The Independent Insider: Simon Brette

Simon Brette: The Fresh Face of Swiss Watchmaking

Simon Brette, a 35-year-old French watchmaker, has made a significant impact on the Swiss watchmaking scene with his debut watch, the Chronomètre Artisans.
His work has garnered international attention and is considered a strong contender for the Men’s Watch prize at the Grand Prix d'Horlogerie de Genève (GPHG).
The Chronomètre Artisans has been highly sought after by collectors, with the next availability not until 2028.

Brette grew up in the Auvergne region of France, the son of a carpenter, instilling in him a close relationship with craftsmanship.
He attended watchmaking school in Neuchâtel, graduating in 2011.

Chronode: Brette worked as a movement constructor at Chronode under Jean-François Mojon for nearly five years.
MCT: He then spent almost two years at MCT as a project manager.
MB&F: Brette joined MB&F as a project manager, having collaborated with them previously through Chronode on the Legacy Machine 1 and Legacy Machine 2 in the early 2010s. He officially joined MB&F in late 2017.

Brette contributed to the case design and movement construction of the Horological Machine 10 "Bulldog" and the sapphire crystal case of the Horological Machine 9.
He played a key role in the design and development of the LMX, introduced in 2021 to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Legacy Machine collection.
- The LMX incorporated design elements from the original LM1, such as dual sub-dials and crowns for indicating time in two time zones.
- It also featured inclined displays (at a 50-degree angle) using a conical gearing system, first seen in MB&F's collaboration with H. Moser & Cie.
- The LMX won the