Collectors Speak: Six Next-Generation Independent Brands Poised for Greatness

After my article “Beyond the Holy Trinity: The Five Pillars of Independent Watchmaking” went live, Watchonista’s executive editor, Mike Espindle, immediately asked me to write a follow-up piece answering the question: Which next-generation independent brands might one day rise to a similar level?

The question is especially close to my heart because it is one that some of my collector friends and I have discussed and debated many times.

Looking at the remarkable careers of the watchmakers I profiled in my Five Pillars piece – Philippe Dufour, François-Paul Journe, Kari Voutilainen, Roger W. Smith, and Rexhep Rexhepi – a number of common traits begin to emerge. These factors can, in turn, serve as leading indicators when we, as collectors, evaluate younger independent brands and consider their long-term potential.

We will first look at these indicators, which my collector friends and I used to compile our list of six young brands we think are on the cusp of greatness. Then, we will take a closer look at each brand, including its story, achievements, and what I believe makes it special.

And please don’t be upset if your favorite brand is missing. This is simply my admittedly unscientific opinion, and I could certainly be wrong. That is part of the fun.

Looking back at the rise of the Five Pillars, several recurring themes stand out, with the first being a strong foundation in watchmaking, whether through formal education, training at important maisons and workshops, or mentorship under respected masters.

Another is the creation of distinctive and technically accomplished watches, followed by recognition and validation from industry peers and experts through institutions such as the GPHG.

However, the final theme that stood out to me was that great watches alone are not enough to build an enduring independent brand. Collector enthusiasm and loyalty, auction results, relationships with leading independent watch retailers, and the ability to build a sustainable business – in other words, brand building – all matter as well.
 

We can summarize these leading indicators as follows:

1. Foundation 

- Watchmaking education and technical foundation
- Experience at important maisons, workshops, or with respected mentors

2. Recognition and Validation

- GPHG recognition as either a finalist or a winner
- Collector enthusiasm, loyalty, and auction performance
- Relationships with leading independent watch retailers

3. Brand Building and Trajectory

- Growing a coherent body of work (e.g., having a distinct design style and/or not chasing trends)
- Business acumen, communication, and brand building

Of course, no single factor guarantees future greatness, and it would be unrealistic to expect any young brand to check every box. Instead, these indicators offer useful signals when several begin to appear together.

So, who made the cut? Here are the six next-generation independent brands that, in my view, are showing many of those signals. In alphabetical order, they are Auffret Paris, Berneron, Krayon, Petermann Bédat, Simon Brette, and Sylvain Pinaud.

The goal here was not simply to identify the most exciting emerging names. Some very promising brands are simply too early in their journeys to judge this way (a perfect example of a brand that just missed the cut for this list is Kallinich Claeys, which was founded by former A. Lange & Söhne watchmaker and AHCI candidate Johannes Kallinich). Perhaps that is a list for another day.

The selection of the final six was also influenced by conversations with my fellow collectors and even a few watchmakers. What follows is a closer look at each brand, the path it has taken so far, and why I believe it deserves a place on this list.

Théo Auffret studied at Lycée Edgar Faure, widely regarded as one of the world’s top watchmaking schools, and during that time was mentored for two years by French master watchmaker Jean-Baptiste Viot. The prototype of his signature Tourbillon à Paris won the 2018 F.P.Journe Young Talent Competition.

Auffret established his Paris workshop in 2019. The Tourbillon à Paris is not a skeletonized watch, but rather one without a dial, showcasing both sides of the movement. It later became a finalist in the Chronometry category at the 2020 GPHG.
 

Auffret’s work is known for classical movement architecture, openworked aesthetics, and distinctive charbonnage finishing. French master watchmaker Pascal Coyon once told me that Auffret was one to watch.

More recently, a prototype of the 36mm, three-hand Giverny sold for CHF 571,500 at auction in May 2026, providing evidence of how far collector recognition of Auffret’s work has come.

Sylvain Berneron received a master’s degree from Strate, one of France’s leading design schools. After 15 years of designing watches and cars, he founded Berneron in January 2022 to pursue his own vision of modern high-end watchmaking. His slogan is “Art to Wear.”

Berneron’s first creation, the Mirage, pairs an asymmetric case with a newly developed movement of the same shape, and to say that it has been a smash hit for the young brand would be a gross understatement. Unveiled in October 2023, the watch went on to win the Audacity Prize at the 2024 GPHG. More recently, the brand announced the Mirage Miroir, featuring an inverted movement.
 

