My name is Amandine and I’m now 13 years old. I’ve been passionate about watchmaking since the age of 7, and when people ask me what I want to do for a living, I answer “watchmaker-designer at Bulgari.” In the meantime, I interview industry personalities…

By Amandine, the youngest Swiss Watch Passport columnist
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I only knew the boutique in Geneva. I’d never ventured inside. For me, Roger Dubuis was all about distinctive watches, and after the magic of the Van Cleef & Arpels stand during my visit to the Watches & Wonders show 2023 in Geneva, I have to admit that I fell in love with their stand. So cool, it pulsates!!!

Amandine: Roger Dubuis was all about distinctive watches and during my Watches & Wonders Fair 2023 tour, I have to admit that I fell in love with their stand

“So you wanted to know a little more about what’s been going on in our heads to create a stand like this, and what we do on a day-to-day basis at Roger Dubuis?” says Sadry Keiser, head of marketing. Here we go, interview.

Who are you at the office?

My name is Sadry. I’m the marketing manager for Roger Dubuis. As you may know, our international headquarter is in Geneva and then we work all over the world. So I’m in charge of all marketing activities for Roger Dubuis.

And in real life?

I’m also Sadry. I have two children aged ten and twelve who are also interested in what I do, a little by proxy and probably also because I force them a little.

You force them? You’re scaring me.

Of course not. I try to share what I like and I think they’re a bit curious. It’s part of our nature. Curiosity is a really cool thing. Sometimes a flaw, but certainly a great quality.

How did you get into watchmaking?

I was living in Canada at the time. I’d studied business in Switzerland and, when you do that, you generally have four professional directions. The first would be chocolate, FMGC or anything consumer. The second and third would be banking and pharmaceuticals… Obviously, watchmaking is the fourth. One day, my phone rings and a stranger tells me he got my number from someone and would be interested in meeting me. It took a while, since I was living in Montreal. On a return trip to celebrate Christmas with my family, we took the opportunity to meet. He worked at TAG Heuer. I was seduced. I started at TAG Heuer in May. Since then, I’ve never left watchmaking.

What do you remember about your first watch?

Actually, it wasn’t a wristwatch, but a table clock. Audemars Piguet used to make table clocks with a Royal Oak design. I’d found it in a small flea market and I’m not sure the person selling it really knew what she was talking about. I was able to buy it for very little and I still have it today. That’s how I got interested in watchmaking in general and started collecting watches.

And which watch has the most sentimental value for you today?

It’s still the same one.

Do you make watches for young people?

What is a watch for young people? Are there watches for old people?

By that I mean a young man or woman between fifteen and twenty who has saved up a lot of money and wants to buy a nice watch.

Watchmaking is a bit like a process of discovery. You start with your first watch, probably given to you by your parents or a relative. Then you develop your own taste, and if you’re curious and really want to discover the world of watchmaking, you’ll certainly go faster than the others. Then, when you’re fifteen, sixteen or even twenty, you’ll be looking for something very special, something you’ve never seen your friends wear, but which, at the same time, will be a fine example of “haute horlogerie”. And when you do so, you’ll probably find something interesting with us. Because we like to do things differently. But it all depends on your level of curiosity and your discoveries.

What would you say to a young person under the age of fifteen to get him or her interested in mechanical watchmaking rather than an Apple Watch?

I think the two are complementary. I’d tell him to take a good look at his Apple Watch and then look for information about fine watchmaking, because it’s a world full of passion and super-interesting people. All that energy gives birth to some really unexpected things. Secondly, the mechanical watch is something that never stops. You can get it when you’re ten, fifteen or twenty years old… And then ten, twenty or thirty years later, it’s still there. Thirty years later, it’s still with you.

Personally, I challenge any Smart Watch to meet this achievement.

There’s a lot of talk about “sustainability”. What does that mean to you?

I link the notion of sustainability to that of know-how. We often talk about the durability of objects. Sometimes about programmed obsolescence, even though this concept doesn’t exist here… What touches me even more are all the skills and knowledge developed by this industry and the people who make it up, which need to be enriched and passed on. So, for me, it’s this knowledge that’s sustainable and must be preserved over time.

What assets does your brand have to appeal to young people like me?

I think you’ve already experienced that little extra something! You see, you’re here today because we’ve caught your attention to the point where you’re wondering what on earth we’re doing here. The sound, the stand, the movement, the dog… All of a sudden, you were interested. Maybe even a little curiosity and the desire that comes with it. Whether you’re five, ten or fifty, it’s always the same thing. The first step is to be seen. And then you have to be understood… Now you’ve seen us, and that’s not bad. I’m satisfied. So if you’re also interested in us and understand us, then I’ll be really happy.

Do you prefer TikTok, Instagram or LinkedIn?

All three!

What advice would you give me to keep living my passion and work in watchmaking?

Keep doing what you’re doing. Stay curious.

Would you have a message to pass on, something to add?

Not really, no. I’m delighted to have met you and interacted with your own community. It’s super important that all generations are interested in our industry, and passionate people like you are a gateway to reach generations that are potentially less interested in what we do, or not yet interested… So thank you.

How about a selfie for my album?

Reverse Interview

Sandry Keiser: Now it’s my turn to ask you a few questions: I have to admit that you pique my curiosity a little. Why did you fall into this industry so young?

Amandine: Well, my father used to work with watchmakers, so I got involved very quickly. I have photos of myself at two years old with a Jaeger-LeCoultre shoping bag in the crook of my elbow. When I was five or six, I sometimes designed watches for Dad. And I was seven when he asked me to go with him to a watch cocktail party one evening. Fortunately, I said yes, because that evening I fell in love with watches and Bulgari.

Now I understand. It’s partly your dad’s fault, but also your own curiosity. Who are you today at home? And at school? Do you talk about this passion with your friends?

At home, to tell the truth, I’m a bit of a nagging pre-teenager who stays in her room, rushes off to the kitchen to make something to eat or looks for any excuse to go out with girlfriends… Otherwise I love writing and am often a bit in my own world. At school, I’m with my “best friends” group and we’re always laughing. I’m really that girl who likes to laugh about everything. But I’m also a pretty serious student and I concentrate on my studies because that’s really important for the future.

When you walked through the Watches & Wonders door this year, what was your first feeling?

I cried. I was so happy that it brought a tear to my eye. In fact, I saw all these stands with incredible decorations and I was so moved that I had tears in my eyes.

So, what do you remember about this first visit? If you had to pick just one watch or one house, which would be your favorite this year?

I don’t know… I’ve seen a lot of beautiful things, and I still have many to see. But one thing that really pleases me, and I’m not just saying this because I’m here, is that I didn’t really know Roger Dubuis, but the stand attracted me. It’s probably the only one where it was me who went in without being taken. And I did very well!

Glad to hear it. And if you were to buy a watch tomorrow, with no budget limit…?

A full-set Serpenti Tubogas. It’s my very first love, and it’s even on my shoes.

At least you know what you want. Very nice!