Filled with 200 years of rich heritage, Bovet 1822 represents the pinnacle of watchmaking, yet it is a brand that very few know. In 2020, Bovet welcomed Miss Audrey Raffy and her passion for Haute Horology, as she joined forces with her father Pascal Raffy to continue leading the pathway of Engineering Brilliance as vice president and the newest general counsel of Bovet. 

Bovet has a tradition of employing women artisans, which is rare for traditional watchmaking companies in Europe. But the House of Bovet was never one of the many, it was always the ONE.

Audrey, the oldest of the three children of Pascal Raffy, graduated from Northwestern’s Pritzker School of Law and she is leading the company’s North American office.

Pascal Raffy, once you said that you hope at least one of your children will follow you in the family business. How do you see Audrey as the newest general counsel of Bovet?

“I am so proud of my daughter, who has grown into a brilliant, beautiful woman, and it is very gratifying to me that she is interested in timepieces and the House of Bovet. To have someone I trust so much in such an important position is a real boon to both me and the House,” – says Pascal Raffy.

The addition of Audrey to the House of Bovet is another reiteration of the House’s principal value: Family.

Audrey, from where does your passion for watches come from? Is it related to your father?

“My passion for watches definitely comes from my father. You know, since my father took over Bovet, which was a little bit over twenty years ago now, I have been a true witness of what it means to be passionate about something. 

My father lives, breathes, and dreams Bovet ever since I can remember. It has been impossible for me not to grow passionate for the brand because his passion is truly infectious and I think most people who have met my father will tell you the same,” – says Audrey.

What does Bovet mean to you?

“Everything. You know, when you grow up watching your father put all his living energy and passion into something it is very hard not to feel the same way.”

Did you ever imagine as a child that you will be a watch connoisseur when you grow up?  

“As a child and even a teenager, watches always seemed so complicated to me and to tell you the truth, between school and the fact that my father had to work excessively long hours, I never had a lot of time to truly sit down and interact with the makings of Bovet or my father’s work. I think that just like anything else in life that you are not familiar with, watches can be a little intimidating at first. 

And, as you might know, the timepieces we make, which are very limited, are for the most part, “des Grandes Complications.” This is because, my father being the creative mind and designer of our collections, takes his true pleasure in combining unparalleled mechanics and engineering with the decorative arts, such as engraving and miniature painting. 

Anyhow, I still don’t consider myself a watch connoisseur whatsoever. I have been working alongside my father for almost two years now and of course, I know more than I did when I started, but I still have a very long way to go before I can dare name myself a “watch connoisseur.””

Do your siblings also work in the watch industry?

“My siblings are actually significantly younger than I am – Alexandra, my sister, is twenty-one and Amadeo, my brother, is eighteen years old – so no, they are not physically actively working in the watch industry yet, as they are still pursuing their academic formation. 

However, I find this question quite interesting because, in some way, you could say they are present in spirit thanks to what I like to call my father’s eternal romanticism. Ever since my father took over Bovet, he made it his mission to pay homage to his family by naming something after each one of his children, and so he did. 

My younger brother Amadeo for instance has our incredible and twice patented Amadeo System named after him. This is a technical feature proprietary only to Bovet, which allows some of our timepieces to be worn in at least three different ways. For the ladies, as a wristwatch, a table clock, and a necklace. For the men, as a wristwatch, a table clock, and a pocket watch. In addition, some of our latest models can be worn on both sides of the dial, meaning I can switch the strap to wear my timepiece either on its face side dial or on the reverse, truly transforming a single timepiece into four! 

Then, Alexandra, my sister, has the beautiful Miss Alexandra collection named after her. This collection is part of our Dimier line, which was created by my father to showcase a slightly more modern feeling with the crown at 3 o’clock. This collection, although slightly more modern because of the positioning of the crown, still conserves the identity of the Bovet house with some features unique only to us. The shape of the case, for instance, is trademarked by us. If you look closely at the timepiece from the side, you will see that the case is slanted. 

