Andreas Strehler, “Independent Watchmaker For The Few”

Take into account the present scenario, with sluggish gross sales and a market that’s being remodelled by the day with just a few main gamers on one facet and a swarm of small independent brands on the opposite. The development has elevated lately, and lots of fans/collectors are turning an increasing number of in direction of the latter as independent watchmaking is on the rise. We’re taking the heartbeat of this section of the {industry} with a long-time established watchmaker, Andreas Strehler. Greater than a model, a frame of mind and a philosophy of life that drive the founder, as he explains right here.

Pascal Brandt, MONOCHROME – You’ve stated that “watchmaking is my life”. Are you able to inform us why?

Andreas Strehler – I grew up in a household the place watches have been in every single place; my father collected pocket watches for many years. After my first dream job as an inventor, I selected to change into a watchmaker. After I looked for an apprenticeship, many individuals informed me that there was no future in watchmaking (as a result of quartz disaster).

However I used to be sure that for a great watchmaker, there would at all times be watches to restore. After the apprenticeship, I began making high-end watches at Renaud et Papi. A couple of years later, I made a decision to start out my very own enterprise. At the moment, I’m an inventor anyway.

“Watchmaker for the Few”: What do you imply by this slogan?

Apart from being the “Engineer for the manufacturers”, I’ve produced custom-made watches because the starting. Only some per yr for just a few collectors.

You’re completely impartial: inform us extra about your collections. Restricted manufacturing collection, distinctive?

The collections are restricted on account of my restricted manufacturing capability. All Andreas Strehler watches are made to order and custom-built for the consumer. Some are distinctive items. We don’t carry watches in inventory on the workshop, and each timepiece is made to order for every consumer. It may be personalised so long as it stays throughout the ethos of my work. So, we take the orders chronologically and craft every watch individually. In the end, no consumer has a regular watch however a singular timepiece made for her/him.

Andreas Strehler’s timepieces are icons of contemporary considering. What does that imply?

I don’t copy-paste the previous stuff. I search my very own strategy to operate and form. I additionally regulate the normal high quality of high-end watchmaking. Along with my impartial strategy, a lot of them have change into emblematic. I strive to consider new options to unravel technical issues or strategy problems in several, unprecedented methods. For instance, I’ve my very own model of a Remontoir. I imagine you will need to maintain the standard actually excessive but in addition to make use of trendy options. In fact, it’s great to craft an entire watch from scratch with out CNC machines, however even Abraham-Louis Breguet was working with the newest trendy options of his time and sticking to pure handmade watchmaking can have sure disadvantages… and these might be solved by utilizing trendy options.

How do you strategy a brand new creation and/or motion?

Usually, I begin with the operate of the watch and its answer within the motion. I don’t settle for customisations that don’t observe my normal aesthetic strategy. I at all times attempt to uphold my very own type. A brand new creation/motion normally begins from an thought I’ve or one thing a consumer or pal needs to have in a watch. I then take into consideration the way in which to do it and construct it. First comes the operate, then the aesthetic (normally).

You produce beneath your personal model (identify). However do you produce bespoke watches?

Andreas Strehler watches are solely made to order. There aren’t any customary watches in inventory. The shopper can choose watches from my assortment; he can ask for a customisation, or he can settle for it the way in which I initially designed it. For the reason that workshop is absolutely outfitted – with loads of machines and, fortunately, with individuals able to working them – we’re fairly versatile on customisation. For instance, many of the watches we make are both Platinum or Rose Gold, however we’ve by no means labored with Damascus metal, and another supplies are at present within the pipeline after some collectors requested them.

For the second brand, STREHLER, we don’t supply customisation in the meanwhile. We have just one mannequin, the Sirna, which is supposed to maintain its titanium blue dial.

Can the consumer request a completely authentic watch/motion, one thing which doesn’t exist in your present lineup (of actions)?

Theoretically, sure. Nevertheless it has to correspond to my design strategy and high quality requirements. And I’ve to seek out the time for it… Which isn’t the best!

What about collaborations with third-party manufacturers?

For third-party manufacturers, we work with our firm, UhrTeil AG. There, we produce watch components for impartial watch manufacturers. We don’t reproduce the identical factor twice for a B2B consumer. Most of them are additionally impartial watch manufacturers, and we wish to see them succeed. It isn’t in our or their curiosity to stay to 1 customary motion that appears the identical for everybody. Every undertaking ends in a unique answer, so every B2B consumer has his personal distinctive product.

Co-branded watches are exceptions, just like the Opus 7 for Harry Winston or the Chapter 3 for Maître du Temps.

With UhrTeil AG, are the developments for you and/or third events?

The opposite method round. I develop for my firm UhrTeil AG.

Apart from watch components for third-party manufacturers, UhrTeil AG produces components for my watches, too. We’re a micro-mechanic manufacture, so the manufacturing course of is extra industrial; we make concepts possible and repeatable. There are actually about 20 individuals within the firm – mechanics, watchmakers, individuals specialised in sprucing, one engraver and even two apprentices, one in watchmaking and one in engraving.

We typically do easy subcontracting and machining components for others primarily based on the drawings we obtain, and typically, we additionally take cost of the event course of after which the manufacturing. My household holds all shares of UhrTeil AG.

What number of watches do you produce a yr (beneath your identify + bespoke)?

I produce 10-15 “Andreas Strehler” watches a yr, not only one mannequin however the complete manufacturing of the model throughout all fashions and collections. We want to make a bit greater than that, however the time wanted for every watch is persistently excessive to keep up this high quality degree.

We’re now at about 50 “Strehler” watches (serial manufacturing with out customising possibility). UhrTeil AG produces many watch components for different manufacturers, which I’ll maintain as an industrial secret.

You will have a “area of interest” strategy like many others right this moment: restricted manufacturing, direct contact with the consumer, and so on. This development is rising throughout the {industry}, to say the least. 

What you name a development has been customary for me since 1998. Others might have adopted it for his or her enterprise. I don’t shorten my manufacturing by restricted collection simply to create attraction. My manufacturing is restricted on account of our manufacturing capability and the need to observe the wants of every buyer.

As a watch collector myself, I additionally assume direct contact with shoppers is fulfilling when you’ve gotten the time to do it. We’re additionally at all times joyful to obtain shoppers or individuals concerned with what we do within the workshop. Ultimately, we’re capable of construct a private relationship with each collector, and the emotional hyperlink with their timepiece additionally will increase. The objective is to make watches that collectors wish to put on and are joyful about.

How do you place your self within the impartial watchmaking panorama? Your signature in comparison with others?

I by no means examine myself to others. There’s a marketplace for every kind of watches. I don’t see different independents as rivals however extra as colleagues and pals. I’m in touch with fairly just a few of them, and we assist one another when doable. And in the long run, everybody has a unique strategy to watchmaking. It’s not like we have been all making the identical watch.

And what about your distribution and favorite channel? Is it retail or social media?

A superb combine. Every channel has its good and dangerous facet. To achieve a broader viewers and present my work, I might use social media, like everybody else, however I like to satisfy individuals in individual, too, which makes it loads simpler to debate and clarify the work we do right here in Sirnach, Switzerland.

How do you understand the watch market right this moment?

I’m not very influenced by the watch market. I really feel extra like an artist who creates to shock the general public.

What’s left to be completed and invented in watchmaking?

Mechanical watches are like music. Gears have been recognized for hundreds of years, just like the musical notes which have been outlined since Bach. We are able to create a brand new mechanism day by day, like new songs that may be composed and sung.

For extra particulars, please go to astrehler.ch and strehler.watch.