Victorinox founder Karl Elsener patented his elegant, lightweight and exceptionally versatile "Officers and Sports Knife" on 12th July 1897. Today the iconic Officer's knife is now exhibited in museums all over the world, including New York's Museum of Modern Art and the International Design Museum in Munich, Germany.

With hundreds of models to choose from, it can be hard to figure out which Swiss Army Knife to buy. Our handy guide helps you choose. Along with the Swiss Soldiers Knife produced since 1890, these two tools laid the foundation for the current Victorinox range.

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Swiss Army Knives come in seven sizes: mini (58mm, 74mm), medium (84mm, 91mm, 93mm), and large (111mm, 130mm), plus a credit-card size version. The measurements relate to the length of the handle when all the tools are folded away. Synomymous with creativity and functionality - The Original Swiss Army Knife has become an established classic. Finally there's the Victorinox SwissCard, the credit-card size knife and toolkit, that won a Red Dot Design Award for its clever design. It's a fantastically practical gift for people who wouldn’t usually carry a Swiss Army Knife.

For many the Victorinox Swiss Army Knife has become an indispensable and useful companion as well as a symbol of Swiss quality. The Swiss Army Knife even orbits the earth as part of the official equipment of NASA's space shuttle crews.