One Stroke at a Time: The Life and Passion of Nathalie Jean-Louis, Hand Beveller and Movement Decorator
Nathalie Jean-Louis likes to do things with utmost precision. Her work -- hand beveling and decorating high-end watch movements -- but also everything else. She has built her career with a calm yet powerful determination and explains her choices with words as carefully
The Rolex History Book the (French-speaking) Watch World Is Talking About
After reviewing several watches, and even a film, I am about to add a third string to my bow of impostures and share my thoughts on a book I just finished. You have been warned and should only keep on reading at your
Interview with Matthieu Humair, CEO of the Watches and Wonders Geneva Foundation
Matthieu Humair is normally a busy man, but in the weeks building up to Watches and Wonders Geneva 2024, his schedule is denser than ever. Grateful for his time, I wanted to arrive extra early. But when my smartphone kept telling me I
The Daring Swiss Side of Christopher Ward
Watches made in Switzerland by a company established in London is certainly a proven recipe, as Hans Wilsdorf can attest. Once upon a time, England was also where the best watches were produced. While the nation failed to transition to the industrial era
From Swatch Intern to Chief Design Officer at On: Interview with Thilo Alex Brunner
When I first came across On shoes, over a decade ago, I was living in Senegal and visiting the Silicon Valley for work. I was immediately struck by the unique futuristic yet comforting looks. I certainly did not expect that, half a dozen
At the Heart of Your Watch and the Watch Industry: L. Klein SA
There’s a striking contrast between the cold, hard metals stocked by the thousands across infinite rows of the L. Klein SA’s high-ceiling warehouse and the warm welcome, cozy atmosphere and gentle tone of the Schiess family, running the firm since 1973. Facing the
A Watch Fan’s Holiday Film: Chasing Microns
I already have enough impostor syndrome as a “tech industry” worker trying to blog about watchmaking, I’m not going to start to pretend like I'm now also a film critic. That said, the 25 minute production I'm going to tell you about showcases
Branding Bienne: Interview with the City’s Vice-Chancellor Julien Steiner
As the city’s Vice-Chancellor, Julien Steiner has among his prerogatives Bienne’s image as a place to live. Considering how radically the perception of Bienne has evolved over the years, and the role of watchmaking in the city’s reputation, there was a lot to
A Day at La Montre Hermès, Part II
As I explained in the previous “episode”, the day spent at the Manufacture Hermès was so rich that a single article could not do justice. One of the reasons is that there are in fact two distinct, yet intimately connected, operations taking place
Made in Bienne, one Piece at a Time: Langel Chocolate
The first 70 articles I wrote for this blog are all about watchmaking. And I expect pretty much the next 70 to be as well. But sometimes, it’s nice to make a little exception. Especially when it comes to high quality chocolate, the
