Inside Greubel Forsey: CEO Michel Nydegger On Strategy, Craftsmanship, And The Future

Visiting Greubel Forsey is unlike stepping into most watch ateliers. Tucked away in La Chaux-de-Fonds, the brand has always carried an aura of mystery, spoken about with reverence among collectors but less visible in mainstream luxury circles. That is partly by design.

When I sat down with Michel Nyddegger, the brand’s recently appointed CEO, it became clear that exclusivity is more than a positioning strategy. It is a philosophy woven into every detail of how Greubel Forsey operates. Nyddegger carried himself with a calm but direct confidence, the kind you expect from someone entrusted with one of the most uncompromising names in modern watchmaking. He made it clear right away that his leadership would not be about chasing numbers.

Instead, he described his vision as “a responsibility to continue the story, not to rewrite it.” He added that “Greubel Forsey has always followed its own path, and my role is to make sure that path remains clear.”

A philosophy of excellence over expansion

From the outset, Nyddegger stressed that growth is not the ultimate goal. He told me that “we are not aiming to be the biggest, but the best,” a line that perfectly sums up how he sees the brand’s role in the wider industry.

He explained that Greubel Forsey will never measure itself in units produced or boutiques opened, but in whether each watch lives up to the values the founders set in place. “Everything we do must be rooted in substance, not volume,” he said. “The industry is full of noise. We are not interested in adding to that. We are interested in building watches that matter.”

The role of time in perfection

That philosophy shapes every decision, including how many watches leave the workshop each year. The brand makes only a few dozen pieces annually, an amount that feels minuscule compared to most independents.

But Nyddegger does not see this as a limitation. “The fewer watches we create, the more of ourselves we can pour into each one,” he explained. “This is the only way to protect our integrity. We must remain true to the fact that Greubel Forsey is not a manufacturer, it is an atelier.”

He admitted that keeping output deliberately low is what allows Greubel Forsey to devote extraordinary time to finishing details. “If you want perfection, you cannot rush,” he told me. “You have to accept that time is part of the process.”

Balancing tradition and modernity

Greubel Forsey is renowned for its sculptural movements and uncompromising finishing, but as Nyddegger pointed out, the brand cannot afford to stand still. “We must remain faithful to our DNA while also surprising our collectors,” he said. He sees that duality as both the challenge and the opportunity of his role.

That balance is most clearly on show in the Convexe collection, which represents a more contemporary expression of Greubel Forsey’s codes. Nyddegger described the project as “a way to express modernity without betraying who we are.”

Speaking to a new generation

The curved cases, the bolder proportions, and the more wearable ergonomics are deliberate. “We wanted to create something that speaks to today’s collectors, who are asking for daring design but without losing the essence of craft. Convexe allows us to show that we can be both modern and timeless.”

He also spoke about how these models respond to the reality of a changing collector base. “Many of our new clients are younger than before,” he noted. “They have seen so much of what watchmaking has to offer, and they want something that is not just complicated but meaningful.”

For him, modernity is not simply about a contemporary look. “It is not about being fashionable. It is about staying relevant. There is a big difference.”

On leading a house built by visionaries

When I asked him about stepping into a role once defined by two of watchmaking’s great creative forces, Robert Greubel and Stephen Forsey, Nyddegger paused before answering. “You do not take on this role thinking about changing Greubel Forsey,” he said. “You take it on with the goal of preserving and strengthening what already makes it unique.”

But preservation, as he explained, does not mean inertia. “We must think about the next twenty, thirty, forty years,” he said. “If we only look backwards, we risk becoming a museum. Our responsibility is to evolve without erasing what came before.”

Protecting the culture

That outlook guides his decision-making as CEO. Every choice, whether about design, distribution, or client relations, has to balance respect for heritage with a vision for the future.

He was quick to credit the team around him too. “Greubel Forsey is not about one person. It is about an entire culture,” he said. “The people who work here understand that we are not building watches, we are building legacies. My role is to protect that culture and make sure it endures.”

At one point, he added, “When a new watch leaves our workshop, it is not just a product. It is a statement of who we are. Everyone here feels that responsibility.”

A collector’s brand at heart

Throughout our conversation, Nyddegger often circled back to the people who actually wear Greubel Forsey watches. “Our collectors are not buying a product, they are buying into a philosophy,” he said.

He described them as individuals who have often owned dozens, even hundreds, of other watches before arriving at Greubel Forsey. “They come to us because they want something beyond the ordinary. They want to feel that what is on their wrist has true meaning.”

Building connections

The relationship with these collectors is deeply personal. Greubel Forsey does not rely on celebrity ambassadors or glossy advertising. Instead, it thrives on direct connection. “We do not seek attention through noise,” Nyddegger said. “We seek it through authenticity.”

He believes this slower, more intimate way of building relationships is exactly what makes the brand resonate so strongly with its audience.

In his words, the aim is not to create desire through scarcity alone but to offer a level of artistry that naturally attracts the right people. “Our watches are not designed to impress everyone,” he told me. “They are designed to speak deeply to the few who understand them. That is enough.”

He also admitted that this approach requires patience. “Sometimes it is better to have fewer clients who truly understand you than many who only see a logo,” he said.

Looking forward

As our discussion turned toward the future, Nyddegger’s tone became even more measured. He has no interest in radical disruption, but he also knows that complacency is not an option. “We must continue to innovate technically and artistically, but always with purpose,” he said.

He made it clear that innovation at Greubel Forsey is never for its own sake. “If we cannot explain why a watch exists, then it should not exist.”

The next chapter

That guiding principle will shape the next chapter of the brand’s journey. New designs will arrive, fresh ideas will be explored, but the essence will remain the same. “What matters is that every watch we create continues to embody our philosophy,” he concluded. “If we stay true to that, then we are succeeding.”

Greubel Forsey is a brand often spoken of in hushed tones, its creations more likely to be encountered in private collections than in public. After spending time with Michel Nyddegger, I came away with the sense that this is exactly how he intends it to remain.

In a watch industry that often chases growth above all else, Greubel Forsey continues to remind us that artistry, meaning, and restraint can be the most powerful luxuries of all.