ur vision is very clear: Pequignet is the standard-bearer of the horological renaissance in the French Jura,” explains Patric Zingg, who has taken the helm of the brand, as he welcomes us to the manufacture premises in Morteau, just minutes from the Franco-Swiss border. “We are every bit as ’Made in France’ as Swiss watchmakers are ’Swiss Made’, given that over 70% of the components in our Calibre Initial are produced here, and 60% of those in the Calibre Royal. Most importantly, everything is sourced within an 80-square-kilometre radius spanning France and Switzerland.”

The new manager had a long career at Swatch Group before moving on to Graham, and now to Pequignet. He remains based in Biel. Crossing the border in this direction, while most watchmakers in the region make the journey the other way, undoubtedly helps him grasp the unique nuances of this branch of horology.

Pequignet in Europa Star in 1974, one year after its founding in Morteau.

©Europa Star Archives

First of all, the matter in hand is balancing the brand’s image, which diverges greatly between its two key markets. On the one hand, in the French-speaking world (France and Benelux), Pequignet is still quite instinctively associated with more accessible historical models that have left their mark, such as the Moorea. On the other hand, in Japan, the brand is recognised more for its Calibre Royal, presented in 2010 at the Basel fair, which has come to embody Pequignet’s ambitions in Made in France mechanical watchmaking.

As we know, changing perceptions is a long-term exercise, especially outside the Swiss Made label. But in recent years, with the arrival of new shareholder Hugues Souparis in 2021, the brand has undertaken fundamental work on its collections and identity, materialising through some very interesting collections. It began with the Concorde, launched in 2023 to mark the manufacture’s 50th anniversary, a sport-chic watch interpreted by Pequignet in a cushion shape.

The new Concorde model in titanium, from bracelet to case

This year, the Concorde appears in several new iterations. First, it debuts in an ultra-contemporary 36mm full titanium version, with a strong grey satin-finished dial echoing the metal’s colour, without a date window to achieve the cleanest possible design. Priced at €4,800, this model houses the Calibre Initial launched by Pequignet in 2021. It has also been specifically treated with ruthenium to closely match the titanium colour. This automatic movement with bi-directional winding system offers a 65-hour power reserve.

The Concorde Titanium is powered by the Calibre Initial. All its components are sourced within 80 km of the factory, 72% are French.

Second, the Concorde is adorned with gold in a new 30mm version entirely clad in 5N rose gold. This model retains the cushion case, a fusion of square and circle, as well as the signature mesh bracelet inspired by the Moorea. Its “lance tip” links are a nod to the Obelisk at Place de la Concorde in Paris, from which this collection takes its name. This model is powered by a quartz movement.

In a miniature version (30 mm), the Concorde is also adorned with rose gold for the Watches and Wonders fair.

The highlight of the show early this year may well be the reworked Paris Royale model, in a more compact 39.5mm diameter compared to the previous 41mm, or more precisely the movement it houses, the Calibre Royal. Offered from €8,000, this novelty comes in two variants: the Day-Date-Moon version, available in three dial colours, opaline, royal blue, green; and the Power Reserve-Small Seconds version, available in two colours, opaline and royal blue.

Since its launch in 2011, the Royale Paris was designed to house the Calibre Royal by Pequignet. It has now been completely reworked into a 39.5 mm diameter.

The Royale Paris collection is the only one from the brand founded by Emile Pequignet to feature applied lugs, on which extensive refinement work has been carried out: their form has been sculpted, providing a brushed finish on top and polished sides. Lastly, more precise finishing has been applied to the softened inward angles. These details give the model stronger definition.

The case of the new Royale Paris has also been subtly reworked. Its more chiselled profile now bears a gouge-like recess that also appears on the dial. The bezel, slimmed down by 0.75mm, opens up the dial more generously, which is protected by a slightly domed anti-reflective “glass box” sapphire crystal.

The dial surface is grained while the gouge is sandblasted, and the small seconds counter is hollowed out with concentric circular grooves. The railway track sits flush with the gouge. The baton indices are bevelled, satin-finished and polished, and the apertures are framed with a polished steel thread. For the first time, the moon is depicted in both its northern and southern hemispheres. For a more brilliant finish, the moonphase windows have been diamond-polished.

The Calibre Royal in this new Day-Date-Moon version launched on the Royale Paris embodies Pequignet’s ambition—and more broadly that of French horology—in mechanical movement.

This overall aesthetic has been redesigned to better accommodate the Calibre Royal and its 318 components, notably the first French-made mechanism to place its watch complications on the same plate, and the subject of eight international patents. The movement has a single large barrel offering an improved power reserve, extended to 96 hours from 88 hours previously. This indication is displayed at 8 o’clock within a graduated gauge.

This automatic movement features a unique bi-directional winding system driven by the oscillating weight and a large diamond-cut balance wheel with high inertia. Its double large date and day window with instantaneous jump on the same axis allows adjustments at any time. The average precision of between +2 and -2 seconds per day meets the most demanding chronometric criteria.

Given this level of technical achievement, it is, in truth, the entire ecosystem of French movement manufacturing and precision timekeeping that needs to be built, or rebuilt, particularly in the wake of the damage caused by the Aîon affair (read here). This also extends to certification processes, such as the Vipère Seal from the Besançon Observatory, which has this year been awarded for the first time to Pequignet’s Attitude line.

Produced in a limited series of 50 pieces and equipped with the Calibre Initial, the Attitude Vipère Seal boasts an elegant and refined opaline dial and a polished case. Founded in 1897, the Besançon Observatory is the only French establishment capable of certifying chronometer watches. As with the COSC, the timing deviation must remain between -4/+6 seconds per day. But unlike the Swiss organisation, the calibres are examined while cased. Few watches carry the Vipère Seal in contemporary watchmaking (TAG Heuer has used it for certain models, including the Carrera Chronograph Tourbillon).

The Attitude Vipère Seal model is certified a chronometer by the Observatory of Besançon.

Within this new French ecosystem, Pequignet supplies its Calibre Initial to several other domestic brands positioned at lower price points. “We need to instil some Swiss federal spirit in French watchmaking, and unite to be stronger together,” emphasises Zingg. “In the coming years, we will continue to invest in movements, particularly through modules.”

The manufacture Initial Calibre, with automatic winding, is also available for other brands that wish to showcase their French anchorage.

A rare French exhibitor at Watches and Wonders, Pequignet acts as a pathfinder for the potential of Made in France haute horlogerie. Its move upmarket, mirroring what Swiss watchmaking has undergone over the past thirty years, is reflected in the models presented at this year’s fair. But the road ahead remains long, as its average price still barely exceeds €1,000. “The Royale Paris line shows the way, with the subtle work on the case and lugs, as well as the finishing,” continues Zingg. “In this way, the casing reflects the quality of the mechanical content, and our narrative becomes more coherent.”

In Japan, its most mature market, the brand already supplies only watches equipped with manufacture calibres, whereas models fitted with Swiss or quartz movements still predominate in Europe, where Pequignet maintains a less selective distribution network — a legacy of previous strategies. New points of sale have recently opened in Dubai, heralding broader expansion into the Middle East and Asia. As is already the case in Japan and at its Paris flagship boutique, Pequignet will offer only Made in France models in these markets. It is only fitting for a brand that bears the fleur-de-lys as its emblem.