Profiles in Time: Guillaume Laidet is the Mastermind of Horological Revival
Guillaume Laidet is a name that deserves more recognition in the watch community. Despite his significant contributions, he remains relatively unknown, even among vintage watch enthusiasts. However, he is leaving a legacy that is poised to gain the praise it deserves.
This visionary entrepreneur has single-handedly breathed new life into iconic brands, resurrecting the legendary Nivada Grenchen and Vulcain from the brink of obscurity. With a passion for innovation and a keen eye for design, Laidet has not only restored these horological giants to their former glory but has also pushed the boundaries of timekeeping with his groundbreaking SpaceOne watches.
The watch world, like many consumer goods, has left countless brands and businesses in its wake, trudging through them like Jerome Bettis tossing a linebacker circa 1998. There is a barren landscape strewn with the corpses of oblong case shapes, “revolutionary movements,” and the crushed dreams of Invicta designers.
Although I have no statistics to support this hypothesis, I truly believe the watch business has a higher fail rate than a new restaurant in New York City — which if you are curious, 80% of all restaurants fail within the first 5 years of opening.
However, someone has been moving around behind the scenes like a cape crusader reviving these run down long lost forgotten brands. Resuscitating them, bringing life back, watching them stand up on their own two feet and return to the horological landscape to make their mark and pave their own path for more to follow. Their guide on this journey is none other than Guillaume Laidet.
Recently I had the privilege to chat with Laidet about his past, the challenges of the current horological world, and where he wants to go from here.
After speaking with Laidet I spent far too long trying to compare him to someone. Someone who had a habit of saving fledgling restaurants, reviving quarterback careers, supporting a transitioning musician who woke up one day and suddenly wanted to move from classical music to hip-hop, maybe even an angel investor… But I could never find the right comparison to encapsulate what Laidet has done in the past 10 years for the watch world.
How it started
At 39 years old Laidet has already found himself sitting alongside industry veterans. Having earned his stripes working in marketing for Jaeger-LeCoultre, Zenith and Girard-Perregaux, Laidet did what we all dream about and he started his own watch brand William L. 1985 in 2015. When asked what made him branch out on his own he simply stated, “I was tired of the politics.” And I could not have identified more with a statement.
Laidet’s love of all things vintage is a lifelong one. When asked about where it all started Laidet lamented and told a story about a watch from his father. It was his dad’s Omega Constellation that sparked a desire for a beautifully made mechanical watches.
Later, a vintage chronograph from the 1950s he inherited from his great-granduncle, helped Laidet continue on his vintage journey. Restored in La Chaux-de-Fonds, it became a conversation starter, with friends inquiring about its availability. Though unaffordable for young students, the watch sowed the seeds of an idea – to create an accessible timepiece inspired by vintage charm. This idea blossomed into the founding of William L. 1985, a brand that paved the way for future endeavors, including Nivada and Vulcain.
With the help of Kickstarter, Laidet was able to raise 200,000 Euro in 4 weeks and after 4 years sold 100,000 watches, made a multi-million turnover, and his watches were being sold at 200 stores in 50 countries. This formula laid the groundwork for how he would eventually attack, reviving the likes of Excelsior Park, Nivada Grenchen and Vulcain.
Laidet eventually sold William L. 1985 and began dreaming of his next project. And a little serendipity played a role in his next adventure.
Nivada Grenchen
After chatting about how Ladait got his start he dove into the unlikely story of reviving of Nivada Grenchen. Admittedly, Laidet originally set his eyes on Universal Geneve, but after exhausting all options to acquire the rights he decided to move on.
A friend’s vintage Chronomaster watch and a book on Nivada Grenchen’s history sparked the next passion project. The brand, which thrived in the 1960s, disappeared during the quartz crisis, but its potential for revival was clear.
“I had a feeling there was a need in a niche market,” Laidet said. “The secondary prices were strong.” Laidet knew through his
One of Laidet’s suppliers was Remi Chabrat, of Montrichard Group who worked with the company that had the rights to the long defunct Nivada Grenchen line. When asked how he convinced Chabrat to take the risk and join Laidet who was known but still new-ish to the industry, Laidet said, “I made sure he had little risk.”
“I didn’t ask for money, I offered to do a pre-order. Like we did with my William L.” He finished. This model was one that served him well in the past and one that many other brands including Laidet’s friend and fellow watch brand founder Etienne Malec of Baltic utilized during the same time.
Laidet, a vintage collector, said the goal was to create faithful re-editions of classic models, respecting original designs, proportions, and specifications. The Chronomaster, Depthmaster, Antarctic, and Datomaster have been revived, offering a range of chronographs, divers, and classic-looking watches.
My personal favorite, the Chronomaster Aviator Sea Diver Broad Arrow (say that 10 times fast) is essentially a one for one recreation and packs a beauty of a punch. Sitting at 38mm, it is about a perfect vintage recreation one could make.