This feature was developed a few years ago as my father was suddenly inspired remembering the way the desk at which he did his homework with his grandfather looked, back when he was a child. Funny enough, even though the story behind it is already incredibly interesting, the shape of the case also has very functional aspects to it. First and foremost, it brings time to you so to speak. Meaning that when the timepiece sits on your wrist, the movement you need to make to actually see the face of the timepiece and read the time is minimal to none because of the inclination. 

Moreover, I also found that the shape makes it so that smaller wrists don’t look awkward when wearing larger diameter timepieces. I, for instance, love to wear more complicated timepieces and so automatically these are usually larger. Well, the writing slope desk case makes it so that I can wear a Récital 26 Chapter Two for example, which sits at a diameter of 46.8mm, without it looking strangely big on my wrist. 

Lastly, I, Audrey, have the Miss Audrey collection named after me. One of my favourite features of our Miss Audreys, is that these timepieces have the Amadeo system, meaning that they can all be worn as a wristwatch, a table clock, and a necklace. I really adore wearing this timepiece as a necklace because it is so unique that it just elevates any outfit. In addition, one of our most recent novelties, has been the Miss Audrey Sweet Art. This timepiece has the same functions as our other Miss Audreys but for the first time ever in the watchmaking industry, the dial of the timepiece is entirely made out of sugar! This has never been done before in the watch industry and it took us a few years to develop the right treatment to actually make this possible. Each sugar crystal is placed one by one, by hand by one of our Artisans in Switzerland.”

How would you distinguish Bovet from other high-end watch brands?

“I think I would make this interview an incredibly long one if I had to list all the things that make us unique,” – giggles Audrey, – “but if I had to name a few, those would be: 

• A 200 Years Young Horlogerie House
• True Facilities – Namely a Manufacture and a Castle with over 50 Watchmakers and Artisans
• Independent Family House
• Very limited, hand-crafted timepieces
• 20 Patents – Including our unmatched Amadeo System and our never-done-before Sugar Dial.”

The House of Bovet introduced a groundbreaking watch, called Miss Audrey Sweet Art in 2020, covering its dial with pure sugar. The invention and beautiful aesthetic immediately won the watchmaking Oscars for Bovet.

We asked Pascal Raffy if his daughter, Audrey influenced these creations?

“I take my inspiration from many things, including the natural surroundings of the Bovet castle in Switzerland, but one of my prime sources of creativity is my family. Audrey is the inspiration for the Miss Audrey line of beautiful timepieces which use our patented Amadeo system. The Miss Audrey is the epitome of grace, beauty, versatility, and elegance, all qualities possessed by my Audrey.”

Born in the mind and heart of Pascal Raffy, the Miss Audrey Sweet Art takes this sweet material and transforms it – all to capture the sweetness of love and the purity of a child’s carefree desire for confections.

The dial of a timepiece is its face, its window to the world if you will. Whether you are attracted and intrigued or not is often linked to your impression of the dial first, followed by other details. 

Over the course of watchmaking history, watch dials have been made of several different materials, all designed to stand out from the crowd. Precious metals, enamel, miniature painting, guilloche, engraving, mother-of-pearl, aventurine, skeleton – you name it and Bovet 1822, with almost 200 years of history, has probably used it for its dials. 

The new Miss Audrey Sweet Art, however, uses a completely new material and a new process to create a dial that has never been seen before in watchmaking.

Representing sweetness and purity, the sugar crystals covering the dial of the Miss Audrey Sweet Art represents a breakthrough in engineering innovation, materials, and miniature painting – all hallmarks of the House of Bovet. 

The process of producing this dial is extraordinarily complex. First, the pure sugar crystals are prepared so their structure will not change when exposed to light or heat (no the sugar crystals will not melt). Then the sweet crystals are chosen for size, then combined with special paints and hand-applied to the dial by one of Bovet’s miniature painting artisans. This demanding process, protected by a patent, leaves no room for error. One misstep and the entire process has to start again. 

