We live in an exhilarating time, a pivotal juncture in mechanical watchmaking history where we are witnessing the passing of torches. We owe it to a handful of gifted watchmakers and watch company leaders who democratized and expanded an industry that was once dominated by a few players, into a diverse and teeming global market.
A few decades after the Quartz Crisis, Swiss watchmaking was struck by another possible coup de grâce — smartwatches. However, we can credit the unparalleled creativity, innovation and craftsmanship of the industry’s greatest stewards for not only modernizing, but also endowing traditional watchmaking with a breath of fresh relevancy and universal attractiveness. These luminaries made invaluable contributions at the prime of their careers, and inevitably inspired their scions to follow in their footsteps.
Victoire Halter is the daughter of the inimitable Vianney Halter, and a skilled watchmaker in her own right. She has also been greatly influenced by her stepfather, Denis Flageollet of De Bethune, and she now serves as the jeweler and decorator of De Bethune.
The daughter of an independent watchmaking legend of that same generation, Venla Voutilainen chose her first watch to be a co-creation with her father Kari. This project was an intricate pocket watch for the Only Watch auction in 2019, fashioned while she was completing her final year of watchmaking school. She is currently part of the team behind Urban Jürgensen, an old and recently revived watch brand.
Audrey Raffy is vice president of Bovet, a historic brand that was acquired and refurbished by her father Pascal Raffy. Today, thanks to the diligence and ingenuity of Audrey, Pascal and team, Bovet embodies exclusivity, métiers d’art and complicated watchmaking.
Last but not least, we have Pierre Biver, the youngest of the legendary Jean-Claude Biver’s brood, who amassed a wealth
