Theo Auffret, born in 1995, began his training as a restorative watchmaker, in parallel with his baccalaureate studies, at Dupont’s, in Pontoise.
Then in 2012 he joined the professional programme as a restorative watchmaker apprentice in the workshops of Denis Corpechot, in the 8th Arrondissement of Paris. During these two years, he saw many high-end watches and clocks of the most beautiful periods of watchmaking history.
During a discussion about the remanufacturing of a part for a pocket watch, he had the chance to meet the renowned watchmaker / manufacturer Jean-Baptiste Viot. The latter would later offer him the chance to continue his apprenticeship in his workshops located on the outskirts of Paris, with all the necessary tools for designing and creating unique watches.
In 2018, Theo Auffret was one of three winners in the FHH and F.P. Journe sponsored Young Talent Competition. The watch that won him the prestigious award was an unfinished version of his Tourbillon à Paris, with its regulator-style dial, large, hand-made tourbillon, and sterling silver case. While many elements of the watch still have a certain raw quality to them, the Tourbillon à Paris clearly shows Auffret riffing on old French designs and ideas, but with an updated sensibility. Also, the bravado it takes to launch your name on the international stage with a semi-openworked tourbillon regulator is nothing to scoff at.
To turn his passion into a sustainable business, Auffret needed to sell some watches. So, he launched the Tourbillon à Paris Subscription Series, more refined versions of that original prototype made to order and lightly customized to each owner's specifications. Case metals, dial metals and finishes, and other aesthetic details can be mixed and matched – and special requests can be made, though not all can be accommodated.
Standard options include platinum, gold, silver, titanium, and steel for the case and dials, choice of finish and colors for the hands, either a sapphire or mineral glass crystal, tons of bespoke strap choices, a custom box made of the customer's choice of wood, and even the finish and color of the screws used in the movement.