Thanks to its artisanal and hand-made nature, each and every dial is in effect a unique piece. A variety of colours are available, including solid hues as well as gradients. The result is an intriguing mix of texture and sparkle, unlike any other dial ever produced in the watchmaking industry. 

Pascal Raffy, how did the idea come to create a watch with sugar in its dial?

“Since my children have been young, I have always called them ‘Sweetie,’ or ‘Sweetheart.’ Also, when I was very young, my grandmother called me ‘my little sugar,’ so this had always been in the back of my mind. Then, one day I referred to my children as my sweethearts, and I started to think about sugar as a dial material,” – remembers Pascal Raffy. – “I talked with our artisans and after a long period of research, we found a way to keep the sugar from melting, freezing, or changing consistency, and patented the process. This is the first time sugar has been used in over 500 years of watchmaking history. The process of applying the real sugar crystals is very much like a miniature painting, with the individual crystals coloured and applied to the dial by hand, by a miniature painter. The response has been fantastic and we are constantly finding new designs, colours, and applications for this very artisanal technique.”

The special hands of the dial of the Sweet Art are a whimsical, romantic touch. Uniquely shaped, they form a beautiful heart once every hour, as the minute hand catches up to the hour hand, reminding the wearers of the loved ones in their lives. 

Winner of the Ladies’ Watch category of the Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève 2020, the Miss Audrey model has captured the hearts of collectors all over the world. 

At Bovet 1822, the measurement of time is a form of poetry, and the Miss Audrey Sweet Art represents a romantic look at fine watchmaking.

What is your task as the general counsel of Bovet?

“As general counsel, I streamline the treatment of most of our legal matters that arise out of our daily operations. Luckily enough, because of our line of work, we don’t come across any significant legal issues. On the other hand, things such as negotiations, drafting and reviewing contracts, conducting due diligence, and more are routine. My primary goal is to make sure we are taking care of these as efficiently and quickly as possible without the necessity of having to outsource these services to an outside law firm. This allows us to spend less time on more basic tasks and focus on what is truly important – servicing our collectors,” – says Audrey.

What has been the biggest challenge with your new position?

“After I graduated from law school in May 2020, I immediately expressed to my father my desire to work by his side. Of course, at that time, we were already in the amid a global pandemic, and so while the Castle – our HQ – was in Switzerland, I couldn’t travel there from the USA. This fact made it so that I didn’t receive the one-on-one training from the Team at the Castle and the Manufacture that I should have received, or the day-to-day exposure of my father’s management.  This was all the more significant because apart from the fact that we are a 200-year-old house, we are also one of the only independent watch brands with true facilities, manufacturing almost all of our components in-house, and decorating all of our timepieces at the installations at the Château by our Artisans. Thus, the amount of history, information, and content that I was expected to master were huge!”

Audrey knew that she needed to learn and develop her knowledge on the way. Luckily she had the endless support of her father, as well as the backing of the Bovet team to fast-track the secrets of the Haute Horlogerie.

“Most people think that because I am my father’s daughter, I must automatically already know so much about watches and the industry, but what they fail to acknowledge is that I spent the last seven years of my life studying in the USA while my father was working in Switzerland. I didn’t have the opportunity to be by his side and learn. So, after spending four years studying towards my Bachelor in Business Administration and three more to obtain my Juris Doctorate Diploma, I hadn’t really been exposed to Bovet or the watch industry at all before I started working. In sum, I had no choice but to educate myself as best I could, reading articles online, learning our Masterlines, and having Zooms with some of our watchmakers to try to impregnate myself with everything that makes us a unique watchmaking house, and trust me, there’s a lot!”

Do you think Bovet is more inclined toward the feminine or the masculine?

“If you had asked me this question a few years ago, I might certainly have answered without a doubt that Bovet is more inclined towards masculine timepieces. Because of the way we have evolved since my father acquired the brand and because the inspiration behind the designs primarily comes from my father, you could have indeed said that since we are more focused on more complicated, larger timepieces, it is thereby automatically masculine. However, I strongly believe this has changed, and here is why. 

