Who's Who, Strom

It’s extremely rare for Laurent Picciotto to admit that he’s selected a timepiece without having had any interest in its movement! But he cheerfully admits as much in this case: in choosing Strom, he chose a brand that had “absolutely no pretentions when it came to watchmaking.” So what lay at the origin of the fatal attraction between the owner of Chronopassion and the sculptor of these items with their apocalyptic patterns? “The case,” he confesses. “Everything is in the work on the case and its engravings – intense, with hints of gothic and steampunk.”

That said, it’s not the first time an enthusiast for this kind of external design has called at rue Saint Honoré. But to his regret, Laurent Picciotto has usually found the watches of this ilk he’s been offered to be “rather too cheap and cheerful”. Indeed, not a few artists – or would-be artists – have long attempted to conceal fairly rough and ready production behind theoretically impressive designs. At Strom however, style and good workmanship go hand in hand. The first radical, uncompromising watch features angels of death and skulls in sturdy, hand-finished silver cases. These are etched by a skilled engraver onto plain or jewel-studded cases, accompanied by mother-of-pearl dials.

The level of finishing and detailing is not immediately perceptible. Laurent Picciotto himself admits that he had often glanced at photos of these watches without them having really caught his attention. It took a call from a friend for him to slip one onto his wrist. Apparently, his friend’s pitch was along the lines of “come on over, I’ve got something really original to show you.” Picciotto replied that he was familiar with the visuals but wasn’t interested in the watch. But in the end he went to see his friend – whereupon he too was mesmerised by the compelling power of the timepieces.

In accepting Strom at Chronopassion, Laurent Picciotto is well aware that he is introducing a potentially divisive element. “When you decide to offer such individualistic watches, half your customers will find them to be unwearable, whereas the other half will suddenly find they can’t live without one for a moment longer.”

It’s not the first time that a watch at Chronopassion has been the subject of lively debate – and it definitely won’t be the last.

Journalist : Olivier Muller 01/2013