The Role of Peace in a World of Whimsy

The true act of watchmaking is not as fast-paced as we imagine it to be. The majority of what goes on that bench is calm, silent peaceful movements, repetitive and methodical.

Denis Flaguellet, through DeBethune, in my opinion, has mastered the art of creating a spectacle on the wrist, but within each and every patent that his disciples discreetly wear, there lie a dozen of miniature truths, that all amount to one, surprisingly significant fact.

As a certified watch nerd myself, I read articles about these rockstar watchmakers, being a part of a collective that worked on a multitude of movements that are critically acclaimed within the industry, like the Monopoussoir movement from Cartier’s Chronographs that Denis helped create, alongside fellow rockstar watchmaker, Francois-Paul Journe.

I nibbled at my popcorn, taking constructive pauses to remind myself to breath, as I envision the thrill of these guys eventually throwing off their lab coats, dramatically proclaiming that they are leaving to start their own watch brands, and then vogueing off into the sunset, never to speak to their former colleagues again. In my silly little head, this was Yoko One breaking up the Beatles. This was Zayn leaving One Direction.

My Watch-Beatlemania Backstory:

I recently met Emmanuel Gueit in Geneva at the annual Time&Tide Beers & Burgers party, and certainly made him uncomfortable gushing at him like an obsessive fan about not only his masterful work with Dennison, but also his line of Audemars Piguet jewelry he designed- Royal Oak Offshore even notwithstanding.

Alfred Chan is still probably blushing at how flabbergasted I was to run into him at Chronopolis in Geneva, although in all fairness, I have to cheekily blame Russell in part for this shock, as he gave me no forewarning before nonchalantly introducing me to the other half of Toledano and Chan.

For all of the drama that my theatrical mind cannot help but attach to the glamorous, champagne-addled world of the watch industry galore, I’ve come to realize that the watchmaking aspect is simply not so.

My humbling trip to the factory helped me understand that as soon as these watchmakers sit at the bench with their tools, time, actually, stands still. No guitar riffs, no vogueing, no drummers with messy reputations, no wild hotel bill. Just the movement, his tool set, and the distant, faint sound of birds chirping, from the windowsill.

I think that because the pieces themselves are such extreme works of art, I envisioned wild, eccentric artists making them. But when Denis, Vianney, Victoire come together, they aren’t discussing wild Ibiza nights and planning where they’re jetting off to on their next adventure— they’re sat back, contentedly sipping beers in the backyard, making small talk about self- regulating double barrels, and all things flamed blue, polished, titanium.