Here are father and son duos that working together in the watch industry.
One of the most memorable lines in the watchmaking world is Patek Philippe’s, “You never actually own a Patek Philippe, you merely look after it for the next generation.” Has been continuing the traditional Geneva watchmaking art for 183 years, the brand emphasizes not only its own heritage, but also heritage of mechanical watches that transferring across generations. Produced by the Stern family for four generations, Patek Philippe is one of the oldest independent family brands. Chopard, Parmigiani and Jacob & Co. are also among the companies that management pass from generation to generation.
Patek Philippe
Founded in 1839 by Count Norbert Antoine de Patek, Patek Philippe management bought out by the great-grandfather of Thierry Stern, the current CEO of the brand, Charles Henri Stern and his brother Jean in 1932. Has been owned by the Sterns since then, the company is one of the largest independent family in watch world. In an interview Thierry Stern says that “We don’t just pass the watches down generations, but the entire company to the next generation.”
Chopard
Founded 162 years ago in a small village of Jura, Chopard has a long history, yet it can be said that the initiatives of the Scheufele family, who have been owned for three generations, played a major role in the brand’s peak in fine watchmaking. Karl-Friedrich Scheufele, who took over the brand in 1963, left his seat to his son years later. Nowadays, Karl-Fritz stands out as third generation. For instance, the Alpine Eagle collection has been shaped by the ideas and touches of Karl-Fritz. For Karl-Friedrich, keeping Chopard as a family business is a big mission for them.
Parmigiani Fleurier
Of course, the family business does not only transfer from father to son, but there are also father and daughter duos in watch industry. Anna-Lauder, the daughter of watchmaker and antique watch repairer Michel Parmigiani, who founded Parmigiani in 1996, has now role as Head of Design and Project Management in the company. Michel Parmigiani says he sees Anna-Lauder as the future of the brand. As the brand is one of the rare brands in the Swiss watch industry that produces all important parts from the case to the spring, it is one of the rare brands where the father and daughter duo takes the production together.
Philippe Dufour
As one of the greatest living masters of modern watchmaking, Philippe Dufour is also a watchmaker father who share his watch passion with daughter. His daughter Danièla Dufour even designed a wall clock at the age of 12 to demonstrate her watch passion. Following in her father’s footsteps, Danièla studied watchmaking at a renowned school in Switzerland. The model designed for the brand’s 20th Anniversary Simplicity collection in her father’s atelier is the first timepiece ever produced by Danièla.
Jacob & Co.
Founded by jewelry designer Jacob Arabov in 1986, Jacob & Co. is one of the brands that has managed to establish itself in the world of fine watchmaking in just a quarter of a century. Although it is still a young brand, the tradition of passing management from generation to generation can also be seen at Jacob & Co. Jacob Arabov has been sharing his seat with his 29-year-old son Benjamin Arabov since last year. In an interview Benjamin says that he aims to prepare the company for the digital age.