However, Berneron is no one-trick pony. Just two years after the first Mirage, Berneron unveiled the Quantième Annuel, an annual calendar distinguished by its technical sophistication, ease of use, and symmetrical design. What impresses me most is how quickly Berneron has shown that the Mirage was only the beginning. The Quantième Annuel is entirely different, yet even more ambitious.

Krayon was founded by husband-and-wife duo Rémi Maillat and Fei Hou, both engineers by training. Before founding Krayon, Maillat spent six years at Cartier working on movement construction.

Krayon’s creations include the Everywhere, with 595 components, and the Anywhere, both of which indicate sunrise and sunset, as well as the Anyday, which displays a monthly calendar on the dial. These are intriguing and technically complex complications, each approached in an original way. The Everywhere won the 2018 GPHG Innovation Prize, while the Anywhere received the 2022 GPHG Calendar and Astronomy Prize.
 

Furthermore, Krayon’s Métiers d’Art collection, featuring highly artistic dials, has become especially sought-after among collectors. And then there is PAC-MAN, a reminder that even two technically minded founders know how to have some fun.

I admire Krayon’s ability to excel in both highly complicated watchmaking and artistic creation. Strong auction results have further reinforced the brand’s growing stature under two highly talented founders.

Gaël Petermann and Florian Bédat first met as watchmaking students in Geneva before both joining A. Lange & Söhne in Glashütte, Germany. In early 2017, they founded Petermann Bédat in Renens, Switzerland.

From the outside, the talented duo’s rise may look remarkably smooth. Their first watch, Reference 1967, won the 2020 GPHG Horological Revelation Prize, while their second, Reference 2941, took the Chronograph Watch Prize at the 2023 GPHG. Behind those successes, however, were long hours of work and countless iterations before the two watchmakers were satisfied with the results.

Petermann Bédat timepieces are known for their technical sophistication, high-level hand finishing, and distinctive aesthetics, including partial openwork and prominently displayed jewels.
 

Production remains extremely limited despite strong demand, and collectors appear reluctant to part with their watches. In fact, to date, only one Petermann Bédat appears to have been offered at auction. The watch, sold in November 2024, fetched roughly three times its retail price.

The founders have also been selective about distribution, choosing to work with leading independent watch retailers A Collected Man and The Hour Glass, following a path also taken by Rexhep Rexhepi.

Simon Brette, who was named one of Watchonista’s 30 Under 30(ish) in 2024, trained as a movement constructor and engineer at Haute École Arc Ingénierie in Le Locle, Switzerland, before spending a decade at Chronode, MCT, and MB&F. In March 2022, he founded his own company.

For his first watch, Brette began sketching what he hoped would be a timepiece free of constraints. To bring that vision to life, he turned to some of the best artisans he knew across machining, finishing, decoration, engraving, and prototyping. The result was aptly named the Chronomètre Artisans.
 

The watch was an instant hit with collectors, thanks to its dazzling hand-decorated dial and impeccable movement finishing. Industry peers and experts agreed, awarding it the 2023 GPHG Horological Revelation Prize.

Brette and his growing team are now working on new watch models, including high complications. What impresses me is how quickly he won over serious collectors with the Chronomètre Artisans. After a debut like that, followed by several stunning variations, it is hard not to wonder what Brette will do next

Sylvain Pinaud graduated from Lycée Edgar Faure, a school that has produced some of today’s leading watchmakers. After more than 15 years at Franck Muller, Mouret SARL, and Carl F. Bucherer, he was ready to strike out on his own and explore his own ideas.

After becoming independent in 2018, Pinaud created a chronograph for the prestigious Meilleur Ouvrier de France competition and won. His second creation, Origine, went on to win the 2022 GPHG Horological Revelation Prize.
 

Earlier this year, Pinaud unveiled a 30-second tourbillon in three limited editions of 10 pieces each. I was fortunate to have a chance to examine all three prototypes in person. The 30-second tourbillon rotates faster than a conventional 60-second tourbillon and seems to almost float in the air when viewed from either side.

A separate seconds hand features an impressive zero-reset function, allowing the dynamic tourbillon to remain visually uncluttered. It is a watch built for chronometric performance and finished to the nines.

Pinaud is also a member of the prestigious AHCI and works with A Collected Man, The Hour Glass, and other leading distributors.

The Five Pillars stand out not only as master watchmakers, but as artists in their own right. They respect the traditions of watchmaking while continuing to explore new ideas and push the boundaries of the craft.

That balance is difficult to achieve, but the six brands featured here are already showing signs of mastering it. I look forward to seeing what they will create next.