His life’s work has strengthened the roots of a universal Swiss made: from 1995, this designer turned entrepreneur added to the flagships of Swiss made, and to world markets, the revival of the Graham, Arnold & Son and Thomas Tompion brands, then, on his own, Ellicott.
Joël A. Grandjean, editor-in-chief and publisher, JSH® Magazine & Swiss Watch Passport
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After designing for a few prestigious names such as Patek Philippe, Piaget or Corum, Pierre-André Finazzi brought the British Masters to Switzerland, to La Chaux-de-Fonds
The feat is considerable! In all, four ‘huuuge‘ watchmaking names, as much heritage as British, were established in Swiss watchmaking territories! In the age of influencers, it is fitting to pay tribute to those who, through their impact, have marked the watch industry with a “before” and an “after.” And what this creator, passionate about aesthetics and history, managed to achieve, after his early years as a jeweller-goldsmith graduated from the École d’Art de La Chaux-de-Fonds, then as a player irradiated by the incredible stature of Pierre-Alain Blum at Ebel, is unprecedented!
It is not certain that in 2026, proof that Swiss made has for two decades been going through an unprecedented phase of erosion, such great and prestigious English names would burden themselves with Chaux-de-Fonds “Swissness” to relaunch themselves and be pulled out of their glorious pasts. Times have changed; it is highly likely that today they would remain on British soil.
The visionary nature of this saga deserves all the more emphasis given that Pierre-André Finazzi has not said his last word when it comes to impact on Swiss watchmaking excellence…
By then, he will have designed models totalling more than half a million watches sold, from the early days of Montblanc with the Sport Meisterstück collection to Aerowatch with pieces still in the catalogue.
