EDIT NOTE
INDEPENDENT STREAK
In this issue, we profile a number of watchmakers whose independence is a defining feature of their identity. These firms, which have
resisted one of watchmaking’s major trends of the last two decades—
consolidation under the umbrella of the major luxury groups—number fewer and fewer. By virtue of their independence, these companies have felt the dilemma of obtaining many movement components
in a much more direct way than the large groups.
I visited Franck Muller, among of the first—and currently one of
the largest—independent watchmakers in the world. Franck Muller
is well known for making the costly investments in the equipment,
know-how and people required to make a complete mechanical watch
at a time when sending order forms to the Swatch Group for ebauches
was the de facto industry norm.
Over the course of three days, I observed the full scope of what
Franck Muller is capable of, and it was indeed an impressive display
of technical and artistic know-how, one rivaling virtually any brand
in fine watchmaking.
From their industrial site in Meyrin, situated not far from the
Geneva airport, emerge many of Franck Muller’s watchmaking components. These are then assembled and put through quality control
at the firm’s headquarters—aptly named Watchland—in Gentod.
Furthermore, each watch is outfitted with an artisan dial crafted at
Franck Muller’s own dial-making factory.
Later in the issue, we take a look at two recent models from DeWitt, another independent marque that has married an extreme penchant for creativity in complications and displays with a formidable
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manufacturing presence. Not only are DeWitt watches some of the
most creative and beautiful—the company has long been appreciated
for its unique dials—they’re now also typically made in-house.
And in our regular series profiling AHCI members, we take a
look at Akrivia, a recently launched independent mark from Patek
Philippe alumnus Rexhep Rexhepi. Rexhepi’s finely finished, complicated models have garnered the hard won approval of WristWatch
critic Pavel Pavlovsky. Learn about this upstart watchmaker starting
on page 108.
All the best,
Jonathan Bues