BY MICHAEL THOMPSON
RESERVOIR
JUMPS AHEAD
The Paris-based watchmaker’s instrument-inspired
jump hour dials keep wearers staring at their wrists.
Reservoir North American Agent & Founding Partner Thierry Chaunu (BeauGeste Luxury Brands) and Reservoir founder Francois Moreau
IT’S NOT JUST MEASURING TIME THAT INSPIRES FRANCOIS MOREAU,
THE FOUNDER OF RESERVOIR WATCHES. IF HE SEES WELL-DESIGNED
NUMERALS, HANDS AND MARKERS ON ANY TYPE OF INSTRUMENT
OR GAUGE, HE’S ALL IN.
“I HAVE ONE PARTICULAR PASSION WITH VINTAGE MEASURING
INSTRUMENTS,” HE EXPLAINS. “I LOVE COCKPITS, DASHBOARDS,
PRESSURE GAUGES AND MANOMETERS AND EVEN SUBMARINE
COMMAND ROOMS. THESE COME WITH VERY STRONG DESIGN
IDENTITIES AND CODES AS WELL AS VERY DIVERSE THEMES.”
CONSIDER, FOR EXAMPLE, THE WIDE VARIETY OF DIAL DESIGNS
FOUND ON THE DASHBOARDS OF SPORTS CARS, MOTORBIKES,
BOATS AND AIRPLANES, HE ADDS. “THESE DESIGNS ALSO DIFFERED
IN VARIOUS ERAS, INCLUDING THE INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION, THE
ART DECO YEARS AND EVEN IN THE 1970S.”
businessman, Moreau was also a watch collector who was frustrated at the lack
of what he considered innovative timepieces that were also affordable to a broad
range of watch enthusiasts. He vowed to develop his own brand to meet these
criteria.
The resulting company, Reservoir, has quickly developed a passionate
following with like-minded collectors while also making a name for itself well
beyond the usual realm of ‘affordable’ brands.
Just this year, Reservoir received accolades from its peers when the green-
dialed Reservoir Longbridge British Racing watch (which can be seen on the
cover of this issue of International Watch) was named as among the watches
competing for the coveted Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève in the Challenge
category of sporty, affordable watches. Not bad for a three-year-old watch
company.
Just a few years ago Moreau drew deeply on this love of measurement
design as he was developing Reservoir, the Paris-based maker of affordable, THE DESIGNS
instrument-inspired jumping-hour watches he founded in 2015. A globetrotting Moreau translated his love of instrument designs into five primary Reservoir
FALL 2018 | INTERNATIONAL WATCH | 47