Independent watchmaking by its very definition lies outside of the mainstream, where the more mundane considerations that guide the design, production and distribution of watches on a large scale, hold much less sway. Here, a more purist approach is pursued — otherwise, what would have been the point? And naturally, the pathways by which this purist ideal is approached, is as varied as there are numbers of independent watchmakers. Be it to recapture the romance of making a whole watch by hand, or breaking the stranglehold of two centuries’ worth of technical evolution in the lever escapement, independent watchmaking is about seeing how far we can go in realising watchmaking perfection, without limits.

Mark your calendars then, watch enthusiasts: from this month till the early part of next year, Watchbox, the leading global platform for learning, buying and trading watches online, is celebrating two of the greatest names in independent watchmaking with a travelling exhibition: Two Decades of Complexity & Beauty – the Pivotal Collections by F.P. Journe and De Bethune. A preview will be held in Zurich from October 27-29; the exhibition then moves to Geneva from November 4-7 as part of the inaugural ReLuxury show, before moving on to Shanghai, Hong Kong, Singapore, London, Dubai, and then to select cities in the U.S in early 2023.

The exhibition will showcase more than a hundred highly collectible watches by François-Paul Journe and Denis Flageollet. These watches will also be available for purchase, and there will also be talks and panels with renowned experts from Watchbox, a time for enthusiasts and experts to enjoy, share and celebrate the best of independent watchmaking.

“François-Paul Journe and Denis Flageollet are two of the most fascinating and talented watchmakers of this era,” says WatchBox Executive Chairman Danny Govberg. “Our retrospective is a celebration of their technical and artistic innovations, the brand-defining collections from the last two decades, and the community drawn to this independent sphere.”

Highlights from the retrospective collection include De Bethune’s elegant DB1 Monopusher Chronograph, the DB28 Maxichrono with five hands mounted coaxially, and first-generation brass movement pieces by F.P. Journe such as the Chronomètre á Résonance, Reference R.

Details
Exhibition Preview: October 27 to 29, 2022 | Stadthausquai 13 | 8001 Zürich
Geneva: November 4 to 7, 2022 | ReLuxury at Hotel President Wilson | Quai Wilson 47, 1211 Genève