By Laurent Martinez

During a visit to my friend Morgan Maillard, the head watchmaker at the Vacheron Constantin boutique in New York, he shared his journey of becoming a watchmaker in France and mentioned one of his friends, the independent Master Watchmaker Theo Auffret.

This piqued my interest, and I decided to delve deeper into the work of this young craftsman.

The golden age of French watchmaking was in the 18th century, marked by the establishment of the first French horological school in Paris. When thinking of the famous figures from that era, names like Jean-Antoine Lepine, Ferdinand Berthoud and the watchmaking genius Abraham Louis Breguet come to mind.

Today, when discussing the horology industry, Switzerland is often the first country discussed, with brands like Rolex, Vacheron Constantin, Patek Philippe, and Blancpain, among others.

However, behind these renowned brands, new names are emerging, including F.P. Journe and Laurent Ferrier, independent master watchmakers known for producing grand complications in small quantities. When researching French watchmakers, one name that consistently stands out is Jean-Baptiste Viot, a discreet watchmaker who serves as an inspiration to these talented young watchmakers.

Among his former apprentices is Theo Auffret, a rising star within the small community of independent master watchmakers.

Theo Auffret’s journey as an independent master watchmaker is fascinating, reflecting a blend of traditional craftsmanship and modern innovation. His mentorship under J.B. Viot and subsequent training in Switzerland underscore the importance of historical expertise and contemporary techniques in his work.

It is remarkable how seamlessly he integrates old techniques with new technology, maintaining a balance between tradition and innovation. Theo is an avid reader who draws inspiration and ideas from various sources, including Breguet’s work from the 18th and 19th centuries (the Empire period), as well as contemporary timepieces like the first Richard Mille RM01 watch.

Auffret stands at the crossroads between the old generation of watchmakers, craftsmanship, and the new era. He is proficient in working with sapphire dial cutting and laser welding machines, combining high-end traditional techniques with modern industrial processes for decoration.

Tradition and New Technology

The goal is to preserve both worlds. Most independent master watchmakers today adopt a similar approach, remaining flexible with more traditional methods to customize watches and better serve their clients’ desires. Unlike high-end watch groups, small independent watchmakers prioritize craftsmanship over profitability, focusing on creating unique pieces rather than mass production.

Theo utilizes old techniques while integrating new technology into his work. He has developed his own methodology, starting with in-house conception and prototyping, followed by filing in a “dossier de plan.”

All design and drawings are done in-house, with a significant amount of work done on paper followed by computer work (CAO and CN). While initially, all processes were done by hand when developing the first prototype, there has been an evolution in his approach, collaborating with trusted subcontractors for specific parts.

In his workshop today, Theo has a station de decoration where he performs tasks like chamfering. He takes great pride in the fact that everything is done in-house, including assembly, tuning, testing, and quality control. He specializes in chronometry and ensures his tourbillons function flawlessly. In his own words, “Any piece leaves the place when the team is proud of their work”.

Two Brands

 Similar to Abraham Louis Breguet, Theo has developed two brands: a high-end timepiece collection featuring a series of ten tourbillons (his specialty) and a new series comprising fourteen to fifteen pieces for 2024. The entire process, from conception to realization, took three years and includes two models —classic and sport. The aim is to produce a maximum of thirty watches per year.

The high-end collection is financed by Theo’s second brand, Argon, also designed and conceptualized at the same location.

This company is jointly owned by Theo and Guillaume Laidet, who already manufactures and distributes brands like Nivada Grenchen. Each partner brings expertise to the table, with Guillaume contributing watchmaking skills, creativity, and experience, while Theo provides production capacity.

The new Space One line is set to launch this month, following ten months of development, with a different approach to engineering and production.

Targeting a series of 1,000 units, Theo’s philosophy mirrors Breguet’s Souscription (subscription) strategy in the 19th century, where a lower quality line was manufactured to finance high-end timepieces.

The partnership involves Theo the watchmaker, Guillaume the entrepreneur, and the Richard group, which manufactures bracelets, hands, and cases, providing logistical and technical support across three continents. The company retains 100% control over distribution, handling production and shipping internally, as creating a “jump hour/astronomy” complication watch priced around $2,000 leaves almost no margin for a distributor network.

The market for “Space 1” is global, while Theo’s tourbillon watches primarily target the Asia, the United States and the Middle East (specifically Dubai and Saudi Arabia), with around three watches reserved for foreign collectors residing in France.

The primary region of interest is Asia, particularly Singapore, where collectors are more open to new designs and concepts compared to other countries, contrasting with the United States, where the culture leans towards established brands. Today’s collectors seek high-end, unique pieces with exceptional quality. As margins are minimal, more effort and time are dedicated to each timepiece, ultimately increasing its value.

Theo’s typical clients start with mainstream luxury timepieces like Rolex, then progress to higher-end brands like Patek Philippe or Vacheron Constantin before exploring independent watchmakers like F.P. Journe, eventually culminating in independent craftsmen producing very limited series.

A new group of collectors invests in young independent master watchmakers, placing orders early to acquire unique pieces. Watches from this new generation of watchmakers are not typically sold at auctions; collectors prefer to retain them, unlike older-generation pieces from watchmakers like Philippe Dufour or George Daniels, which occasionally appear at auctions.

Theo is the only master watchmaker in Paris, while others are located in different parts of the country, such as Remy Cools in Annecy (producing twelve timepieces per year), Cyril Brivet-Naudot in Quimper (producing two timepieces per year), John Michael specializing in automata, and Pascal Coyon in Osgore (producing between five and ten timepieces).

It’s noteworthy that these talented watchmakers share the same clientele, with their watch prices ranging between 50,000 and 200,000 euros. Theo recently collaborated with the renowned Petermann Bedat located in Lausanne on the UniWatch model.

This new generation maintains close relationships, with Theo having good rapport with Vincent Desprez, Simon Brette, and Raoul Pages. He only accepts down payments for watches produced the following year, avoiding orders extending over multiple years to preserve the company’s autonomy.

With all his numerous ideas in mind, I suspect that Theo’s ultimate goal is to establish an atelier in Paris for assembling and finishing timepieces, doubling as a showroom.

My conversation with Theo was enlightening, providing insights into how these talented new watchmakers perceive the future of high-end watchmaking. I was pleasantly surprised to learn that they collaborate and support each other, reminiscent of Breguet’s era. While most of them prefer independence for creativity and quality, they face constant scrutiny from large luxury groups seeking to acquire new talent to expand their empires, often struggling in terms of creativity.

Here’s to the new generation of young independent watchmakers; may they continue to pepper the high-end watch landscape with beautiful and mechanically masterful creations.

instagram photo credits: @antoinedelagedeluget,  @laurent_xavier_moulin

Laurent Martinez is the proprietor of Laurent Fine Watches, Greenwich, Connecticut. Read more by him at blog.laurentfinewatches.com or visit his store’s site at www.laurentfinewatches.com