My Dive into Simon Brette Watches
Alright, so I kept hearing this name pop up here and there – Simon Brette. Wasn’t familiar at first, you know how it is, lots of names floating around in the watch world. But it stuck in my head. So, I decided, let’s see what this is all about. Fired up the computer, started doing some digging.
First thing I did was just search for images. Gotta see what they look like, right? And wow. Okay, these aren’t your run-of-the-mill watches. The designs, they really stood out. Especially that Chronomètre Artisans model I saw pictures of. The finishing looked pretty incredible, even just in photos. You could tell someone spent a lot of time on the details.
Getting into the Nitty-Gritty
So, pictures are one thing, but I wanted to understand more. Who is this guy? What’s his story? Found out he’s got a background working with some pretty respected names before going independent. That usually means they know their stuff, learned the ropes the hard way. It’s not just some fly-by-night operation.
I spent a good afternoon just reading articles, forum posts, anything I could find. It seems like the focus is really on traditional techniques, hand-finishing, that kind of thing. Stuff you don’t see everywhere anymore, not at this level. They talk about things like:
- Hand-chamfering
- Black polishing
- Unique movement architecture
It’s clear this isn’t about mass production. It’s the opposite. Small numbers, loads of attention to each piece. That explains why you don’t see them on every street corner.
The Reality Check
Then comes the practical side. Okay, these look amazing, the craftsmanship seems top-notch… but what’s the deal with getting one? Well, that’s where it gets tricky. These are definitely not impulse buys. The price tags are substantial, as you’d expect for this kind of work. And it’s not like you can just walk into a store and pick one up. Limited production means waiting lists, connections, the whole nine yards. It’s a different league of watch collecting.
So, did I go out and buy one? Ha, no. Not exactly in my budget right now, and honestly, the chase isn’t really my style these days. But the process of learning about Simon Brette and his work was fascinating. It’s cool to see people still pushing boundaries in traditional watchmaking, focusing purely on the craft.
It kind of reminds me of discovering some small, independent workshop years ago – that excitement of finding something truly special, made with passion. Even if I’m just admiring from afar for now, the exploration itself was worth it. Definitely a name I’ll be keeping an eye on.
