introducing Genesis, a successful endeavour in watchmaking

A couple of years ago, watchmaker Christine Genesis launched her own watch brand. Trained in the German metalsmithing city of Pforzheim, Genesis spent three years working on watch repair before moving to an important after-sales workshop, where she got to play with all kinds of high-end mechanical watches for seven further years.

During their training, watchmakers learn to build a watch from scratch, from the smallest cogwheel to the full metal case. This enables them to rebuild any component needed for repair, but it also conditions the way they draw watches. Tipically, a watchmaker-turned-designer often gives priority to crafsmanship. The customer wants to buy something exclusive, so the watchmaker usually tries to reflect that in the amount of detailing involved: the result often showcases the various crafts and operations involved: beveling, blueing, casting, enameling, graining, lathing, and so on.

In the case of Christine Genesis, the watchmaker seems to have put the exclusivity in the design and quantities (every collection does not go beyond 50 items). She seem to have started with the graphical design first,which could explain why her dials are uncluttered and extremely easy to read. Genesis watches are  exclusive yet understated.

In terms of movements, the watchmaker didn’t try to reinvent the wheel. She relies on ETA movements (which allowed to keep her prices well below 3000 EUR), and she complemented them with custom complication modules from suppliers like Dubois Dépraz or Soprod. On some collection, like the Genesis Lemania, the watchmaker got hold of two dozen pieces of one of the World’s nicest slim movements: the Lemania 8810 with double barrell and automatic winding.

To add fun to the experience, Christine Genesis also organises seminars where watch enthusiasts spend 2 days learning basic watchmaking skills and testing on awatch that they will bring home.