Europa Star

What Europa Star does

Europa Star is a Geneva-based, family-owned B2B media company founded in 1927 by Hugo Buchser, operating under the holding entity Europa Star HBM (Horology, Bijouterie and Manufacturing) and controlled by the Maillard-Buchser family since their 2010 re-acquisition from VNU. The company publishes an international magazine dedicated to the global watch industry, distributed in print and digitally in 10+ language editions across 150+ countries, serving watch brand executives, retailers, collectors, and horology professionals.

The core product is the Europa Star Magazine and its associated digital ecosystem, which includes the Digital Archives (issues back to 1936, gated behind a Club membership subscription), a Video Channel, The Watch Files podcast co-produced with Grail Watch, themed Digital Books, and specialized editorial sections (TIME.BUSINESS, TIME.KEEPER, THE WATCH FILES, HIGHLIGHTS, RELOVED). The underlying technology stack is a multi-language digital publishing platform with website, podcast/video production, and a digitized back-catalog, supplemented by a Brand Index directory. The company also operates the annual World Watch Day initiative and 14 wholly owned subsidiary publications covering jewellery and precision engineering.

Europa Star generates revenue through three primary streams: recurring magazine and archive subscriptions (Club membership), advertising and sponsorships from luxury watch brands, and one-time sales of specialized horological books. Pricing is modest for content access, with reference books such as A Guide To Complicated Watches priced at CHF 75. The customer base is a horizontal mix of watch industry professionals and collectors (readers) and luxury watch brands (advertisers), with named advertisers historically including Audemars Piguet, Vacheron Constantin, Patek Philippe, Omega, and Rolex. The company is privately held with no disclosed revenue, funding, or external institutional investors.

Name

Europa Star

Legal name

Europa Star

Website

https://europastar.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1927

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Europa Star is a Geneva-based, family-owned B2B media company founded in 1927 that publishes an international watch industry magazine and digital platform in 10+ languages across 150+ countries, serving watch brand advertisers and industry professionals via subscriptions, advertising, and specialized horological books.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Trade Publishing

NAICS

Periodical Publishers (513120), Book Publishers (513130)

SIC

Periodicals: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2721)

akta.pro primary industry

Business, Finance & Industry Trade Magazines (MPAJAEAM)

akta.pro secondary industry

B2B / Industrial Market Research (MPAAALAA)

Keywords

• Watch industry media
• Horology publications
• Luxury watch journalism
• Trade publishing
• Watch magazine

Headquarters

HQ city

Carouge

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Magazine Subscriptions: Print magazine delivered to subscribers worldwide, with access to online issues since 1936 through digital archives subscription (Club membership)
2. Book Publications: Sale of specialized horological books and themed digital books collections focusing on specific aspects of watchmaking and jewellery
3. Advertising: B2B advertising and sponsorship opportunities targeting watch industry professionals and luxury brands

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Europa Star publishes an international B2B magazine covering the global watchmaking, jewellery, and precision engineering industries, available in print and digital formats with multi-language editions. The company also operates a subscription-based digital archive spanning over 90 years of issues, produces specialized horological books, and offers a podcast series (The Watch Files) and video channel. Revenue is generated through subscriptions, advertising partnerships with luxury watch brands, and book sales, with content distributed to over 150 countries.

Product overview

Europa Star operates as an international B2B watch industry publication platform offering both print and digital products. The core offering is the Europa Star Magazine, supplemented by specialized editorial sections including TIME.BUSINESS (industry news), TIME.KEEPER (product coverage), THE WATCH FILES (heritage/history), HIGHLIGHTS (featured releases), and RELOVED (sustainability). Additional offerings include the Europa Star Digital Archives (access to issues since 1936), Europa Star Digital Books (themed publications), a Video Channel with documentary content, and the Watch Gallery. The platform also includes a related jewellery publication (europastarjewellery.com) and a Brand Index directory. Europa Star publishes in multiple language editions including English, French, German, Spanish, Russian, and Chinese, with distribution to over 150 countries. The company also organizes the annual World Watch Day initiative (October 10) and produces podcast content including 'The Watch Files' series.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Europa Star Global Edition: Current issue magazine publication
• Europa Star Chapter
• TIME.BUSINESS
• TIME.KEEPER
• THE WATCH FILES
• HIGHLIGHTS
• E-ZINE
• BRANDS
• ARCHIVES
• Europa Star Club
• Digital Books
• Europa Star Jewellery
• The Watch Files Podcast
• World Watch Day
• Video Channel