I think we are moving towards an ever more inclusive society, one where preconceived notions of what is feminine and/or masculine are starting to fade. It is not because a timepiece is large and complicated that it is automatically masculine anymore, and I must say I am very happy about that since these are my favourite timepieces to not only wear but also to admire.”

Which watch would you recommend for a first-time Bovet client?

“It truly depends on the personality and sense of style of the collector. I think we have something for everyone. From our 19Thirties in stainless steel with Fleurisanne engravings for the more classic collector to our 19Thirties in Black DLC coating and bright Super-LumiNova dials for our more modern and/or sportier collector. All the way to our Amadeo completely hand-engraved tourbillon pièce unique for the collector who wants to make a true statement of Art to our Récital 26 Chapter Two for the collector who wants to make a statement of what mechanical exception truly means. It all depends on what timepiece ultimately speaks to the collector.”

Do you think it is important for Bovet to attract a younger generation?

“Attracting a younger generation is definitely something we have had on our minds but I think the bright colour journey truly began last year with our Récital 26 Chapter Two Sunshine. This yellow dial limited edition of 7 timepieces worldwide, which movement won the 2018 GPHG Mechanical Exception Award, was thought of by my father a few weeks after the pandemic hit and the world started shutting down. My father wanted something that would exude positivity, light, hope, and the colour yellow had all those meanings. 

Funny thing is, when my father first went to our watchmakers and asked them to make a bright yellow dial, they told him it would look very ugly but the result could not have been farther from it! After that, several other bright colours have followed such as the turquoise, red, purple, orange, and more.”

How about affordable watch pieces?

“Offering affordable timepieces has always been something we have wanted to do. This is because we know many Bovet lovers truly appreciate our watchmaking and would proudly own one of our timepieces, but for whom the price tag can be problematic. 

The Récital 29 is definitely an example of our efforts to offer more affordable options. Our beautiful 19Thirties are another. A point I would love to make however, is that because we make everything in-house, meaning our watchmakers with their hands, create every single component that goes into the timepiece respecting traditional processes, and later assemble all these pieces into the final timepiece (which can often rise to over 400 components like in our Récital 26 Chapter Two), the amount of work that goes into every timepiece is monumental. This means that it is much more difficult for us to have more entry-level timepieces.”

What are your favourite women’s and men’s watch pieces from the Bovet collections?

“Something my father always says and I have to admit, I have come to realise that picking a favourite timepiece is like picking a favourite child. I don’t have children yet but I can only imagine that it is impossible. You love them all the same! I feel the same way about our timepieces.”

You travel a lot. What is your favourite place to go to?

“Home!!!” – replies Audrey with enthusiasm. -“Do not get me wrong, I love traveling and I’m very grateful that part of my job description requires it. But there is nothing that beats the warmth and love of your family and home. It’s funny that I find myself now saying this because my father has had the same answer ever since I can remember and now, I find myself understanding exactly what he meant.”

Can you balance your private life with your travels and professional commitments?

“You know, I think that when you truly love what you do the line between the personal and professional fades. In my case, Bovet is our family legacy so by definition it is both personal and professional. Moreover, as a young professional, I am hungry for work, so although I do love my private time with my family, my focus is absolutely on Bovet.”

What was the most important advice you ever received from your father?

“I wouldn’t say this was advice directly given to me by my father so to say, but rather a character trait or a behaviour that I have observed on him since I was little, namely, listening rather than speaking and thinking on something multiple times before making a decision.”

What is the part that you most enjoy in your work?

“Watching people’s reaction when they discover a Bovet timepiece for the first time. Before I started working, I hadn’t really been exposed to the end collector and I hadn’t ever been put in the position where I was presenting a collection to a watch lover. I’m not going to lie, at the beginning, I had my doubts about my capabilities, especially given the fact that I hadn’t had what to me would have been the proper training. However, I found out incredibly fast that our timepieces are so exceptional that most of the time I don’t even have to say a thing, I just watch them enjoy the journey and fall in love with Bovet.”