Story Highlight
– Ateliers Associés incubator launched for emerging watchmakers.
– Mickaël Gaspar to debut first watch model in Singapore.
– Incubator offers finance and expertise for startups.
– Focus on building lasting partnerships with watchmakers.
– Aims to streamline operations, reducing administrative burdens.
Full Story
A new incubator has officially launched, spearheaded by William Massena, founder of Massena LAB, and Louis Westphalen-Lemaitre, a former executive at La Fabrique du Temps. This initiative, known as Ateliers Associés, aims to assist four emerging watchmakers annually in mastering production processes and paving their way to commercial success.
The incubator’s first beneficiary is 29-year-old French watchmaker Mickaël Gaspar, who is gearing up to present his inaugural model, Souscription N° 1, next week at IAMWATCH in Singapore.
Gaspar has navigated the myriad challenges typical for a budding workshop. “I never had the time for everything around my watches: the brand, the images, the press, the collectors, the deliveries,” he shared. Until recently, he believed he would have to manage these aspects alone and at a slow pace, as they do not align with his primary trade.
Ateliers Associés is set to provide financial backing and expertise, drawing on the experience of Westphalen-Lemaitre, who has worked on high-profile projects for Louis Vuitton’s La Fabrique du Temps, including the relaunch of Gérald Genta and Daniel Roth for LVMH. Massena brings a wealth of knowledge from his collaborations with independent watchmakers such as Luca Soprana and Habring².
Participants in Ateliers Associés will receive funding to create an initial prototype, in exchange for a minority share in their enterprises. The goal is to establish enduring collaborations that could lead to the emergence of significant names in watchmaking, akin to F.P. Journe or Rexhep Rexhepi.
In addition to financial support, the incubator will connect these fledgling makers with essential networks of suppliers and fellow artisans.
“The industry has become very good at finding talent and very good at celebrating it,” stated Massena. “What comes after the celebration is longer and less visible. We have spent our careers in that part. We know what a watchmaker can do when reliable people with the other skills stand beside them for years rather than months.”
Gaspar, who operates from Les Brenets in the Neuchâtel region, has a background that includes training at the Morteau watchmaking school and experience at notable firms like Breitling and Sellita. He has been responsible for developing complex movements for various brands.
While details about his first timepiece are limited, it has been previewed as a retrograde date watch, featuring the movement displayed on the dial side. The watch’s development began a decade ago during his time at watchmaking school and will soon make its debut as a limited collection of 20 pieces available for pre-order.
Ateliers Associés aspires to assemble a team equipped with every skill necessary for pre-production watchmakers, covering areas like technical development, quality control, sourcing, branding, and customer relations. This focus is intended to ensure that the talents of the watchmakers are fully utilized at the bench rather than being absorbed by administrative duties.
Currently funded by the founders and a select group of private investors passionate about watchmaking, the incubator plans to attract additional investors next year to establish a fund that would support prototype development and the launch of first commercial products.
Reflecting on his previous experiences, Westphalen-Lemaitre remarked, “These past years I have had the privilege of working alongside Max Büsser, Sylvain Berneron, Michel Navas, Enrico Barbasini, and Kari Voutilainen. What stays with me is what they built and the cost of those early years, which were almost entirely not about watchmaking. That is where Ateliers Associés comes from. Each of us has a talent. Mickaël’s is the watch. Ours is everything around it.”
