Pirro

The Albanian jewellery house Pirro was founded by Mr. Pirro Ruço in 1995 and rapidly became renowned for its exquisite jewellery, medals, coin reliefs, figurines, miniature sculptures, and handmade filigree artworks. The brand was projected onto the watch scene in the summer of 2024 when it entered its “Primordial Passion” timepiece into the prestigious Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève (GPHG) competition in the Métiers d’Art category. This watch is more than just a timepiece; it is the result of five years of work that combines the rich heritage of ancient Albanian culture with the notion of timekeeping.

Pirro has succeeded in putting Albania on the high-end artistic watchmaking map in one fell swoop thanks to this unique timepiece which features 12 Albanian folk dancers, representing the 12 regions of the Balkans country, merrily dancing under a large domed sapphire crystal. Each figurine is so intricately designed that you can almost see the stitching of their outfits (with a magnifying glass, of course since they are only 9-10mm tall)! The micro-mosaic stone settings and cuts are another notable novelty, with the smallest cut being as small as 0.2mm. The movement is far from an afterthought as well, as Pirro has entrusted its creation to none other than the master watchmakers at Agenhor. This is certainly a brand to follow as the GPHG announces its nominees in the coming months.