CÉDRIC JOHNER

In his workshop in Geneva, Cédric Johner immerses himself in his traditional practice daily. Every piece that passes through his hands comes out to be carefully designed, crafted, sculpted and decorated. He is the guardian of an age-old craft that few still engage in with such passion. He now shares his journey with the world through his creations.

In his own words, Cédric Johner practices "intuitive watchmaking". In other words, he makes his watches without plans. He starts by making a first component, then the next, and so on, until a finished, decorated watch emerges. He loves vintage mechanisms and often starts with existing movements - he selects them for the balance of their architecture, for their condition. Then he dismantles them, restores them, decorates them, and reassembles them. He then moves on to the trim, which he makes in his workshop by hand, beginning with raw or barely shaped metal, manufactured on conventional machines. With no plans and no computer assistance, he creates on-demand watches one at a time, just a few units a year.

Cédric’s story

He works alone. And with just his two hands, he can do anything. How does he do it? That's the story of Cédric Johner. A craftsman in a class of his own, he has lived through all the changes in the industry and practiced every trade. His career began with an apprenticeship as a jeweller with Chopard, before he went on to train as a watchmaker. Nontheless, it was practice that taught him everything. He took advantage of every opportunity and every encounter to learn.

He became self-employed immediately after completing his apprenticeship. Putting himself at the service of customers, he made bespoke pieces jewellery, bracelets, cases, complete watches. One day in the 1990s, he took the plunge and made his first watch, for himself. He designed a unique case with a distinct hexagonal dial opening, which he named Abyss. On this basis, he indulged in all manner of variations, from three hands to grand complications. He developed his own decorations using traditional machines, such as his tapestry of beads made with a perloir, a pure jeweller's tool.

There was only one thing he had yet to do: to create a less exclusive piece, one not just reserved for collectors but still retaining all the signatures of his art without any concessions.

He is now taking individual orders, creating unique piece upon requests.