It’s a watch… It’s a coin… It’s both!

As the United States celebrates 250 years since the Declaration of Independence, watch and jewellery journalist Amy Wakeham speaks to CORUM about how the Swiss watchmaker has reinterpreted its iconic Coin watch for the anniversary.

Cue the fireworks. On July 4, the United States celebrated its 250th anniversary. The Declaration of Independence was finalised on that same day in 1776, giving 13 New World colonies political autonomy from the Kingdom of Great Britain. The occasion was marked with typical American panache with parties, parades, and concerts across the country (and was only slightly overshadowed in news headlines by a certain celebrity wedding). 

On the other side of the Atlantic, the Swiss — who attained their own independence from the Holy Roman Empire in 1648 — have also been keen to partake in the celebrations. Several watchmakers have launched dedicated models to mark the anniversary — and appeal to the world’s largest luxury market too, of course.

Zenith revived its tonneau-shaped A384 case from 1969 for the Chronomaster Revival Liberty II, which comes in a choice of stainless steel or forged carbon. In red, white, and blue, its chronograph seconds hand features 13 alternating red and white stripes to represent the country’s original founding colonies. 

Opting for a similarly bombastic name is Breitling, which has launched two Avenger America 250 models, one an automatic and one a chronograph. The former has a closed caseback engraved with the Liberty Bell alongside a reproduction of its inscription: “Proclaim liberty throughout all the land unto all the inhabitants thereof”. Understandably, the Zenith and Breitling models are only available to buy in the US.

Going a step further in the Americana stakes is CORUM, the Swiss watchmaker that relaunched at Watches and Wonders earlier this year after a management buyout led by the now CEO and chairman, Haso Mehmedovic.

To mark the anniversary, it has released the Heritage Collector collection, inspired by its signature Coin watch, which first launched in 1964. These were originally made from $20 ‘Double Eagle’ coins, which were legal tender in the US until 1933, when President Franklin D. Roosevelt ended the gold standard. In 22ct gold, the coins are embossed with an eagle and the American coat of arms, crowned by a halo of thirteen stars and bearing the words “In God We Trust.” 

The Coin watch’s ties to 20th century American history run deep. Over the decades it has been worn by a succession of US presidents: Lyndon B. Johnson, Jimmy Carter, Richard Nixon, George Bush Sr., and Bill Clinton. Most famously, it was sported by Ronald Reagan, the 40th President, on the cover of TIME magazine in 1981.

Over the years the Coin watch has also been crafted using various international currencies, including Mexican pesos, French Napoleons, and Swiss 20-franc pieces — although the US version remains the most iconic. 

“The Coin watch is a reflection of over 60 years of history and a bond woven with America,” said Mehmedovic. “When the opportunity to celebrate its 250th anniversary arose, the answer was obvious. We wanted to create something unique, where each piece tells a different story.” 

There are 50 watches in the Heritage Collector collection, one to represent every state in the union. Although they’re not made from antique coins, the new timepieces are crafted to look as similar to the original ‘Double Eagles’ as possible. Between the two 18ct gold halves is mounted CORUM’s ultra-thin CO082 automatic movement with a 42-hour power reserve. On the dial is an embossed eagle, the dates “1776–2026,” and the inscription “250 Years of Independence.”

Each Coin watch is a careful balance of weight and functionality. “Every micron matters: the construction has to preserve the original relief, guarantee structural rigidity, and ensure perfect water resistance despite the unconventional architecture,” says Mehmedovic, who joined CORUM in 2011 as a bench watchmaker.

Only five numbered versions will be made of each of the 50 watches in the collection. Every state is represented with a unique caseback featuring a specially designed motif: a landscape, a symbol, a founding moment, or a tradition. The watchmaker wanted to capture “the identity and spirit of each state while remaining timeless and instantly recognisable,” says Mehmedovic. Altogether, they create a horological map of 250 years of American history. 

The US’s semiquincentennial comes on the heels of CORUM’s 70th anniversary in 2025, and also marks a fresh chapter for the watchmaker. Its new strategy appears to focus on transitioning to a more upscale market position, with a streamlined collection based on its most famous models: the Admiral, with a new propriety movement by independent Swiss manufacture Concepto; the Golden Bridge; and the Heritage. This last encompasses the 250th anniversary designs, as well as the modern Coin watch, now made with a $50 ‘American Eagle’ coin, and the Golden Book, which is inscribed with a quote by Ernest Hemingway. 

Clearly, the US remains one of CORUM’s key markets, underlined by its renewed focus on the Coin watch during this anniversary year. “Our objective is to strengthen our international presence through selective distribution and collections that express CORUM’s distinctive character,” sums up Mehmedovic.

This article first appeared in the July 2026 edition of Watch Insider.