The watchmaker Robert Greubel is one half of the brand Greubel Forsey. Despite their relatively short life as a brand, they have already made a mark that will assure them horological respect for many years to come at the highest technical end of the watchmaking market.

1) What were your parent’s professions, describe your childhood.

My father was an independent watchmaker and my mother supported him in his activities.
My younger sister and I had a happy childhood – a loving mother and a supportive father.

2) As a child did you have any driving ambition? What did you want to be?

Not really. Thanks to my parents, I had a carefree childhood and I didn’t worry about what tomorrow may bring. I did, however, want to be a cook and to this day, I seize every opportunity to get behind the stove

3) What is your first memory as a child?

Our first black and white television.

4) Have you ever had another profession?

I started out as a Watchmaker.

5) What made you choose to become a watchmaker, who have you worked for in the past? What made you decide to go it alone?

Looking at my father, working at his bench, performing a meticulous task close to perfection. This awakened in me the desire to become a watchmaker.

I’ve worked for IWC Schaffhausen, as well as for Audemars Piguet (Renaud & Papi) SA in Le Locle.

I have always been driven by an entrepreneurial spirit and I wanted to enjoy the freedom to realize my ideas in a concrete form. Creating authentic timepieces, without compromise, is absolutely not possible otherwise. I have therefore given myself the means to achieve this by becoming independent.

6) What’s the worst job you’ve had to do?

I don’t like taking center stage. I like working behind the scenes. Notoriety has never been a driving force, it is passion that has guided me to this art, and if I do not express myself readily in public, I do it through Greubel Forsey creations.
On the other hand, what gives me the greatest pleasure in my work is sketching the idea of a new timepiece on paper and, ultimately, after months or years of effort, achieving a first functional prototype.

7) What’s been the hardest moment in your life so far, how did you overcome it?

Working independently and therefore without a safety net was certainly the biggest difficulty, especially in the early years. I managed to overcome it, and many others too, by creating projects, experiencing great satisfaction working on innovative achievements and surrounding myself with quality people.

8) Who has had the strongest influence on you? Who are your inspirations.?

One of the greatest entrepreneurs and leaders the watchmaking world has ever known. A genuine visionary, a hard worker with exceptional charisma, the late Günter Blümlein, former director of LMH and IWC. He was, and will forever remain, my mentor.
Apart from him, my inspirations are art, nature and complex mechanisms.
 

9) What are you most proud of?

My daughter Aina (who resembles me very much) since she has just decided to fully dedicate herself to her passion which in her case isn’t watchmaking but equestrianism.

10) What advice would you give to a 20 something someone thinking of taking a similar path as you?

Be certain of your convictions and desires. Once this is acquired, never let yourself be diverted from your goals – stay on course, no matter what.

11) Name three things on your bucket list.   

All three can be expressed in terms of watchmaking: The first is to overcome spatial constraints, the second to find solutions to energy consumption and the third is to continue innovating and inventing with Mechanical Nano.

12) Where do you think the industry is going to be in 10 years?

In my opinion, its three distinct sectors, electronic/connected watchmaking, industrial watchmaking and handmade horology, will be consolidated and carried out with a much greater differentiation than today. The industry will offer products with greater operating autonomy and reliability, requiring less after-sales service. The pressure on pricing will intensify due to a more informed and demanding clientele. Innovation will have a major impact in the next decade, with, for example, Mechanical Nano.
As for myself, in 10 years’ time I intend to be on an island with my wife and my little notebook, in the company of our dogs.

You can learn more about Greubel Forsey at www.greubelforsey.com