\u23f1 1 min 30 read<\/p>\n
Independent watchmaking is attracting growing attention. Prizes such as the F.P. Journe Young Talent Competition, the Louis Vuitton Watch Prize and the GPHG reveal young talent. But a prize rewards a watchmaker only once. Turning a first watch into a lasting business remains difficult for a craftsman working alone.<\/p>\n
William Massena and Louis Westphalen-Lemaitre are launching Ateliers Associ\u00e9s<\/strong>, according to a press release published by Europa Star in November 2026. The incubator will back four<\/strong> new workshops every year. It funds the first prototype, takes a minority stake and supports the watchmaker through the following collections.<\/p>\n The incubator provides a team: technical development, industrialisation, sourcing, production, after-sales service, branding and collector relations. The watchmaker keeps the name, the designs, the calibres and control<\/strong> of the company. Each year, an established independent watchmaker will act as mentor, in the spirit of compagnonnage, the guild tradition.<\/p>\n The first partner is Micka\u00ebl Gaspar, a 29-year-old French watchmaker. His Souscription watch displays a retrograde date, with the movement on the dial side. He is finishing the pieces by hand in Les Brenets<\/strong>, in the canton of Neuch\u00e2tel.<\/p>\nKey figures<\/h3>\n
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What it means for businesses<\/h3>\n
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What's next<\/h3>\n
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Further reading<\/h3>\n