There is some serious money behind the clients of Artisans de Genève, the small independent workshop that’s located less than two miles from Rolex's world headquarters. Artisans doesn't sell watches, but customization services that can top tens of thousands of dollars alone.
As the watch market has become more luxurious than ever, the 20-year-old atelier has customized watches for clients in the movie business, professional sports, Formula 1 and the music industry. Earlier this week, Artisans revealed its latest project for André Agassi.
While Rolex caters to top clients through off-catalogue pieces, that level of exclusivity is not enough for the select few, who seek bespoke services similar to those offered by Rolls-Royce, Aston Martin, Bentley, but also Vacheron Constantin and Audemars Piguet.
Rolex built its reputation on controlling every aspect of production, yet today it has little influence over the bespoke industry, which courts have allowed to operate legally. If Rolex acquired Artisans, a workshop employing fewer than 50 people, it could shape the design narrative, hewing closer to the brand’s identity while also benefiting from working with high-profile clients.
A bespoke division certified by Rolex would command higher premiums than those charged by Artisans while serving as a testbed for new ideas. John McEnroe commissioned Artisans to create a left-handed Rolex years before the GMT-Master II “Sprite” was released. In the project unveiled Tuesday, Artisans re-engineered Agassi’s Daytona with a titanium case weighing under 80 grams, designed “to be played in and forgotten on the wrist.”
(Photo credit: Artisans de Genève)