and art-related cultural programming and appear to have been central elements of its public-facing marketing. The business subsequently failed. 88 Rue du Rhône was declared bankrupt in November 2016. Later reference material states that the watchmaker was no longer in business by 2020. The available sources do not provide a full account of the bankruptcy proceedings, creditors, asset disposition, or any successor brand. Its documented history therefore ends with its insolvency and disappearance from active watchmaking, leaving it as a short-lived independent Swiss watch brand of the 2010s.

• 2020

  No longer in business

  [1]88 Rue du Rhoneen.wikipedia.org

  Reference material describes the watchmaker as no longer operating by 2020.

• 2016

  Bankruptcy

  [1]88 Rue du Rhoneen.wikipedia.org

  88 Rue du Rhône was declared bankrupt in November, ending its independent business activity.

• 2014

  Film and cultural partnerships expanded

  [1]88 Rue du Rhoneen.wikipedia.org

  The brand became associated with official watch and timing partnerships involving BAFTA and the Miami International Film Festival, and sponsored the first Past Forward BAFTA Art Exhibition.

• 2012

  Brand founded and first collection launched

  [1]88 Rue du Rhoneen.wikipedia.org

  Elie and Pierre Bernheim established 88 Rue du Rhône and introduced the Double 8 Origin collection, comprising 100 quartz, automatic, and chronograph watches.

Independent Swiss watch brand combining Swiss-made watchmaking with contemporary design and upper-mid to luxury positioning.

• Swiss wristwatch collection · 2012

  Double 8 Origin

  Double 8 Origin was 88 Rue du Rhône’s first collection, launched in 2012. It included 100 timepieces across quartz, automatic, and chronograph configurations, with case sizes ranging from 29 to 45 millimetres. The collection established the brand’s central design and naming identity while covering multiple movement types and a relatively broad size range. Detailed model references, complications, materials, and movement suppliers are not specified in the available source material.

• Wristwatches

  Watches

  The brand’s broader product portfolio consisted of Swiss-made wristwatches positioned toward upper-mid and luxury consumers. Its documented formats include quartz watches, automatic watches, and chronographs. Public sources do not provide a sufficiently complete catalogue to identify additional collections or individual models with confidence.

• 2014Miami International Film Festival partnership

  United States

  88 Rue du Rhône acted as the official watch partner of the Miami International Film Festival, aligning the brand with international cinema and festival programming.

  Outcome. The partnership increased the brand’s association with film and cultural events; no quantitative campaign results are available.

  Source
• 2014BAFTA watch and timing partnership

  United Kingdom · International

  The brand was presented as the Official Watch and Timing Partner of the British Academy of Film and Television Arts, connecting its watchmaking identity with awards and timing.

  Outcome. The available material records the partnership but does not report measurable commercial outcomes.

  Source
• 2014Past Forward BAFTA Art Exhibition sponsorship

  United Kingdom

  88 Rue du Rhône sponsored the inaugural Past Forward BAFTA Art Exhibition, extending its cultural marketing from film into contemporary art.

  Outcome. The sponsorship provided cultural visibility, but no attendance, sales, or brand-impact figures are available.

  Source

• 2016

  Bankruptcy and business closureOther

  Background

  The company encountered financial distress during its active period.

  Action taken

  88 Rue du Rhône was declared bankrupt in November 2016.

  Aftermath

  The brand ceased operating and was described as no longer in business by 2020. Details of the insolvency process are not available in the supplied sources.

  Source

• 2014

  Expansion into film and arts partnershipsStrategy

  Background

  The brand pursued cultural visibility beyond conventional watch retail and horological promotion.

  Action taken

  It entered official watch and timing partnerships involving BAFTA and the Miami International Film Festival and sponsored the inaugural Past Forward BAFTA Art Exhibition.

  Aftermath

  These activities associated 88 Rue du Rhône with film, awards, and contemporary art, although their commercial effect is not reported.

  Source

• 2012

  Launch of Double 8 OriginProduct launch

  Background

  The newly established brand needed an initial collection that communicated its Swiss watchmaking credentials and contemporary positioning.

  Action taken

  It launched Double 8 Origin with 100 quartz, automatic, and chronograph timepieces in 29-to-45-millimetre case sizes.

  Aftermath

  The collection became the principal documented product introduction of the brand. Later collection development is not sufficiently documented.

  Source

1. 188 Rue du Rhoneen.wikipedia.org