Named after the Latin word for Guardian (or Custodian), CVSTOS was founded in 2005 by CEO Sassoun Sirmakes and Chief Designer Antonio Terranovato represent a new way of preserving time while being always one step ahead of time, focusing on a distinctive cutting edge approach to high-end watchmaking.
Sassoun Sirmakes, of Armenian ascendancy and born in Geneva (1983), has since his childhood been immersed in high watchmaking, as the son of Franck Muller Watchland Groupco owner and chairman Vartan Sirmakes; he dominates every aspect of the watchmaking industry and from early on was set to create his own independent brand – a brand that could exude an avant garde definition of the traditional art of watchmaking through ultra contemporary technique and aesthetics.
Antonio Terranova provided the look that has been defining CVSTOS since the inception of the brand; born in 1967 in the very heart of the Swiss watchmaking industry (La Chaux-de-Fonds), he has embraced watch design and worked for several top-notch brands such as Cartier, Piaget, TAG Heuer, Breitling, Ebel and Zenith – until moving on to fulfil the dream of launching his own company with Sassoun Sirmakes, inspired by the innovative aerospace and automotive industries.
The CVSTOS headquarters are based in the historical Saint Gervais quarter in Geneva, complemented by a production site close to Ferney-Voltaire and the Swiss border. Average price of CVSTOS timepieces range between 8,000 and 30,000 CHF.
Sassoun Sirmakes, Co-Founder and CEO
Step by step, from his earliest years, this dynamic Swiss-Armenian young man was drawn into the world of sophisticated watchmaking by working eagerly, during weekends and summer holidays, beside his father Vartan Sirmakes, co-owner and chairman of the Franck Muller Watchland Group.
After finishing high-school at the age of 17, Sassoun Sirmakes faced a crucial dilemma: should he continue with his studies or join the company straightaway and benefit directly from his father’s years of unequalled experience and his peerless sense of perfection to acquire the same habits of meticulousness and gain an intimate knowledge of this intricate craft. For him, the choice that had to be made was more than obvious. He rightfully decided not to forgo this unique opportunity and began at once to embark on a work for which he had an enduring passion as well as an already proven talent.
His first major challenge was to restructure the small gemsetting department to optimize its production capacities. Within the space of only two years, and with his characteristic decisiveness, he successfully achieved his initial goal by implementing managerial policies and strategies that transformed the in-house workshop into a large-scale gemsetting company, most probably one of the biggest in Switzerland, located at two different sites in the Geneva area. With over 50 full-time qualified employees working under his direct leadership, Sassoun Sirmakes was also in charge of purchasing and managing substantial quantities of precious stones. Additionally, his strong analytical vision and organizational skills led him to learn some of the essential aspects of the accounting procedures of the Franck Muller Watchland Group.
Through his boundless curiosity and active participation in all the facets of production, he gradually developed a keen and unfailing eye for the imperatives that underpin the realm of luxury and achieved mastery of the entire watchmaking process from the design board to the finished product.
In 2003, when he was only 19 years old, Sassoun Sirmakes’ well-known determination coupled with a sharp business-minded vision, succeeded in a new significant professional challenge. Having prepared a carefully thought out and convincing business plan designed to respond to the changing expectations and the fresh demands emerging from the world of luxury goods, he attracted the interest of first-class investors to join him in the start of this exciting new venture. To house this immense project, his excellent negotiating skills and ability to act quickly and decisively enabled him to lease a magnificent castle nestling in a beautiful estate of 80,000 m2, in France at very close proximity to the Swiss border near Geneva.
During spring 2004, Sassoun Sirmakes decided to branch out and create Cvstos, an independent brand, by teaming up with one highly talented partner: Antonio Terranova. Revealing Sassoun Sirmakes’ acknowledged flair for innovation and creative designs, these timepieces are totally dedicated to trendsetters across the world. This innovative watchmaking brand is the outcome of an original concept that defines and illustrates beautifully Sassoun Sirmakes’ very own philosophy of life: being always a step ahead of time.
Antonio Terranova, Co-Founder and Chief Designer
Born in 1967 in La Chaux-de-Fonds, Antonio Terranova has been fascinated by beauty and design ever since childhood, perhaps a heritage from his Italian ancestry. At the age of 16, despite his fervent passion for designing timepieces, Antonio Terranova followed his parents’ advice and spent six years in intensive study to become a micro-technical specialist. After graduation, he undertook professional training in order to finally follow his love of design and enter the enchanting world of horology. He started his career in the research department of a well-known company specializing in the machinery of watchmaking components. However, his creative instincts were so intense and overriding that he made a career move towards watchmaking design. His innate creativity encouraged him to design his own watch that he baptized naturally as Terranova No1. Wearing it on his wrist, this timepiece became his business card as he started to search for a career in the field of horological design.
In 1993 his exceptional talents were spotted by the technical director of Prodor SA and he was asked to join the company and take charge of technical developments regarding some product lines of the Cartier and the Piaget collections. His perfectionism and habitual sense of precision inspired and motivated him to explore new technical ideas and innovative solutions that have since been patented.
In 1997, willing as always to take up a new challenge and put his immense reservoirs of creativity to test, Antonio Terranova joined the TAG-Heuer company in Marin and started working as a research and development technician for new products. During this professional experience he became better acquainted with the philosophy of teamwork management, which aims to unite a pool of various expertise and diverse talents during the creation of a new product line.
Few years later, while working as a freelance designer for various major Swiss watchmaking brands such as Breitling, Ebel and Zenith, Antonio Terranova’s passion for creating imaginative innovations in the world of timekeeping instruments increased in intensity and sophistication. He was resolved to turn his dreams into reality and create watches that would be a synthesis of his skills and unmatched experience.
Finally, during spring 2004, Antonio Terranova’s challenging concepts, boldly directed towards the future, became a reality. He could now create a new brand that would combine his designer skills with his sound technical knowledge. He realized this venture and created this opportunity with Sassoun Sirmakes, a dynamic entrepreneur with an incomparable flair for marketing.
Official website : http://www.cvstos.com/