On Thursday 5 September, Paris awakens to a deluge that washes away the final echoes of the Olympic Games. The last touches of summer linger on the zinc rooftops of the City of Light, which struggles to hold autumn at bay. In the Golden Triangle, white-collar executives swarm like ants. The Champs-Élysées and the Place de la Concorde remain closed to traffic. Place Vendôme and the Place de l’Opéra offer a final refuge to Parisians, soon to reclaim their capital as the Olympic flame flickers out. It’s in this bustling ecosystem that Trilobe has found its new home. After nearly five years in a cramped 50-square-metre office, the watchmaking house has put down roots in a space that mirrors its growth.
Brand identity
On Avenue de l’Opéra, Trilobe’s new workshop strikes a delicate balance: it’s sufficient without being excessive. There’s no overbearing decor or designer furniture. The start-up spirit prevails: every penny is invested, not spent. This prudence has enabled Trilobe to expand from 2 to 20 employees in just six years.
The workshop does more than house new talent; it embodies Trilobe’s strategy to bring more skills in-house. Four full-time watchmakers, young but experienced, having worked with the likes of Patek Philippe and Breitling or in antique watch restoration, now call this place home. Perched on the sixth floor of a classic Haussmann building, the workshop is a testament to Trilobe’s progress. The founding duo, Gautier Massonneau and Volcy Bloch, who “started with just a plank and two trestles,” as Bloch recalls with a smile, now oversee a robust team of five watchmakers.
Manufacturing essentials
The workshop boasts all the hallmarks of a proper manufacture: workbenches, specialised tools, measuring and control devices, and meticulously organised spaces. Overshoes are mandatory. While movements still come from the Cercle des Horlogers, this new Parisian atelier allows Trilobe to fine-tune, optimise and, most importantly, directly manage quality control and after-sales service. Service times have shrunk from months to weeks, much to customers’ delight.
Trilobe now handles assembly and casing in-house. “These are crucial steps; we’re diving deeper into movement production.” This shift has taken Trilobe out of the Swiss Made category, but as Volcy Bloch explains, “It hasn’t affected us at all. Our customers don’t demand Swiss Made, nor are they particularly drawn to Made in France. We simply sign our movements ‘Paris, France’. While we’re proud to carry on the French watchmaking tradition, it’s not central to our positioning.”
Looking ahead
The team includes some unexpected profiles: the workshop manager, for instance, is a former baker who switched career mid-life, spent eight years at Patek Philippe, and then joined Trilobe. “She’s a real asset to the team. Her entrepreneurial spirit aligns perfectly with Trilobe’s ethos,” Bloch notes. A technical office works directly with the Cercle des Horlogers, while a separate team manages digital presence and brand image. “What we still need is a strong concept to unify our workshop with our booths at trade shows like Watches and Wonders,” Bloch adds.
The company is currently recruiting for various positions including ERP, CRM and PR roles, as well as a full-time sales representative, a marketing director, and always more watchmakers. “Building a brand takes a decade,” Bloch remarks, as she prepares to launch Trilobe’s first dedicated outlet in Malaysia with The Hour Glass. A significant movement development is also on the horizon for 2025.