Products and services

• Europa Star Magazine International B2B watch industry magazine providing news, business analysis, and coverage of timepieces, luxury events in Switzerland and worldwide. Available in print and digital formats across multiple language editions.
• Europa Star Club (Digital Archives) Subscription-based service providing access to digitized magazine issues dating from 1936 to present, with searchable back-catalog content for professionals and enthusiasts.
• Europa Star Books Specialized horological reference books and themed digital book collections focusing on specific aspects of watchmaking and jewellery, including 'A Guide To Complicated Watches'.
• The Watch Files Podcast Podcast series co-produced with Stephen Foskett of Grail Watch, exploring stories of events that changed the horology industry. Episodes cover brands like Jaquet-Droz, Blancpain, Zenith, and others.
• Europa Star Jewellery Sister publication (europastarjewellery.com) focused on jewellery industry news, trends, and luxury jewellery coverage, operating under the same publishing umbrella as Europa Star.
• Europa Star Video Channel Video content platform featuring watch brand documentaries, industry interviews, event coverage, product presentations, and watchmaking history content.

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Tourbillon WatchcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Collaboration between Tourbillon Watch and Europa Star for podcast production. The Watch Files podcast series is co-produced with Stephen Foskett, Publisher of Grail Watch, exploring stories of events that changed the horology industry.
• Editions SimoninminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPublishing partnership for horological reference books. Europa Star features content about Editions Simonin's book 'A Guide To Complicated Watches' by François Lecoultre.
• Dr. Ilan Vardi (EPFL)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerExpert contributor for horological content revision - Dr. Ilan Vardi, senior scientist at EPFL, revised the chapter on equation watches for the 'Guide To Complicated Watches' book.
• WorldWatchWebminorGTM or Marketing PartnerAssociated website network member - WorldWatchWeb.com is part of the Europa Star publishing network, sharing audiences and cross-promoting content.
• Watch AficionadominorGTM or Marketing PartnerAssociated publication in the Europa Star network of specialized watchmaking and jewellery publications.
• Europa Star JewelleryminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSister publication (europastarjewellery.com) covering the jewellery industry, operating under the same publishing umbrella.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves1 record

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Hodinkee: US-based digital-first watch media platform covering the luxury watch industry through editorial, videos, podcasts, and an online shop. Closest direct peer to Europa Star in the B2B/B2C watch media space, with similar target audience of watch industry professionals, brands, and collectors, but a digital-native and venture-backed model versus Europa Star's print-anchored heritage.
• Quill & Pad: Online watch and jewellery industry publication producing in-depth editorial, business analysis, and industry commentary. Direct peer in the B2B watch journalism category, with similar industry-professional and collector audience overlap.
• Fratello Watches: Dutch-based watch media outlet producing editorial content, podcasts, and the Fratello shop. Operates in the same B2B-adjacent watch journalism space targeting industry professionals and collectors, with similar advertiser relationships and editorial scope.
• Time + Tide: Australia-founded, globally distributed watch publication producing articles, podcasts, and video reviews. Comparable as a digital-first B2B/B2C watch media brand competing for the same brand advertising budgets and collector audience as Europa Star.
• Monochrome Watches: Online watch publication producing detailed reviews, industry coverage, and brand features. Comparable digital-first watch media outlet competing for the same professional and enthusiast reader base and watch brand advertising relationships.
• Revolution Watch: International luxury watch magazine founded in Geneva, publishing multi-language print and digital editions with strong brand coverage. Directly comparable B2B trade publication competitor with similar advertiser base (luxury watch brands) and collector-focused editorial positioning.

Others

• Watchfinder & Co. Pre-owned watch retailer and content publisher producing editorial and video content about luxury watches. Adjacent to Europa Star's B2B watch media space, with content and brand coverage overlap but a fundamentally retail-driven business model.
• The Hour Glass: Asia-Pacific luxury watch retailer producing editorial content, watch magazines, and brand partnerships. Adjacent peer in the luxury watch ecosystem with comparable B2B relationships with watch brands and collector audience, but its primary business is watch retail rather than publishing.

Emerging players

• Watchonista: Watch media brand operating across multiple Asian markets with editorial and video coverage. Comparable as a B2B watch publication targeting brand and collector audiences, with a regional focus on Asia that complements rather than directly overlaps Europa Star's Swiss-anchored coverage.
• Wrist Review: Watch media platform covering new releases, brand news, and industry developments. Overlaps with Europa Star on B2B audience and brand coverage but with a smaller scale and narrower geographic footprint, primarily English-language.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/EuropaStar
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/europastarmagazine
• Facebookfacebook.com/worldwatchweb
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/europa-star-hbm
• Instagraminstagram.com/europa_star

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Subsidiaries15 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Europa Star