Jean-Frédéric Dufour was named Man of the Year in January by a panel of specialised European watch journalists. The youthful CEO is thus rewarded for the new course he has been charting for Zenith since he has taken the helm.

 

Philippe Belais, the former boss of Van Cleef & Arpels and Bertolucci, intends to pursue the development of Claude Meylan timepieces, mainly sold in Switzerland, by remaining true to the “sculptor of time” brand territory and updating it to modern tastes. He intends to bring the century-old Vaudaux company out of the red and to preserve its unique specialised gainerie expertise in Geneva, while creating a Thailand-based joint venture to offer affordable customised packaging.

 

Bruno Jufer (who has previously worked with Carl F. Bucherer, Jaquet Droz, Maurice Lacroix and Zenith) is back on the scene as the CEO of a new watch brand named Antoine Martin and founded by the entrepreneur Antoine Meier and watchmaker Martin Braun. Unveiled at Baselworld 2011, this youthful offshoot from the Manufacture Horlogère Obwalden is seeking to establish itself in the technically-oriented luxury segment.

 

Dick Steenman and his Art & D company are world leaders in the field of extraordinary engravings sculpted in metal and in mother-of-pearl and wood, as is testified by certain one-of-a-kind models created for major brands at the SIHH. He has recently extended his range of services to include turnkey concepts or the possibility of creating a watch exterior from A to Z based on a simple sketch or a sophisticated 3D model.