Roman Gauthier explains why micro-maisons are so popular right now

Micro-maisons have become a globally popular genre, and one of the key figures is undoubtedly Romain Gauthier. Having studied watchmaking under the famous Philippe Dufour, he is also an engineer, factory manager, and MBA holder. His passion and extraordinary insight have brought Romain Gauthier success.
We asked the people involved to tell us the reasons for their success and why Micro Maisons are attracting so much attention.

"Even before COVID, people started thinking about what real value is."

　The growth of micro-maisons is not due to the COVID pandemic; I believe it began even before that. The prices of some brands have risen speculatively, and in this environment, watch enthusiasts have begun to consider the true value of watches. So even before COVID, many collectors had heard of our name, looked at our watches, or even purchased them.

　Prices of some brands' watches are rising now, but that's speculative, like bonds. Watch lovers think they can't afford those prices, and that if they're going to spend money, they should spend it on something truly valuable, not something speculative. And so many great collectors around the world have come to say, "I don't like that (speculation) game anymore." If they're going to spend money, they should get something truly valuable.

　A lot has happened in the last decade, but small niche brands like Voutilainen and Gröne Feld remain. It's the same for us. We were founded in 2005 and it's taken us 17 years to get to this point. Not three or five, but 17 years. I think collectors are now opening their eyes and feeling confident about the future of the remaining niche brands. 2020 was our best year yet. So was 2021, and 2022 should be even better.

　I understand that people are looking for more and more rarity, and the watches we make are not industrially produced, ubiquitous. Collectors are looking for something rarer and more exclusive, not something that many people want. In other words, luxury that people don't know about. But the term haute horlogerie no longer resonates. It no longer connotes quality. We no longer rely on it.

　Has the collector demographic changed between then and now? I don't think it has. High-end collectors are always looking for beautiful things and craftsmanship. But the younger generation of collectors has increased. They're reluctant to spend 100,000 Swiss francs on their first watch from a brand, but they're okay with 40,000 Swiss francs. Nowadays, even major manufacturers are making watches at that price point. Our new collection, "Continuum," is an entry point for our brand. The price point is different from before.

　The idea of ​​dividing the collection into haute couture and ready-to-wear began last year. The former will be produced at an annual rate of 60 pieces, while the latter will be around 200 pieces. The former pursues artistic curves, while the latter expresses the beauty of modern straight lines. Therefore, Continuum is a more contemporary collection that incorporates the DNA and interpretation of my vision, as well as a modern approach. It's a different approach from what I've taken in the past, but wrappers are good, and so are old haute couture pieces.

　Our collectors don't buy what they don't have. They don't buy according to trends. The average collector may be looking to be part of a group, like Maslow's pyramid. Whether that's the bottom or the top of the pyramid, they want to be part of it. And what about us? We're a different pyramid. They buy for themselves, not to own for show. And they really know what they buy and why. Because they know it and they love it.