Biwi SA: The Swiss Company Quietly Making Rubber Straps for Nearly Every Watch Brand
The Hidden Giant Behind Your Rubber Watch Strap
When you purchase a rubber strap from brands like Norqain, Roger Dubuis, Richard Mille, or Omega, there's a good chance it was manufactured by Biwi SA, a Swiss company based in the Jura Mountains near the French border. Founded in the 1950s by Pierre Bourquard, Biwi has grown into the world's leading rubber strap manufacturer for the luxury watch industry.
The company's rise to prominence began in 1980 when Hublot debuted the Classic Original with a rubber strap — the first luxury wristwatch to combine rubber with precious metal. Biwi was there from the beginning, and its expertise has only grown since.
Patented Technologies That Define the Industry
Biwi holds 14 patents today, including several that have revolutionized rubber strap manufacturing:
- Vulcamix: Injection and finishing process for rotating bezels and pushers
- Vulcolor: Complex coloring of rubber straps in patterns like camouflage
- Vulcaceram: Over-molding of rubber on ceramic, used in Omega's Deep Black Seamaster
- FFKM Kalrez partnership: In 2009, Biwi teamed with Duont to create the most robust rubber strap using highly resistant FFKM Kalrez rubber
In 2017, Biwi partnered with Roger Dubuis and Formula 1 to create the first-ever use of F1 tires for a watch strap. A year later, they introduced the first 100% rubber NATO-type strap for Bulgari.
The Biwi Formula: Four Pillars of Excellence
"At the end of the day, it really comes down to the feeling, the user's experience of wearing the strap," explains Pascal Bourquard Jr., the third-generation CEO. "It's about comfort, durability, being lightweight, and resistance. This combination of four things makes the perfect rubber strap."
| Attribute | Biwi's Approach |
|---|---|
| Comfort | Proprietary rubber compounds for skin-friendly wear |
| Durability | FFKM Kalrez rubber for extreme conditions |
| Lightweight | Advanced rubber formulations reduce weight |
| Resistance | Temperature, UV, and chemical resistance |
| Patents | 14 proprietary technologies |
| Workforce | 300 employees (tripled since 2018) |
| Facility | 21,000+ square meters in Jura Mountains |
Norteq: The Next Chapter
Biwi's latest innovation is Norteq, a revolutionary carbon fiber-based material developed in partnership with Norqain and industry legend Jean-Claude Biver. Norteq is six times lighter than steel and three-and-a-half times lighter than titanium, but its real breakthrough is that it's colorable — a first for carbon composites.
"With Norteq, we have a secret formula and process that makes it special," says Bourquard. "To put color in carbon is a huge challenge because carbon fiber is black — so it's near impossible. But with Norteq, we overcome this."
Frequently Asked Questions
Which brands use Biwi straps? Biwi supplies rubber straps and components to numerous luxury brands including Norqain, Omega, Roger Dubuis, Richard Mille, Graham, and Bulgari.
Are Biwi straps available for direct purchase? Biwi operates as a B2B manufacturer. Their straps are available through the brands they supply, not directly to consumers.
What is Biwi's newest innovation? Norteq, a colorable carbon fiber composite developed with Norqain, representing the future of high-performance watch materials.
Related Reading
Source: Worn & Wound, May 8, 2025. Article by Cait Bazemore.