Renowned Swiss luxury watch manufacturer, who was also an art collector and philanthropist, and who built Gucci Timepieces into a multimillion-dollar business. While in his 20s he made and sold gold chain jewelry before moving into the watch business. He sold his Gucci watch business in the late 1990s and bought the Switzerland-based Corum company in 2000.
The son of a Jewish glove manufacturer, he owned homes in Southern California, Las Vegas and Europe.
After suffering a life-threatening case of lung cancer in the 1990s, he established the Severin Wunderman Family Foundation to support medical research on incurable diseases. In 2005, he was presented with the French Legion of Honor for his cultural and philanthropic contributions.
Has two daughters and two sons. Youngest son Michael is heir-apparent to his company business.
Wunderman's mother died when he was about 10, and following the Nazi invasion of Belgium, he moved to Los Angeles, alone, to live with his older sister.
Married five times, his 1987 marriage to actress Gail O'Grady lasted only four months.