The move took place within a week between Christmas and New Year. The view over the Montblanc as seen from Vandoeuvre has given way to a view over the Jura from Vernier, a location that is also just a few kilometres from Geneva’s town centre. The elegance and antique wooden floors of the mansion that could no longer contain the expansion of the Manufacture DeWitt have been admirably replaced by spacious and functional 1,500 sq.m. premises that are both more modern and more comfortable for the 35-strong personnel – even if that means laminated flooring. “In any case, there will 20 more of us by the end of the year”, explains Communication Director Pascal Brandt, “90% of whom will work in the ateliers and in production”. Impressive figures for a brand that is just four years’ old? Certainly as much as its spectacular growth (+75% last year), and yet far less than its avant-garde creations themselves. Indeed, just two days before GMT visited this new temple of creativity, Jérôme De Witt had been officially presented with two prizes in the Watch of the Year ceremony in Dubai: the Innovation Prize for his Tourbillon à Force Constante (presented in GMT just a year ago), as well as the Best Bracelet Design prize for his Alma Haute Joaillerie (featured in GMT Stars & Snow). Considering that the brand has just launched on this market, this distinction certainly augurs well for the future.

Perhaps the most striking thing one notices upon entering the new premises is the contrast between the austerity (despite the surrounding greenery) of the concrete exterior, and an interior that radiates warmth and appealing aesthetics. Antique furniture such as used by watchmaking craftsmen enhance the corridors decked out in soft creamy shades, along with magnificent enlarged photos of traditional years. An impressive collection of old instruments and machine-tools of yesteryear is dotted around the upper floor, giving one a distinct sense of touring a museum. It is indeed on this floor that the two watchmaking workshops are located, along with the R&D department and the administrative offices. A few steps below, a large cafeteria shares the ground floor with the stock and above all with two large rooms accommodating the machine tools, including a brandnew one for spark-erosion and another featuring no less than 93 tools, “the most efficient on the market” points out Pascal Brandt. Meanwhile, the brand founder comments on the move in these terms: “I see the fact of achieving vertical integration of the entire watchmaking process as a form of freedom. You are able to control your choices on a day-to-day basis and there is nothing to stop you changing direction if circumstances so require”. In his own office, he has kept the plexiglass presentation table he had personally designed for his first Baselworld. “This year you are going to be amazed”. More on that in subsequent editions of GMT…