The MEILLEUR OUVRIER DE FRANCE award in independent watchmaking
“Best Watchmaker”
The prestigious award
that seals winners’ reputations
In 1923, French senator Albert Lebrun and the nation’s economy minister Lucien Dior approached the business leaders and government of the day with a recurring concern: the lack of available skills in production jobs. The first outcome of their discussions was a major exhibition designed to draw attention to manual work by putting the spotlight on individuals who excelled in their respective crafts. Pavillon Marsan was chosen as the venue for the event, opened on 31 January 1925 by Albert Lebrun and France’s President Gaston Doumergue. It was also decided to grant the best talents the title of Meilleurs Ouvriers de France – France’s best craftsmen – although it took until 1935 for the distinction to be accompanied by an official diploma and medal. For almost a century now, the event has honoured over one hundred and forty trades from fourteen different industries.
The Meilleur Ouvrier de France title – and more especially the ‘independent watchmaker’ category – immediately became one of the most prestigious in the field. Watchmakers who have earned this honour are recognised for their outstanding expertise and their contribution to perpetuating age-old horological traditions.
Watchmaking’s
meilleur ouvrier de France
contest
Excellence at the heart of a flagship event
– In the Meilleur Ouvrier de France exam, which takes place every two to three years, independent watchmaker candidates must create a timepiece in a set time. They are then shortlisted on the basis of a number of criteria, including skills, prerequisites, dexterity, and the final result.
– Candidates on the shortlist then receive an assignment with detailed specifications; they have fifteen months to devote themselves unreservedly to the completion of what is referred to as their ‘masterwork’.
– Candidates then submit their timepiece to a jury made up of experts in the field who assess the breadth and depth of their skill.
– The winners are invited to a ceremony at the Sorbonne university to receive the title and accompanying medal, a deliberately symbolic event that places manual trades on the same footing as academic excellence. This is especially fitting for watchmaking, which requires great intellectual engagement too.
– After the event, a reception is held at the Élysée Palace where France’s President presents each recipient with their medal.
France’s best
indedendent watchmaker
Becoming a Meilleur Ouvrier de France
‘best watchmaker’
Watchmaking has been one of the Meilleur Ouvrier de France categories ever since the beginning. Over the best part of a century, only 55 people have achieved Meilleur Ouvrier de France ‘best watchmaker’ status; one is Thierry Ducret, the independent watchmaker behind your Persée timepiece. In food services, the award’s red, white and blue collar brings recognition and commercial benefits; in watchmaking, however, the distinction is more of a personal challenge than a public-facing contest. Here’s what Thierry Ducret had to say about why he entered the competition:
“You’re competing against yourself rather than against others, pursuing the very human quest for excellence: there can be no approximations when you’re seeking to measure time.”
Discover ‘Persée’ — a table clock to assemble with your own hands, from home and in complete autonomy, mechanical movement included.
Maison Alcée invites you to step into the world of watchmaking with a beautifully crafted set, developed in collaboration with Thierry Ducret. Inside the case: all the components, the tools, and a beautifully book to guide you, step by step, through the assembly process.
In the world of watchmaking, the coveted Meilleur Ouvrier de France title is recognised as a symbol of excellence, with the distinction enshrining the highest levels of artisanry and commitment to this timeless art. To win the prestigious title, watchmakers must embark on a journey characterised by hard work and perseverance. Only a very small number of master craftsmen have earned Best Watchmaker status in independent watchmaking – a highly select group of those who have sought to defy the limits of precision and dexterity.
Over and above public acclaim, winning the title represents a personal challenge. Watchmaking’s Meilleurs Ouvriers de France are the guardians of historic traditions and techniques, with those who aspire to the honour highlighting the challenge of pushing their own personal envelope and seeking to exploit their talents to the full. Their quest for excellence is also a captivating adventure.
Today, Thierry Ducret’s name resounds throughout the world of independent watchmaking. Acclaimed as one of France’s Best Watchmakers, he is the acme of excellence and a perfect blend of tradition and innovation; he fully deserves to be known as a master of time.
