For half a decade, Beauregard has been making waves in the watchmaking world, with a unique positioning and origin story. It started with a bold vision: a women’s watch with high-jewellery dial and central flying tourbillon. Beauregard’s output is exclusive and its designs are voluptuous and generous – the typical precious stones almost entirely absent.
The brand hails from Montreal in Canada. Its instigator, Alexandre Beauregard, is obsessed with the concept of ‘alternative’ gemmology. His creations eschew emeralds and sapphires in favour of opal, chrysoprase, amethyst and topaz, presented in unusually generous dimensions.
An international outlook
The bold, 100% self-funded venture sparked the curiosity of retailers. This curiosity was followed by keen interest and, finally, firm commitment. Indeed, things are going so well that the modest family-run workshop of three could well break even as soon as next year. The optimism was evident at this year’s Geneva Watch Days, where Alexandre Beauregard noted: “We’ve secured firm commitments to open retail outlets in the Middle East, which currently absorbs 95% of our modest output, and we’re eyeing the United States next.”
Indeed “output” is a key concept for Beauregard. It’s a bottleneck that independent brands often struggle to overcome, due to a lack of funding. But Beauregard doesn’t have this problem – every watch on show is fully funded by the retailers who sell them. This ensures a steady income and, crucially, gets the retailer invested in making the effort to promote the brand.
Building momentum
And yet, Beauregard might not require much promotion. Growing from a few one-off pieces in the last couple of years, the brand’s in-house production is projected to hit 80 watches by 2024. Most are already spoken for. An apprentice has joined the workshops, and a new Swiss office will be in a better position to coordinate the gem-setting operations in Montreal with the watchmaking activities that remain in Switzerland.
The watches will be produced in limited runs of 30. “I can’t do any more,” Alexandre Beauregard insists. “The stones I select are incredibly rare. To put it into perspective, I can only get 2 to 3 handfuls of gem quality chrysoprase each year – flawless, without a single occlusion. That’s enough to make a few watches, no more. But since the project’s inception, I’ve accumulated a decade’s worth of stock, enough to fuel many projects.”
Up next: a man’s watch
Future projects may well involve collaborations. Alexandre Beauregard talks openly of his many friends, inspirations and ideas. The possibilities are there, even though many of the fine independent watchmaking heavyweights are swamped with their own production. But the conversation has been opened, and Alexandre Beauregard is clearly considering adding a men’s collection to his catalogue, prototypes of which were spotted at the Geneva Watch Days. Beauregard will be exhibiting again in Dubai this November, and then at Watches and Wonders. There, we’re likely to see the same parade of major institutional brands visiting his stand, curious to learn how this Canadian artisan has brought a fresh perspective to the world of exquisite fine watchmaking.
