This post was originally published when the blog was focused on Bienne, under the name Made in Bienne. The concept has since evolved to also cover the watch scene across the rest of Switzerland.
You may have already stumbled upon the Artworth Brothers on Instagram. The 3 young men from Bienne have a following equivalent to 4 times the population of our city! Their content is always very suave, mixing watches with cars, suits, fine dining and pretty much anything else you can think of that’s the opposite of the shorts and sandals I’m wearing as I type up this post. One of their signatures is to never show their face. When I told Vasco, one of the bros, that it reminded me of Daft Punk, he gently pointed out that the comment was often heard from people of my generation. Yep, that’s right, I not only dress like a tourist, I’m also old, at least compared to the 29 year-old entrepreneur sipping coffee next to me in the Bienne Old Town.
Before we dive into their watches, I have to say I’m super impressed with what the three of them have managed to pull off at such a young age. Their social media agency is thriving. Born and raised in Bienne, where their company is also based, they became business partners 5 years ago, originally while all occupied with a full time job. Their already long customer list includes top brands from watchmaking and beyond, such as Omega, IWC, Longines, BMW and Dom Pérignon, to name a few.
Okay now, let’s talk everyday watches. The daily choice from each Brother is obviously a watch made in his city. Let’s find out more.
Vasco and his birth year Sea-Dweller
A collector’s classic but under the radar among the general public, the Sea-Dweller is Vasco’s everyday go-to. The one he owns is particularly special because it’s from 1993, his birth year. Having had a chance to look at it up close, I must say the condition is fantastic. The dial and its tritium lume plots look like they’ve been just produced (which, for the tritium part, would be illegal today, but that’s a different story). For Vasco, “the case diameter of 40 mm is just perfect.” Not a big fan of cyclopes, he particularly appreciates that “vintage Sea-Dweller models come without the magnifier on the glass”.
Thierry and his birth year Speedmaster Automatic
As you can probably tell by now, the Artworth Brothers tend to do things pretty intentionally. That’s why I wasn’t too surprised that Thierry also went for a (1993) birth year watch. His choice is a Speedmaster, specifically an Automatic, also known as “reduced” given its 39 mm size, vs 42 mm for the manual wind “Professional” variants. Like Vasco, he is “fascinated that the movement of the watch has beaten for the same time now as our hearts.” On top of the size which he finds better suits his wrist than the larger model, Thierry adores the polished bracelet: “it’s very beautiful and makes this watch kind of a jewellery piece as well.”
Thomas and his GMT-Master II
Last but not least, Thomas, just like Raymond Reddington in Blacklist but with an Oyster bracelet, has a Pepsi GMT as his everyday watch. While it still looks very fresh, the watch is a few decades old already, from 2001 (no, not his birth year). Beyond the obvious qualities that have made the travel piece such an icon, Thomas actually has a legit tool use for it: “We serve clients around the globe. The GMT function makes it easy for us to track time zones and schedule calls with partners worldwide.”
It’s hard to go wrong with any of those choices. Beyond their watchmaking and historical worth, which is what matters most of course, the 3 watches are also solid investments. While I’m sure that Vasco, Thierry and Thomas will never *need* to sell their watches, I have to say it’s pretty smart when you’re young and starting your business to purchase timepieces that hold great value. I look forward to seeing more wristshots of those everyday watches but, more importantly, I look forward to seeing how far these three young men will go. And I find it comforting to think that while the sky is the limit, Bienne will always be their home.
Photos courtesy of Artworth Brothers
Quite the Trinity! Great choices, each in its own right.