There may not be a more widespread watchmaker stereotype than that of the master craftsman of his workbench. Dressed in a white layer, a gross magnifying glass affixed on a wire around his ears, our natural image is a man at the end of the ripe age.
Stereotype persists for a reason: the self -employed of the Creatures Horlogère Academy (AHCI), the most prestigious assembly in the world of qualified independent watchmakers, has 37 members, all men, with an average age of 59 years. At least he did so until recently. On April 6, its members voted to admit three candidates to candidates in its ranks: Anton Suhanov, Guo Ming and Shona Taine. Taine, at 27, is both the youngest person who is offered membership and the first woman.
Her first watch, The Khemea, was not even fully completed when she drew the attention of the Academy. Two years ago, a visit to Philippe Dufour, Kari Voutilainen and Sylvain Pinaud – some of the most revered names in watchmaking – was enough to convince them that she deserved a place on their list of candidates, the watchmakers who can progress from there to complete subscriptions.
“I was so shy because it was the prototype and I knew where all the mistakes were,” said Taine. “But they said it was great – it was absolutely incredible.”
“When I discovered Shona's work for the first time three years ago, I was immediately captivated by her innovative approach and his obvious passion for watchmaking,” said David Candaux, another member of the AHCI and one of the two clocks who proposed Taine for complete membership. “What impresses me most in Shona's creations is its ability to merge tradition and innovation. His Khemea watch perfectly illustrates his attention to details and his constant desire to push the limits of watch design. ”
Inspired by a childhood visit to Prague, where she became fascinated by the famous astronomical clock of the city, Taine, which grew up in the small French town of Pontarlier near the Swiss border, registered in the World School near Morteau at the age of 15, starting a six -year course including three separate diplomas.
“At the beginning, there were 45 of us and at the end, there were 15,” she said. “I wanted to study philosophy and literature, but it did not work with my hands, and I wanted to have a real profession. So I always thought that I would do my other studies later. ”
Instead, Taine found himself working in a service workshop, repairing Ebel chronograph watches.
“We did the same every day – it was just boring,” she said. “I wanted to learn and do a lot. The only way to do it was to create my own watch. So I left, and I created my business the day before my 22nd birthday. ”
Day and night work, she took all watchmaking work available to reach both ends while looking for positions with the type of craftsmen she wanted to imitate. “I quickly realized that despite six years of study, I always lacked a lot of knowledge,” said Taine. “So, I looked for several clocks to learn from them, ask for techniques and improve myself.”
Working in the workshop of Olivier Mory, one of the Taine clocks approached and a well -known supplier of whirlwind movements in the consumer brands, it created its first watch, the Khemea. He presents a modified whirlwind, a moon phase display, a calendar and a power reserve of 100 hours, and was so impressed by the Grands -Ailes of the Ahci – which had been alerted to him by another graduate of his watchmaking school.
Aesthetically, the Khemea combines elements of the traditional watch design with more futuristic and biomorphic forms. Taine says that she finds inspiration in nature, using floral and fluid forms for the logo and various components of the movement. He found an admiring audience, with several pieces sold even before Taine finished making them. She also aroused the interest of potential investors, but says that she has rejected all the proposals to overeat the company, preferring to develop at her own pace.
“I self-finance myself through subcontracting work, and I was lucky to have the confidence of my parents, my partner and some sincere friends,” she said. “Each of them gave me their time, advice, support and sometimes even lent me their savings.”
Its independence allows Taine to balance the company's requests with other commitments; Only six years after graduating, she now teaches in the same watchmaking school and is in great demand by the foundations and educational establishments of the industry. His growing profile also inspires the younger generations to follow his traces.
“I receive a lot of messages from girls who study watchmaking, saying it's incredible what you do, thank you, you are the only example we have,” she said.
Taine, who says that she understands the interest in her story but does not want to be defined by her sex, says that “there are many women in the surveillance industry, but they are rarely entrepreneurial or at the head of a business”. However, there are signs that things change. “When I was a student, there were only two girls in the classroom,” she said. “Now it's fifty-five.”
