Independent watchmakers

Independent watchmakers

Daniel Roth: the rough road of a pioneer

PORTRAIT

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By Pierre Maillard / Image: Fred Merz/Lundi13

July 2021

Daniel Roth? A lovely man! And a master among master watchmakers. But despite that, humble, smiling and considerate. He lost everything, including his own name – he now signs his work Jean Daniel Nicolas – but watchmaking has by no means lost its hold on him.

Daniel Roth: the rough road of a pioneer

PORTRAIT

Español Français 中文

By Pierre Maillard / Image: Fred Merz/Lundi13

July 2021

Daniel Roth: the rough road of a pioneer

Daniel Roth? A lovely man! And a master among master watchmakers. But despite that, humble, smiling and considerate. He lost everything, including his own name – he now signs his work Jean Daniel Nicolas – but watchmaking has by no means lost its hold on him.

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Daniel Roth: the rough road of a pioneer

WATCH FILES
Independent watchmakers

Hervé Schlüchter's existential watchmaking

Hervé Schlüchter’s existential watchmaking

PORTRAIT

As independent watchmaking continues to make its mark, a new workshop – that of Hervé Schlüchter in Biel/Bienne – creates classically inspired watches with a (...)

BA111OD gets to grips with the chronograph

BA111OD gets to grips with the chronograph

INTERVIEW

On 11 October 2022, three years after launching his own watch with the sole aim of proving that a gap existed in the traditional business model by (...)

Doxa: the spectacular comeback

Doxa: the spectacular comeback

STRATEGY

The historic specialist in diving watches saw its desirability increase tenfold in the midst of the pandemic. The Swiss family-owned brand has just (...)

Czapek and the Antarctique success story

Czapek and the Antarctique success story

Independent watchmaker Czapek has decided to suspend orders for its flagship model, the Antarctique, for a year. The move is intended to help the brand (...)

Kari Voutilainen and Tatsuo Kitamura: a meeting of minds

Kari Voutilainen and Tatsuo Kitamura: a meeting of minds

COVER STORY

This year, Kari Voutilainen celebrates 20 years of independent creation by joining forces with his Japanese “soulmate”, Tatsuo Kitamura, an expert in the (...)

David Candaux: The price of independence

David Candaux: The price of independence

PORTRAIT

We are in Le Solliat, in the Joux Valley, two hundred metres from Philippe Dufour’s workshop and a short distance, as the crow flies, from the great (...)

Svend Andersen: Chance and necessity

Svend Andersen: Chance and necessity

PORTRAIT

Svend Andersen, the co-founder of the AHCI, has played an important role, not only as a master watchmaker but also by welcoming a whole generation of young (...)

Vianney Halter: A free agent

Vianney Halter: A free agent

PORTRAIT

A more endearing man than Vianney Halter would be hard to find. The man – or kid, you might be tempted to say, since he has never succeeded in shaking off (...)

Rexhep Rexhepi: In pursuit of authenticity

Rexhep Rexhepi: In pursuit of authenticity

PORTRAIT

At the heart of Geneva’s historic city centre, the windows of Rexhep Rexhepi’s workshop – Akrivia – open directly onto the street, and it is no rare occurrence (...)

Ludovic Ballouard: The accidental philosopher

Ludovic Ballouard: The accidental philosopher

PORTRAIT

“At the moment, I’m in demand. I’ve never worked so hard, to the point that I’m scared the coronavirus is going to stop! I’m getting more and more requests, (...)

Denis Flageollet: Materials, it all starts with the materials

Denis Flageollet: Materials, it all starts with the materials

PORTRAIT

Just above the Sainte-Croix Pass and the high-perched abode of Denis Flageollet, the watchmaker behind the De Bethune trademark, you will also find the (...)

Lives and lessons of master watchmakers

Lives and lessons of master watchmakers

REPORT

In these complex times, how are the independent master watchmakers faring? Have they suffered or prospered as they traversed the pandemic? How do they see (...)

