An essentially feminine brand, Prano Genève has opted for an unusual market position. It is neither ‘fashion’, since the designs of its collections are more timeless than the season-dependent watches of the fashion sector, nor is it unaffordable, because, as Fabrizio Cavalca smilingly explains, “Our goal is to have a selection that touches the heart rather than the wallet.”
Prano watches seek above all to attract the wearer with their formal features. The designer, Fabrizio Cavalca, has gradually developed a very particular approach in terms of form. This can be explained by his rather atypical background. A musician by training, most notably at the Lyon Conservatoire, he next moved into design, which he learned in Milan. “The visual is indissociable from the audio. By including this musical dimension into my formal approach, I have fully developed the creative concept that has resulted in the collections of Prano. I am espec-ially impassioned,” he continues, “by the correlation between the golden section and the tuning fork and I discovered a number of close relationships between these two approaches.”








Harmony of forms
This undoubtedly explains the harmony of forms that he designs, forms that are pure but sophisticated. A balance between form and function is the basis of his design, of his “creative ethic,” as he says. This “creative ethic” takes three basic forms today, giving the names, with a touch of humor, of Uno, Uovo and Raviolo to his timepieces.
As its name indicates, the Uno is exemplary of Prano’s approach to design. This particular line is derived from the dimensions of the golden section but compressed. “We began with the golden section,” says Fabrizio Cavalca, “then gradually moved away from it yet still conserving the overall harmony. While maintaining the specific dimensions, it is like what Debussy attempted in music.”
The result is a watch with rather surprising shapes that has rapidly become the ‘warhorse’ of the brand. Thanks to the dial’s large surface, the Uno can take on several styles, especially when set with stones in the appearance of one or two waves that emphasize the curvature of the piece. Eric Pospieszny, partner in the brand and a master stone setter, takes care of the decorative side of the watch.
The second collection, Uovo, is just as original. As its name suggests, the form is inspired by the egg, evoking “fertility and prosperity.” Gentle as a rounded river stone, smooth and very pleasant to wear, the Uovo has a range of dials that are identical to the Uno, with their elongated four numerals that have become the signature of the brand.
The third collection, the aptly named Raviolo, is perhaps even more original. Taking its name and shape from the famous Italian culinary specialty, the Raviolo timepiece, whose edges are delicately indented, is certainly destined to become a Prano ‘classic’. Lending itself to all sorts of variations, in particular with different accessories, such as superb identically shaped bags, the Raviolo was recently launched. It can metamorphose into different jewellery models, most notably a beautiful entirely stone-set model.





Developments
“The watch is at the centre of our concern,” explains Fabrizio Cavalca, “and its design is conceived in a global manner, including potential for development in forms and other domains, such as handbags, wallets, belts and other accessories.”
The watch is the flagship of Prano Genève, and the accessories that it engenders strengthen
its identity.
The materials used, like the finishing, are of the highest quality. Presented with synthetic silk bracelets (a very resistant material that hardly deteriorates) the cases are made in 316L stainless steel. Other features include anodized dials, quality Ronda quartz movements, and crowns decorated with a sapphire. The watches are entirely hand-assembled in Geneva. “We want to offer a product that is locally produced with the best price/quality ratio possible,” explain the brand’s creators. With a retail price of CHF 480 in steel for all three collections, they are very competitive. The stone-set models vary from CHF 890 for the Uovo Stars (set with 11 small diamonds) to CHF 2,600 for the Uno with a wave of diamonds, to even CHF 4,800 for a double wave of stones.
With 2,000 pieces produced in 2004, the brand is experiencing a good beginning and hopes, over time, to reach a production of around 15,000 watches per year. That’s the worst that we can wish for them.

Photos:
1. Raviolo
2. Uovo
3. Uno


For further information, please contact Fabrizio Cavalca at
Tel: + 41 22 321 67 69 /
e-mail: pranoÐ[email protected]