The Greubel Forsey Quantième Perpétuel à Équation with a remarkably simple-looking display for the perpetual calendar

Maximilien: One left-field question: we are in Silicon Valley and Apple released their smartwatch recently. I wonder what your thoughts are about smartwatches?

Stephen Forsey: I think the smartwatch technology has existed for over 30 years. Back then, it was digital watches with calculators. The challenge today is to realize that there are times when we want to be connected, and there are times when we don’t. This is not, perhaps, the endgame. It has to go a lot further to be more usable. For instance, there are the issues of the power reserve and autonomy of the current smartwatches.

In a way, we feel a lot at home here – lots of innovation. Perhaps on the low-tech side, we too are pushing the envelop. We found a resonance with collectors we met. While people are being innovative, they also realize that our collective human history, our culture, is very fragile and we need to protect it. You know, lots of technology people are also interested in art and other things. And in many ways, this is wearable art.

In a way, we make disconnected watches for smart people…

Maximilien: Final question, so that people get to know you a bit better: outside of watchmaking – which of course consumes a lot of your time – what are your hobbies? What do you like to do when not working?

Stephen Forsey: We have been living in the Jura mountains in Geneva for the past 20 odd years, where we have located our atelier. It’s a great source of inspiration, like the Silicon Valley area which also affords some wonderful views and a nurturing grounds for inspiration.

For me, one of the reasons I got into watchmaking is that my father and grandfather were historical car enthusiasts, collectors, and repairers. So for me, cars are still a passion; I am a third generation historical car collector. [Maximilien: So which model do you focus on?] Well, my grandfather worked for Bentley in the early ’30s, and that’s how my father met my mother. And now my daughter is the fourth generation. [Maximilien: Do you race them?] No, we drive them. There is a heritage there. The automobile was important technology and we also want to preserve its history.

Maximilien: With that, I want to thank you, Stephen, for taking the time to talk to us. greubelforsey.com