My Métier d’Excellence
I’m a watchmaker-analyst at the TAG Heuer Institute, our R&D and Innovation department. I develop prototypes – meaning assemblies of timepieces – for testing and measurement of innovative concepts using new materials or new technologies, for example. My department works both for TAG Heuer and other LVMH watchmaking Maisons.
My background
I faced a few obstacles on my path here. I didn’t pass the entrance exam for engineering school, and that proved to be a real turning point. That’s when I began developing a real passion for watchmaking, leading me to get a vocational degree and then an applied arts degree to learn the métier. After I received my applied arts degree in watchmaking – the highest level of studies in this profession in France – I joined TAG Heuer. I’ve worked here for over four years now.
The most important thing you need for this métier
An open mind. Every day I’m working with ideas that aim to push the limits of watchmaking, acting as a bridge between the world of watchmaking craftsmanship and advanced engineering. That’s the reason you always begin by thinking “why not?” when you’re presented with a new idea. You try to see where it might lead, building on savoir-faire that sometimes dates back centuries.
What I love most about my métier
Every day is different. I’m always learning something new by working with people with a vast range of professional expertise. You feel a tangible spirit of emulation within the TAG Heuer Institute. That’s really stimulating and creates a tremendous sense of pride in working on the Maison’s future products.
Anecdote
The first project I worked on when I joined TAG Heuer in 2017 was very important to me because we were starting from a blank page, with tight deadlines. The objective was to revolutionize the hairspring technique, which has been part of watchmaking for centuries, by using very high frequencies and integrating new materials such as silicon.