Kari Voutilainen at the pinnacle

Kari Voutilainen at the pinnacle

PORTRAIT

Finnish master watchmaker Kari Voutilainen has come a very long way from southern Lapland, where he was born and raised, to the vertiginous eyrie known as (...)

Kross Studio crafts a Star Wars set (including a tourbillon)

Kross Studio crafts a Star Wars set (including a tourbillon)

COLLABORATION

A few months after its launch and a first series of table clocks on the theme of Batman, the Swiss start-up Kross Studio has announced an official (...)

Unveiling the new face of Louis Erard

Unveiling the new face of Louis Erard

STRATEGIES

Alain Spinedi, the boss of Louis Erard, is known as a tireless fighter in the now sparse ranks of manufacturers of affordable, high-quality mechanical (...)

Andersen Genève: 40 years of creative independence

Andersen Genève: 40 years of creative independence

RETROSPECTIVE

In 2020, Andersen Genève launches a new jumping hours watch to celebrate its 40th anniversary. Thanks to our archives, we dive into the extraordinary career (...)

Stephen Forsey: “There's a risk of a loss of know-how”

Stephen Forsey: “There’s a risk of a loss of know-how”

INTERVIEW

Greubel Forsey recently presented its Hand Made 1. As its name suggests, this exceptional watch was made almost entirely (95%) by hand. Europa Star took (...)

“The high-end segment cannot exist without the rest of the industry”

“The high-end segment cannot exist without the rest of the industry”

ANDREAS LEIBUNDGUT

In our latest report about the transformation of the watch world, we selected six major issues which are having a profound impact on the industry’s present (...)

Urwerk Atomic Mechanical Control

Urwerk Atomic Mechanical Control

GRAND PRIX D’HORLOGERIE LAUREATE (PART 3/3)

In this final episode about the AMC, we give more details about the watch itself. The innovative and bold project has just been awarded with the “Prix de (...)

Urwerk' Atomic Mechanical Control

Urwerk’ Atomic Mechanical Control

A DISRUPTIVE REGULATION SYSTEM (PART 2/3)

In this second episode about the AMC, we investigate the core of this innovation by Urwek: its atomic clock. It offers stunning precision within of one (...)

Urban Jürgensen: genesis of a watch

Urban Jürgensen: genesis of a watch

A NEW VISION OF THE GMT FUNCTION (PART 3/5)

In this new episode about the birth of the Jürgensen One range of watches, we explore the calibre of the new timepiece, the Automatic P5 (...)

Urban Jürgensen: genesis of a watch

Urban Jürgensen: genesis of a watch

FIRST SIGHTING OF THE JÜRGENSEN ONE (PART 2/5)

In our January issue, we introduced the concept laying the foundation for the first luxury stainless steel collection in the history of Urban Jürgensen. In (...)

Urban Jürgensen: genesis of a watch

Urban Jürgensen: genesis of a watch

SUSTAINING BRAND IDENTITY IN A NEW CATEGORY (PART 1/5)

Over the coming year, independent watch company Urban Jürgensen will take us through the conceptualisation, unveiling and delivery of a brand new watch (...)

Bovet: the story of a globetrotter

Bovet: the story of a globetrotter

PORTRAIT

As he made the journey in 1818 from Fleurier to Guangzhou via London, Edouard Bovet paved the way for the success of Swiss watches in China. Bovet pays a (...)

“The winners are independent high-end brands”

“The winners are independent high-end brands”

RENE WEBER, VONTOBEL

Not all market players experienced the same “crisis year” in 2016: while Swatch Group and Richemont have been strongly impacted by their exposure to Greater (...)

Louis Moinet: Lunar Eclipse

Louis Moinet: Lunar Eclipse

When Jean-Marie Schaller decided to revive the fortunes of Louis Moinet, a great but largely forgotten 19th century horologer, by adopting his name for the (...)