n June 2026, Rexhep Rexhepi employs nearly 60 people. When we first met him more than a decade ago, the fledgling Akrivia workshop consisted of just five or six individuals. At this scale, the transformation has been immense.

What impact can such growth - and the international success that made it possible - have on his original philosophy? Is it possible to preserve the “pure” vision of the early days, that necessarily somewhat idealistic view of craftsmanship, when one becomes one of the most sought-after names among collectors?

The 39-year-old master watchmaker does not hesitate in answering. “From the outset, my ambition was to practise watchmaking craftsmanship, to master every stage of the process and to create exemplary decoration in the pure tradition of great artisanal watchmaking. That is still what drives me every day.”

After a brief pause, he adds: “If I look objectively at the watches we produce today, I would say that the experience and confidence we have gained over the years through our watchmaking work mean that our timepieces are even more artisanal, that quality continues to improve and that, above all, we are even more independent and flexible than before.”

A meticulous pursuit of operational independence

This quest for independence is central to understanding Rexhep Rexhepi’s work today. He explains the reasons behind the genuine integrated manufacture that he has painstakingly and progressively built through his various workshops in Geneva’s Old Town.

For his earliest models, including the AK-01, Rexhep Rexhepi used movements supplied by BNB Concept and later by MHC. Yet as early as 2015, with the launch of the AK-03 - featuring a tourbillon, jumping hours and a passing strike mechanism - he produced his first entirely in-house-developed movement. It quickly became clear to him that controlling everything internally gave him greater freedom and flexibility.

“The main reason that pushed me towards ever greater independence was the frustration I sometimes felt when production lead times proved too long, or when the quality of what was delivered to me did not meet the same standards as the watchmaking work carried out in-house.”

Over time, he developed his own structure not only for decoration, assembly and casing-up, but also for manufacturing the cases themselves, the hands, the components and even the striking gongs. He has gone even further with his latest creation, the 38.8mm flyback chronograph unveiled during Watches and Wonders. The grand feu enamel dial is produced in-house... and even the strap itself.

The watchmaking prodigy has become a genuine entrepreneur of craftsmanship and independence. Across Geneva’s Old Town can now be found the different territories of his artisanal empire: the “Watchmaking Workshop”, where movement design, decoration, assembly, regulation and traditional hand-finishing techniques - including anglage, black polishing, perlage or Geneva stripes - are carried out; the “Conventional Micro-Mechanics Workshop”, established in 2019 together with Jean-Pierre Hagmann, the legendary case maker, for the traditional manufacture of case middles, bezels, casebacks and case components; the “Strapmaking Workshop”, launched in 2023 to produce hand-stitched straps; the “Enamel Grand Feu Workshop”, established in 2024 for the in-house production of enamel dials; and last but not least the “Apprenticeship Workshop”, created to ensure the transmission of knowledge to future generations and supervised by Jean-Marc Figols, Rexhep Rexhepi’s former teacher - the very man who trained him when he was 15 years old.

A self-sufficient ecosystem

Given this successful development, what is he most proud of today? His answer reflects his personal vision of success in watchmaking, as he immediately mentions the creation of the Apprenticeship Workshop and its crucial importance. “When I started out, I was looking for watchmakers who could help me develop... There were not many. I myself was trained by demanding masters, and that is what allowed me to become who I am today. Now it is my turn to give back and to pass on what I have learned. That is what I am most proud of. I feel that, in my own way, I am contributing to the transmission of this watchmaking art that means so much to me.”

Will this development of the workshops continue? What does the watchmaker and craftsman aspire to today? Naturally, the handwork and excellence in artisanal finishing that have built his reputation will continue. His deep Geneva stripes, perfectly executed polished angles, the unrivalled harmonious symmetry of his movements and ancestral techniques such as micro-hammering, brought back into contemporary watchmaking, will remain hallmarks of his work. These standards are now being extended to all of his other artisanal creations, for which his level of exacting craftsmanship remains second to none.

However, he sees the future in broader terms: “I want to create a completely independent ecosystem that allows us to become ever better at what we do... and above all, I want to continue experiencing pleasure in what I do. First and foremost, I am a craftsman. My goal will never be to produce thousands of watches. I love great stories, and I am writing my own, guided by a deep passion.”

There is little doubt that the remarkable workshop windows at the heart of the city will continue to inspire future generations. With their noses pressed against the glass, visitors can watch artisans bent over their workbenches - visible to all, yet quietly absorbed in their concentration.