CABESTAN
Founded by Jean-François Ruchonnet in 2013, Cabestan stands as a major independent fine watchmaking brand in the modern era.
Lively by passion of creation, the avant-garde watchmaker transcends all contemporary watchmaking metrics. History, Craftsmanship, and Innovation are the three core values Cabestan relies upon. These are the DNA of the brand identity. All Cabestan timepieces reflect and respect the entire watchmaking cultural legacy, through their process creation, carried out in the Vallée de Joux.
All movements are engineered and in-house developed with ancestral elements paying tributes to horological history, such as the Nickel Silver material, for new creations. The core technology of the Cabestan watches relies on the premises of watchmaking, back to the early beginning of the 15th century, when the mechanical fusée-and-chain concept was invented.
Always in the pursuit of perfection, Cabestan allies innovation with know-how in order to reach the uniqueness of extreme time precision. Defying all gravitational attraction properties and mechanical conventions, Cabestan timepieces are among the finest mechanical arts to be made. Through its brand identity and exceptional team of watchmakers, the Cabestan’s work signature itself, remains as a pledge of guarantee to its owner.
Back to the early third millenary, in 2003, the Cabestan brand was created, with a new and exceptional design and a unique identity. After years of development on creating an innovative yachting-influenced watch, the Winch Tourbillon Vertical concept saw the light and Cabestan started to make its mark over history.
Over time, they have turned watchmaking on its head with its unconventional design, where internal parts have been shifted vertically with a vertically placed tourbillon on the lower right-hand side. The Winch Tourbillon Vertical was born.
In 2008, one of the most acknowledged and talented master watchmakers, Eric Coudray, joined Cabestan with his team. In 2009, after a few years of movement watch finalization and improvement, the first Winch Tourbillon Vertical was delivered. Couple of months later, the company was taken over by a new investor. Full of convictions, Cabestan launched the collection Titanic DNA in collaboration with Romain Jerome.
In 2010 a new timepiece was launched, under the name of Trapezium, with an exceptional new design and movement improvements. The brand also formed a partnership with Scuderia Ferrari, and launched the SF1 series, in collaboration with Ferrari design director, Flavio Manzoni.
In 2012, as any hard and successful work comes to a recognition momentum, Cabestan has been blessed for its design to the GTE awards, regarding the Trapezium creation and Eric Coudray received the Gaîa price for his craftsmanship and creation talent.
In 2013, a new team took over the company with at its head, a new CEO and owner, Lionel Betoux. Followed by its new owner’s momentum, Cabestan launched an exceptional and stunning creation, allying expertise and unique design, the 3D moon-phase Luna Nera.
In 2015, the brand launched the Triple Axis Tourbillon.
Lionel Betoux: CEO & Brand Owner
Representing the epitome of a self-made man, Lionel Betoux began his entrepreneurial development from a young age emerged in an environment brimming with vision, art, history and culture. After completing a degree in mechanical engineering as well as two MBA’s, Lionel went on to fill such roles as designer and program director in such prestigious companies as Volvo Cars, Nestlé, Merck Serrono and Rolex to name only a few.
Always the globetrotter, his work has spanned three continents and more than 12 countries including the United States, Spain, France, Croatia, UK and Switzerland. Understanding the importance of developing leadership, both, inside and outside the office, Lionel draws from his experience as a professional basketball coach to hone his professional skills as a manager and team builder.
Cabestan, being a brand that symbolizes all the core values dearest to him: craftsmanship, culture, art, history, mechanics and team spirit in a family size company, Lionel had no choice other than to pounce on the opportunity to take over the independent watch manufacture.
Eric Coudray: Master Watchmaker
In 2008, Eric Coudray joined the Cabestan Manufacture. Eric has brought to Cabestan his more than 20 years of experience and his reputation as one of the finest master watchmakers alive. Respected and admired by watch collectors and fellow watchmakers throughout the world for his creations, including his famous Gyrotourbillons, Eric Coudray continues to amaze the world with his devotion to creating horological emotion, made to his own incredibly high standards.
A specialist in the world of micro-mechanics, Eric Coudray seeks perfection both in the conception and the execution of his timepieces. No timepiece leaves the manufacture without his blessing. His unique inventiveness, technical intransigence and never ending search for perfection are the guarantee of a truly exceptional and timeless mechanical instrument that will be valued for generations to come. Eric Coudray is among the most respected high profiles in the Swiss traditional watchmaking industry.
Contact details
Official website: http://www.cabestan.ch
