Watchmaker Rémy Cools.
Photo: Courtesy of Rémy Cools
Creative Mind: Rémy Cools
The rising-star watchmaker uses a distinct blend of old-world French savoir-faire and modern techniques to craft 12 unique pieces each year
A detail of the watch's new mechanical caliber. Photo: Courtesy of Rémy Cools
Rémy Cools lives life by the motto “Evolve, don’t repeat.” The trailblazing young watchmaker has made his mark on horology with his distinct blend of old-world French savoir faire from the 18th and 19th centuries and modern techniques. “My singular design philosophy is driven by symmetry, purity, and timelessness,” says Cools, who set up his own workshop in 2019 at the age of 22. “Making something complicated is simple, but making something simple is complicated.”
Producing just 12 pieces a year, the up-and-coming talent values quality above all else. “I want to preserve exclusivity and rarity for my timepieces. Our approach requires more time, and our artisanal methods of production mean we can’t create more.”
Early passion: Cools’s obsession with watchmaking began at age 11 with a trip to the Frédéric Piguet atelier in the Vallée de Joux in Switzerland. He spent years devouring books on timepieces and scouring flea markets for vintage finds before enrolling in the prestigious Lycée Edgar Faure in Morteau, France, where he won the Young Talent Competition by F. P. Journe. “I chose to be independent watchmaker, first because I’m an independent spirit,” says Cools. “I really like to do things myself and being independent allows me to express my unique vision of watchmaking.”
“My singular design philosophy is driven by symmetry, purity, and timelessness”
RÉmy cools
The Tourbillon Atelier. Photo: Courtesy of Rémy Cools
Best in show: His Tourbillon Atelier earned the 2024 Horological Revelation prize in the Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève. The elegant piece, set in platinum, is a beautifully executed version of his inaugural watch, now featuring a 39mm platinum case with a rose- or yellow-gold dial plate with a finely grained finish.
A version of this article first appeared in print in our 2025 Spring Issue under the headline “Creative Minds.” Subscribe to the magazine.
Cover: Watchmaker Rémy Cools.
Photo: Courtesy of Rémy Cools
