Three women who changed watchmaking

In watchmaking, there are profiles that catch the eye... And this is the case of these three talented women who have each made their own contribution to the watchmaking world: an independent, a watchmaker and an heiress. A chic and striking kaleidoscope without which the watchmaking planet would be much less round.

Carole Forestier-Kasapi, the mastermind.

She is a woman of the shadows and her immense talent regularly exposes her to the light. Her name: Carole Forestier-Kasapi. The general public does not know her, but collectors and those most curious about watchmaking techniques are familiar with her science, her kindness and her availability. And they are also familiar with the absolutely indispensable nature of the positions she has held in some of the world's leading companies, notably Cartier and now TAG Heuer.

Carole Forestier-Kasapi is a watchmaker. This is no coincidence: her parents already worked in the industry and owned a workshop where she took refuge after school. Very quickly interested in technology and science, she spent her free time studying the legacy of Abraham-Louis Breguet. Naturally gifted, she joined a shadowy but highly prestigious workshop: Renaud & Papi. This is a subcontractor founded in 1986 by two former Audemars Piguet employees and which, over the past 30 years, has worked for the biggest names in watchmaking, such as Richard Mille, of course Audemars Piguet, but also IWC and Greubel Forsey or HYT, among dozens of others.

It is in this prestigious workshop that Carole Forestier-Kasapi learns and demonstrates her talent. She is a creative, yet pragmatic woman who is constantly concerned with technique and precision. With her, a sketch is always accompanied by a technical drawing.

This talent was fully deployed at Cartier, where she climbed the ladder to become director of movement design. It was under her aegis that the Manufacture developed its most beautiful complications, its most beautiful tourbillons as well as mysterious variations which to this day remain unrivalled peaks of fine watchmaking.

After almost 20 years with Cartier, Carole Forestier-Kasapi decided to pursue her career at TAG Heuer to tackle other issues: chronographs, precision, but above all industrialisation and R&D, following in the footsteps of her illustrious predecessor Guy Sémon.

First name: Jasmine. Last name: Audemars.

She is a lady with a name and therefore a legacy. Jasmine Audemars is Chairman of the Board of Audemars Piguet. But that's not all. She is also a renowned journalist, having been editor-in-chief of the prestigious Journal de Genève for 12 years and responsible for the watchmaking section.

Just 30 years ago, in 1992, she took over the presidency of the board of directors of the brand whose name she bears, following in her father's footsteps. Audemars Piguet was and remains one of the very few watch brands still in the hands of its founding family.

The woman who readily describes herself as a "guardian of the temple" preserves family values and heritage within this company, which has become a behemoth of the contemporary watchmaking industry, with a turnover that now happily exceeds one billion francs. It is notably under her presidency that the brand has asserted itself through its partnership with Alinghi, twice winner of the America's Cup in 2003 and 2007, or with the Montreux Jazz Festival or Art Basel. Jasmine Audemars is also a woman of conviction: for 25 years she has chaired the Audemars Piguet Foundation, which is very committed to the environment. And as discreet as she is.

Fiona Krüger: a free spirit.

It is difficult to meet Fiona Krüger without noticing her natural aura. The artist speaks a delicious French mixed with several accents: it must be said that she grew up between Alsace and Edinburgh, between South Africa, Mexico, Brazil and Switzerland. She crosses borders, cultures and customs.

The independent Fiona Kruger has succeeded in creating the skull watch that everyone dreamed of. Until then, all the brands were rushing to make round watches with a dial representing a skull, more or less successful. Fiona Kruger has literally designed a watch with a skull in the case. Fiona Kruger's Skull is masculine or feminine, black or coloured, joyful and atypical. A total success of an independent designer who has brought creativity and femininity to the skull watch.

In the end, watchmaking reflects the diversity of profiles and characters. Creators of art, muses and inspirers, these women are renewing the grammar of watchmaking with a sensitivity that was previously lacking. All unique, all different, they give this particular world a refined and elegant flavour.