In the current era of indie-watchmaking superstars, few names are larger than the incredibly talented Rexhep Rexhepi. He was born in Kosovo in 1987, but moved to Geneva in 1998 and started watchmaking at a young age, taking an apprenticeship at Patek Philippe when he was 15. After his apprenticeship, he worked at the renowned complications workshop, BNB Concept. From here, Rexhepi applied those skills at F.P. Journe, and after a few years, he decided to set out on his own and launched Akrivia in 2012, when he was only 25.

This pocket watch was created by Rexhep Rexhepi as part of his graduation process from watch student to watch professional

Akrivia released a series of complicated watches under the “AK” nomenclature from 2013 to 2016, but it was the launch of the first Chronomètre Contemporaine in 2018 that earned the world’s attention, winning the GPHG Men’s Watch Prize the same year, along with the hearts of collectors the world over. In the years since, Rexhepi’s ascent hasn’t slowed — the Chronomètre Contemporaine II came in 2022, and in 2023 we saw the Antimagnetique, along with a surprising collaboration with Louis Vuitton. Despite Rexhepi’s increasing clout, he’s remained focused on the details — production is still based out of his small atelier in the Old Town of Geneva. Perhaps the most telling shift is the name on the dial; today, the watches bear his signature “Rexhep Rexhepi.”

2018: Chronomètre Contemporain

2022: Chronomètre Contemporaine II

2023: Chronomètre Antimagnetique