When this recreation was first released, perhaps Jack put it best when he said, “The Chronomaster Aviator Sea Diver was and is something of a watch that tries to be all things to all people, but succeeds at it perhaps better than most. For something that tried (and tries) to cram all the bells and whistles of a classic two-register chronograph into a watch along with a 100-meter depth rating… The Chronomaster Aviator Sea Diver manages to come across, if not as an example of Bauhaus-esque self-restraint, then at least as a technical timepiece which does its level best to deliver a lot of analog information in a coherent fashion. After all, we must recall that its design hails from a time when digital displays were in the future, and being able to decipher an analog gauge at a glance was a necessary survival skill.”
Most recently Nivada Grenchen released the F77, another vintage re-edition which has quickly become their best seller according to the “Re”founder. This steel sports watch very much has a Genta feel to it but also stands out on its own. For one, it comes at a dramatically different price point, something Laidet mentioned multiple times during our conversation. Price is important to him and he wants to ensure that his watches remain accessible.
Laidet has also made sure he does not operate in a vacuum having taken to social media to ask what people thought about the F77 before putting it back into production.
But now growth is on the mind for Laidet. Last year Nivada produced roughly 6,000 watches and he hopes for this to continue to grow. According to Laidet the only thing that’s holding them back regarding production numbers is receiving the Sellita movements. But that hasn’t stopped the young founder from planning for years to come.
“We have our watches planned out for 2025-2026. We also hope to grow our B2B side with between 10-20 new points of sale by the end of year.” This is fantastic growth for a small outfit and one that seems as the perfect strategy for someone who cut their teeth understanding the marketing side of luxury watches before entering the executive suite.
Vulcain
Nivada isn’t the only success story for Laidet. Following his success he got in touch with the Luxembourg based owners of Vulcain and began working with them as a consultant. Eventually he gave them the same Dr. Frankenstein treatment, however this one was not as dead in the water as Nivada.
Vulcain, another beloved vintage brand, and one coveted for their Cricket model, was struggling to stay relevant or even produce a sufficient supply of watches as they still had a manufacture unlike Nivada.
When Laidet arrived, he said that “Vulcain was still operating and producing the in-house Cricket movement and only a few hundred pieces in stock. There was one watchmaker, we are now at 4 at Vulcain. We also have 50 new points of sales.”
The company has seen a complete revival since having re-launched and multiple new lines from the famed Cricket to the Chronograph monopusher, there is a watch for every type of vintage lover.
Argon SpaceOne
Most recently Laidet made a splash with the release of his Argon SpaceOne. Argon, which means “inactive” in Greek, is far from a boring watch or company.
The brand with its space inspired designs looks like something straight out of a science fiction novel with a splash of De Bethune, a hint of MB&F and a sprinkle of Urwerk, but at a fraction of the cost.
Space one followed the same path as many of his previous brands initially getting its funding through a Kickstarter pre-order. In 2023 he was able to raise around $1 million the first weekend alone.
Last year they released the SpaceOne Jumping hour which emerged from the mind of celebrated Parisian independent watchmaker Theo Auffret. This past year along with the help of Olivier Gamiette they released the SpaceOne Tellurium.
The SpaceOne Tellurium watch has a sun-centered display that harmoniously blends time, date, and month indications. Housed in a sleek, high-strength grade 5 titanium case, this timepiece exudes a futuristic, spacecraft-inspired design. The dial, a masterpiece crafted by Théo Auffret and Olivier Gamiette, shines with aventurine’s iridescent glow and polished titanium stars, creating a celestial work of art. At its core lies the radiant Sun, the celestial hub, while the precise hour and minute hands hover near the dial’s edge, marking the passage of time.
Wrapping up
When asked if he ever imagined being where he is, having revived three different brands and leading the charge for SpaceOne, Laidet responded with humility and candor. “It’s not possible to imagine. I knew I had it in me. I just always like to launch new projects.”
At this point, one could argue that Laidet has proven to have the “Midas touch.” Despite no longer having day to day roles with William L. 1985 and Excelsior Park, Laidet left and indelible mark on them. As for Nivada Grenchen, Vulcain and SpaceOne they all continue to be as strong as ever.
Guillaume Laidet may not be the biggest name in watches but he has made a major impact and been at the forefront of a vintage revival movement. He laid the groundwork and formula for how one does it. Using his marketing background and keen understanding of vintage aesthetics, Laidet has ushered in a new era in watchmaking as we now see bigger brands such as Breitling and its acquisition of Universal Geneve following suit. When asked about the return of UG, Laidet reluctantly said that it was his initial goal to try and bring them back, but is happy they are returning regardless.
“It is a dream for vintage collectors. I hope they stay true to the [original sizes] and that they aren’t too expensive.” He added.
It is hard to say what the future has in store for Laidet, but in my opinion he has already left an enduring mark on the watch world. He has shown us all that the infamous quartz crisis was not the end of the story for many brands and that vintage does not have to be synonymous with old. You can have a vintage heart and be young. You can forge your own path, a new path in a world littered with precedence and tradition. He has taught us all that you can honor the past by pushing toward the future.
To me this is what is exciting about watch collecting. This is what makes watch collecting fun. Finding the story, whether it be a watch, a person or a brand and highlighting it for the world to see, for the world to learn and for everyone to enjoy. The story of Guilluame Laidet is possibly one of the best the watch world has to offer these days.